'Knives Out' sequel is officially on, with possible franchise in the offing

The sequel to star-studded whodunnit Knives Out is officially happening, with its studio hinting that it could be the beginning of a franchise.

CEO of the Lionsgate studio Jon Feltheimer confirmed the follow up in a call to company shareholders yesterday, according to Deadline.

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The movie, which cost a modest $40 million to make, is nearing a $300 million haul at the worldwide box office.

Its blazing performance has helped the indie studio grow its film revenue by 30% over the previous quarter, despite losses for the Pearl Harbour drama Midway, which tanked, and Bombshell, which despite Oscar nominations also underperformed at the multiplexes.

Knives Out, by comparison, was a roaring success, earning Rian Johnson the Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay, as well as nominations for the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs.

Daniel Craig aced his role as enigmatic master detective Benoit Blanc, investigating the death of Harlan Thromby, the patriarch of a wealthy family.

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The twist-laden tale, which got rave reviews, also starred Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield and Christopher Plummer.

It’s thought that a potential franchise would centre on Craig’s detective Blanc.

Other movies on the Lionsgate slate included John Wick 4, the latest in the Keanu Reeves hitman action series, and Chaos Walking, adapting Patrick Ness's YA novel The Knife of Never Letting Go, with Daisy Ridley and Tom Holland in the leads and Doug Liman behind the camera.