Lakeith Stanfield Joins Rian Johnson-Directed Murder Mystery Knives Out

Lakeith Stanfield continues his ascent, as the Atlanta and Sorry to Bother You star is set to join the increasingly impressive cast of Rian Johnson’s Knives Out, per Deadline.

Stanfield joins previously announced stars Daniel Craig and Chris Evans, soon to depart their trademark franchise roles as James Bond and Captain America, respectively, in the original movie that The Last Jedi helmer Rian Johnson wrote and will direct before he sets off on his own standalone Star Wars trilogy.

After landing a unlikely hit this August as the star of Boots Riley’s bizarre Sorry to Bother You, Stanfield will be back in theaters next month with a role in The Girl in the Spider’s Web, and on Netflix soon after with romantic comedy Someone Great, also starring Rosario Dawson, Brittany Snow and Gina Rodriguez.

Stanfield has also landed a number of exciting forthcoming roles in recent months, including a starring vehicle with Legendary’s graphic novel adaptation Prince of Cats and a role in Uncut Gems, the Safdie Brothers’ Adam Sandler-starring crime drama for A24.

Media Rights Capital bought the world rights to the Knives Out package with Craig attached at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, with production set to start later this year.

Plot details are still unclear, but we know that Knives Out will be a “modern day murder mystery in the classic whodunit style,” in which Stanfield, along with Craig, will play a detective. From what we’ve seen so far, Stanfield’s oddball energy should make him an interesting foil for the soon-departing 007 and Cap.