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Director Rian Johnson discusses Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Southern detective Benoit Blanc is back to unravel another whodunnit in Director Rian Johnson’s comedic crime-drama, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

Johnson’s film finds Blanc ensconced on a billionaire’s lavish Greek island estate at a yearly reunion of a distinctly disparate group of characters − all with their own secrets, lies and motivations. When someone turns up dead, everyone is a suspect.

On November 13, after the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles, Johnson discussed the making of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery during a Q&A moderated by Director Phil Lord (22 Jump Street). He also spoke  about the film in a conversation moderated by Director Ethan Hawke (Blaze) following the DGA's New York screening on November 20.

During the Los Angeles conversation, Johnson spoke about the importance of blocking and being prepared.

“You don’t want chaos. Coming in with a plan − a very strong-handed plan − is the key. Coming in with a plan gives the notion that you have something that is going to work and this is why. And if it doesn’t, it’s not like, ‘Oh! Let’s blow it all up and walk around wherever you want.’ No, you have to think, ‘Why doesn’t this feel right? Let’s talk about this and why it would feel right.’ The trick is to know the dramatic intent of every scene.”

Johnson’s other directorial credits include the feature films Knives Out, Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, Looper, The Brothers Bloom, Brick and episodes of the television series Terriers and Breaking Bad. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series for his 2012 Breaking Bad episode “Fifty-One.” Johnson has been a DGA member since 2009.

You can listen to Johnson's Q&A by clicking the podcast episode embedded below. You can find more DGA podcast episodes here.

Pictures

Q&A photos by Shane Karns (Los Angeles) and Ryan Jensen (New York) – Print courtesy of Netflix

Director Rian Johnson discusses the making of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery during the DGA Q&A in Los Angeles.
Daniel Craig as detective Benoit Blanc in Director Rian Johnson’s comedic crime-drama, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
Director Rian Johnson discusses the making of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery during the DGA Q&A in New York.
Director Rian Johnson discusses the making of his new comedic crime-drama, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, during a Q&A with Director Ethan Hawke (moderator) in New York.
Kathryn Hahn, Madelyn Cline, Edward Norton, Leslie Odom Jr., and Kate Hudson in Director Rian Johnson’s comedic crime-drama, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
Director Rian Johnson (right) discusses the making of his new comedic crime-drama, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, during a Q&A with Director Phil Lord (moderator) in Los Angeles.
Director Phil Lord serves as the moderator of the conversation with Director Rian Johnson about the making of Johnson’s comedic crime-drama, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, during the DGA Q&A in Los Angeles.
Dave Bautista and Madelyn Cline in Director Rian Johnson’s comedic crime-drama, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.
Director Ethan Hawke serves as the moderator of the conversation with Director Rian Johnson about the making of Johnson’s comedic crime-drama, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, during the DGA Q&A in New York.

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7/28/2025 - 8/3/2025

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