Movie Theaters Protest Fall Box Office as KNIVES OUT Sequel Set to Stream
By Movieguide® Staff
Theater chains may continue to starve for new blockbusters after a lackluster end to the summer box office, with the sequel to Rian Johnson’s hit KNIVES OUT, GLASS ONION debuting on Netflix.
GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY will premiere on the prominent streamer on Dec. 23, but Netflix did say that it will not be a streaming exclusive and will appear “in select theaters on a to-be-announced date.”
However, after the success of the 2019 mystery thriller, many exhibitors were looking forward to the possibility of its sequel in their theaters.
“‘Knives Out’ was exceptional, and Rian Johnson is a sensational storyteller,” David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, told Variety. “It’s understandable that exhibition would want this movie. Even with a drop from the first film, it would be welcome business.”
KNIVES OUT succeeded largely due to its overarching redemptive message.
Movieguide®’s review of KNIVES OUT reads:
KNIVES OUT is a mystery comedy about a wealthy man, his greedy family, his nurse, and his mysterious death. Harlan Thrombey has built his empire by writing mystery novels and publishing them through his own company. One son takes over the publishing company, while his daughter took a million dollar loan from Harlan and started her own real estate company. As he grew older and his health began to wane, Harlan hired a young nurse named Marta to take care of him and to keep him company. However, when his apparent suicide warrants hiring a private detective, his family erupts into chaos searching for the truth.
KNIVES OUT is a surprisingly accomplished dark comedy, with an all-star cast that delivers the goods. The humor is intelligent and the story keeps viewers guessing, with many unexpected twists. The moral of the story is surprisingly positive, with major themes about the importance of truth and doing the right thing, even when it’s not in one’s favor. However, KNIVES OUT contains lots of foul language, some lewd content and brief marijuana use. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises extreme caution.
After TOP GUN: MAVERICK led the summer box office, it remains to be seen what movie, or set of movies, will help exhibitors stay afloat this fall.
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