Netflix announces Knives Out party game with filmmaker Rian Johnson ‘deeply involved’

Board-game-style Dead Man’s Party brings Benoit Blanc to living room screens, built for play via smartphones and aligned with director's Wake Up Dead Man

Daniel Craig, centre, stars as Benoit Blanc in the Knives Out mystery film series that is being adapted into a Netflix party game. Photo: Netflix

Rian Johnson has been closely involved in the development of Netflix’s upcoming Knives Out party game, according to the company’s head of games.

The title, Dead Man’s Party: A Knives Out Game, arrives ahead of Johnson’s third film in the franchise, Wake Up Dead Man, and appears to be tied to it in both naming and timing.

Alain Tascan, president of Netflix Games, tells The National at the company's Next Games studio in Helsinki that Johnson provided creative input on the project, which adapts the world of Benoit Blanc into an interactive group experience played on a television using phones as controllers.

“This is the type of game played with family and friends and Rian Johnson was deeply involved. We had a lot of opportunity to not only discover what he was doing in the latest iteration – which is awesome, by the way – but also have his input,” says Tascan.

He adds that Johnson helped guide the feel of the game, sharing the kinds of playful, social moments he associates with the series.

“What were the moments of joy he had playing this, like board-game-type time? We tried to transfer that on to the TV, using your phone,” says Tascan.

Dead Man’s Party: A Knives Out Game is listed as 'coming soon'. Photo: Netflix

According to Netflix, Dead Man’s Party places players inside their own mystery, with Benoit Blanc (portrayed in the films by Daniel Craig) investigating a murder and the group taking part through their devices.

The game sits within Netflix’s expanding push into TV-based party gaming, with titles such as Pictionary: Game Night, Lego Party, Boggle Party, Party Crashers and Tetris Time Warp also announced to be coming soon.

“You have Netflix, you have your phone. What we want is to eliminate any type of friction and give people the opportunity to enjoy the game they want to play very quickly on the big TV screen,” Tascan says.

He adds that the company is increasingly working directly with creators when adapting its franchises into interactive formats, citing Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker alongside Johnson.

“We have a lot of creators waiting to collaborate with us to expand their worlds,” Tascan says.

Dead Man’s Party: A Knives Out Game is listed by Netflix as 'coming soon'