Jessica Henwick opens up about reuniting with Knives Out 2 writer/director Rian Johnson, joking he was morally obligated to cast her. Plot details are currently unknown for the murder mystery sequel, though it will see Daniel Craig return as eccentric private detective Benoit Blanc as he is drawn into a new murder case. Knives Out 2 will see an ensemble cast of franchise newcomers including Dave Bautista, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Kate Hudson, Madelyn Cline, Henwick and Ethan Hawke.

Development on Knives Out 2 was teased by Johnson prior to the release of the first film, with the writer/director confirming he had an idea for the story of the follow-up and would get to work on it should it prove successful. As if predicting the future, Knives Out became a smash hit upon hitting theaters in November 2019, scoring rave reviews from critics and audiences alike for its screenplay, direction and performances, namely that of Ana de Armas and Craig, who both earned Golden Globe nominations, and hauled in over $311 million against its $40 million budget. After auctioning the rights to the franchise to Netflix for two more sequels, Johnson would get to work on building his new ensemble to shoot Knives Out 2 in Greece this past summer, and one cast member was pretty adamant about being involved.

Related: Knives Out 2 News & Updates: Everything We Know

While speaking with Collider for The Matrix Resurrections, Henwick offered some insight into signing on for Knives Out 2. The star revealed she was originally set to return for Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi but was ultimately cut by the filmmaker and joked he was morally obligated to cast her for the murder mystery sequel. See what Henwick shared below:

"When I was a teenager, I watched Brick in school and I loved it. So I wrote [Rian Johnson] a fan email, and he never responded. Cut to seven years later, I’m in [Star Wars: The Force Awakens], and I’m meant to go back to [Star Wars: The Last Jedi]. But Rian cuts me out of the project! Cut to this year, I finally got sent this script and I was like, ‘Put me in coach. Give me a Zoom. I don’t care if I get it. I just want to speak to Rian.’ So I revealed all of this to him. I was like, ‘I have a bone to pick with you!’ And of course, he was forced — he was morally obligated — to cast me in Knives Out.”

Jessica Henwick in Star Wars

Henwick previously appeared in Star Wars: The Force Awakens as Resistance X-wing fighter pilot Jessika Pava, though as she noted in her interview she was left out of its follow-up The Last Jedi, but it's largely unclear why. Despite this absence, she would go on to get further characterization in the novel The Weapon of a Jedi: A Luke Skywalker Adventure and the comic series Star Wars: Poe Dameron. With Johnson's franchise installment seeking to subvert expectations by moving away from typical Star Wars formula, it could be Henwick's Pava simply didn't fit into the story he was looking to tell.

Regardless of being left out from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Henwick and Johnson seemed to destined to reunite for Knives Out 2, especially given the filmmaker's love for working with actors frequently, including longtime collaborator and returning star Noah Segan. The two's relationship even extended to Henwick's directorial debut, the short film Bus Girl, with the star having shadowed Johnson while filming the murder mystery sequel. Though no release date has been set for Knives Out 2 as of now, audiences can catch Henwick's latest performance with The Matrix Resurrections in theaters and on HBO Max now.

More: Every Upcoming Daniel Craig Movie & Show

Source: Collider