Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →My ranking of the three released Benoit Blanc mysteries is Knives Out first, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery second, and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery third. This is a spoiler-light, writer-led order based on mystery construction and payoff, character and ensemble work, tonal distinction, and rewatch appeal—not an official franchise ranking. Viewers who prize spectacle and ensemble comedy may reasonably put Glass Onion higher.
At a glance
| Rank | Film | Distinctive approach |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Knives Out (2019) | A contained family mystery at a New England mansion |
| 2 | Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025) | A darker gothic mystery shaped by the locked-room tradition |
| 3 | Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) | An expansive vacation mystery with a broad ensemble-comedy mode |
Netflix Tudum identifies Wake Up Dead Man as the third film featuring Benoit Blanc and names Knives Out and Glass Onion as the first two (Netflix Tudum). The ranking below is an editorial judgment, not a consensus or a claim that the installments are interchangeable.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
![Knives Out [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51jaS6Eti8L._SL160_.jpg)
|
Knives Out [Blu-ray] | $13.79 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
![Knives Out (Limited Edition Steelbook) [4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital HD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bYS2Di9AL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Knives Out (Limited Edition Steelbook) [4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital HD] | $59.96 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Iron Man 2 4K Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Ultra/Blu-Ray/Digital) | $74.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![Renfield: Limited Edition Steelbook [4K UHD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/5139jXUrnKL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Renfield: Limited Edition Steelbook [4K UHD] | $32.79 | Buy on Amazon |
1. Knives Out (2019)
Why it ranks first
The original is the strongest all-around entry and the clearest introduction to the series’ central pleasure: Benoit Blanc testing a closed circle of suspects. Its New England mansion and fractious family give the mystery a compact frame, while the family’s greed after its patriarch’s death supplies personal stakes. Netflix’s retrospective describes that cozy estate setting and the family conflict (Netflix Tudum).
That contained design is the film’s great advantage in this order. The setting, relationships, and investigation feel tightly connected, making it an especially satisfying place to begin if the appeal is watching Blanc work through a suspect group rather than seeing the series chase scale for its own sake.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
- When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate, the inquisitive Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate.
2. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025)
Why it ranks second
The third film earns second place by changing the series’ atmosphere without abandoning the mystery. It moves to upstate New York, introduces a new suspect roster, and leans into a darker gothic tone. Rian Johnson’s inspiration includes John Dickson Carr and the locked-door mystery tradition, as described by Netflix Tudum (Netflix Tudum; Netflix Tudum).
That tonal shift makes it the most distinct follow-up in the proposed order: rather than repeating the first film’s family-estate setup or Glass Onion’s sunny sprawl, it places Blanc in a more gothic, locked-room mode. Netflix lists the film as a 2025 mystery and provides streaming access where its catalog listing applies; availability varies by territory (Netflix). Netflix Tudum’s hub lists a runtime of 2:26:15; that is listing metadata, not a ranking measure (Netflix Tudum).
3. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
Why it ranks third—and why that is not a knock
Glass Onion is a successful variation, not a failed sequel. Its sunlit destination and expansive ensemble take the series toward a broad vacation mystery. Johnson described its mode as “a big, broad vacation movie,” a phrase Netflix Tudum reports in its coverage of the film; the same coverage connects its inspirations to Agatha Christie’s Evil Under the Sun and Death on the Nile (Netflix Tudum).
It lands third here because I prefer the more contained original and the gothic turn of Wake Up Dead Man to this larger, more overtly comic approach. But that preference is taste, not a verdict on whether the film works. If a sprawling ensemble and vacation-mystery spectacle are what you want most, moving Glass Onion up the list makes sense.
How to watch the Benoit Blanc movies
Watch in release order—Knives Out, Glass Onion, then Wake Up Dead Man—for the intended introduction to Blanc and the clearest view of how the films change their mystery subgenres and settings. The ranking is a preference order, not a required viewing sequence. Each installment brings a different suspect group and setting.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Renfield: Limited Edition Steelbook
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
