Rian Johnson has responded to a joke about Bernie Sanders' folder at the inauguration being the script for Knives Out 2, saying he's waiting on notes from the senator. Knives Out, Johnson's 2019 whodunit starring a stellar ensemble cast including Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Jamie-Lee Curtis, Don Johson, Chris Evans, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford, Michael Shannon, Christopher Plummer, and Toni Collette was a surprise hit, pleasing critics and audiences and raking in over $300 million at the global box office on a budget of just $40 million.
Johnson's screenplay was also nominated for an Oscar, and fans quickly set about campaigning for a sequel featuring another mystery solved by Craig's detective, Benoit Blanc. That sequel was announced in early 2020, and Johnson has confirmed that the movie will be another Benoit Blanc mystery, meaning it will primarily feature an entirely new cast beyond Craig. However, Johnson could have fun with the movie and recast the original stars in entirely new roles. Regardless of what form the new tale takes, some fans are eagerly anticipating any news from the film. Today Johnson teased them with a silly joke about Bernie Sanders' mysterious manila folder at the US Presidential inauguration.
On Twitter, Johnson responded to a fan who had photo-shopped "Knives Out 2 script" on to the folder Sanders was holding as he approached his seat at the inauguration. Sanders' appearance was the subject of many tweets, mainly because he seemed to have dropped into the momentous occasion on his way to the post office. A Knives Out fan took advantage, snapping a screenshot of Sanders and putting the script title on his folder before tagging Johnson. The director went all-in on the joke, exclaiming that he gave Sanders the script three weeks ago and still hasn't received any feedback. You can see the funny exchange below:
Johnson's joke is doubly funny, as he's essentially teasing fans about the existence of a complete draft of the upcoming movie's script. The Star Wars: The Last Jedi director is reportedly hard at work on a script and may have even completed a draft, with the studio keen on getting the movie into production as soon as it is safe to do so. But there has been no confirmation from the filmmaker, star, or studio about precisely what form the new movie will take.
All that is known is that Johnson is keen to establish a Hercule Poirot-style series of films, inspired by the Agatha Christie character, who undertook a new investigation in every tale and revealed little about his backstory. Johnson, too, is keen on keeping Blanc's history a mystery, preferring to focus instead on the current case his character is solving. It's all very tantalizing, and hopefully, more news about Knives Out 2 will be released soon.
Source: Rian Johnson/Twitter