Johnson is returning to write and direct, while Daniel Craig is reprising his role as detective Benoit Blanc.
Netflix has acquired the rights to the next two Knives Out films in a deal that is reportedly worth $450m.
The reported $450m price tag makes the Netflix deal the biggest film purchase in history, and it’s around double the budget of the streamer’s The Gray Man, which at over $200m is the most expensive Netflix original film to date.
Johnson, who was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at both the BAFTAs and the Oscars for the original Knives Out, will write and direct the two new films.
Knives Out stars Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc, a master detective who investigates the murder of a wealthy crime novelist. In Knives Out 2 and Knives Out 3, Craig’s Benoit Blanc will investigate new murder mysteries.
The first Knives Out was produced by Media Rights Capital. It was distributed by Lionsgate, going on to earn $311.4m on a $40m budget.
The film gives Netflix a splashy new film series as it faces more competition in the streaming space, especially on the international front.
On top of the box office success, Knives Out was nominated for three Golden Globes (Best Motion Picture Comedy or Musical, Best Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for Daniel Craig, and Best Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for Ana de Armas) and Johnson was Oscar-nominated for Best Original Screenplay.
The first film centred on an eccentric mystery writer who is murdered in his house. His money-grabbing family finds itself under suspicion. The all-star ensemble included Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, and Christopher Plummer.
It is unclear if the films will have a theatrical release in addition to their streaming runs on Netflix.
