Knives Out was a smashing success when it was released in late 2019 and has even spawned a sequel that came to Netflix as of December 23rd. With the original film grossing almost $313 million dollars at the box office and getting a fantastic 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, the sequel Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery was unsurprisingly another hit.
The sequel stars Daniel Craig reprising his role as the master detective Benoit Blanc alongside an ensemble cast of great actors and actresses like Jessica Henwick, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, and more. You may have been lucky enough to catch the new sequel at a theater back in November when it had a limited theatrical release for a week, but if not, here are some movies that will tickle your Knives Out itch until December 23rd.
Note: Some of these films contain graphic themes such as rape, sexual assault, and more. Check IMDB before watching.
1. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
If you loved Daniel Craig in Knives Out, you’ll love him in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. This movie is a neo-noir psychological thriller that is based on a novel of the same name. In this thriller, Daniel Craig plays Mikael Blomkvist, a man that devotes his life to exposing corruption in government. By his side is Lisbeth Salander, played by Rooney Mara, a computer hacker with past traumas.
Together, they work to investigate a 40-year-old case where a 16-year-old girl named Harriet had disappeared and is presumed murdered. They’re contracted by Harriet’s grandfather, who believes he’s being tormented by the killer. Every year he receives a flower that has been pressed and framed – the same gift Harriet would give him.
This mystery thriller doesn’t have the comedic relief that Knives Out has, but it will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you guessing.
2. Se7en
Another movie that leaves the comedic elements out but is considered to be one of the best detective movies of all time, Se7en features a somewhat younger Morgan Freeman and a definitely young Brad Pitt as two cops on opposite sides of the spectrum.
Morgan Freeman plays William Somerset, a veteran of the force that has become disillusioned with his job. Brad Pitt, on the other hand, plays a young, impulsive homicide detective named David Mills.
The two are attempting to find a serial killer that has each of his victims represent one of the seven deadly sins before he kills again. Se7en has influenced countless other films, and without it, we wouldn’t have some of the great crime-mystery films released in the last twenty years. This movie will shock you and leave you wondering what sin is next to come.
3. Sherlock Holmes & Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
A classic. Everyone has heard of Sherlock Holmes, and if you haven’t seen the two movies starring Robert Downey Junior as the titular character, you need to add them to your list. Sherlock Holmes is, of course, probably the greatest series of detective novels ever written and the two movies released in 2009 and 2011 are excellent modern-day adaptations.
These two films are known best for their scenes where Holmes aptly breaks down what’s to come, the best course of action, or how exactly his enemy carried out their plans. With plenty of comedy like Knives Out and enough storytelling and mystery to keep you enthralled, Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows will keep you glued to the screen from beginning to end.
4. Bad Times at the El Royale
Recently released in 2018, Bad Times at the El Royale is a neo-noir thriller set in the 60s at an old hotel along the California-Nevada border. There, 7 characters will meet, each with darker secrets than the last.
While it wasn’t exactly a smashing success at the box office, it still has a decent score of 74% from Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised the cinematography, soundtrack, and A-list cast with Chris Hemsworth, Jon Hamm, Dakota Johnson, Cynthia Erivo, Nick Offerman, and more.
With its classic late 60s setting to make the neo-noir atmosphere at home, Bad Times at the El Royale is one of those movies where the whole time you’re watching, you want to know more.
5. Memories of Murder
A 2003 foreign film out of South Korea, Memories of Murder, was directed by the fabled Bong Joon-ho, who you might remember from recent films such as Snowpiercer or the highest-grossing black comedy of all-time – Parasite. Just like his other films, this one is an absolute masterpiece and is considered by many to be the best South Korean film ever made. With praise like that, it’s no wonder it made the list.
Memories of Murder is partially based on South Korea’s first serial killer, which was active between 1986 and 1991. It follows two detectives, Park and Seo, attempting to solve the crime and catch the killer before they can strike again.
Memories of Murder shows detectives getting increasingly desperate to catch a serial rapist and murderer before he can strike again, yet failing. As their pressure to find the killer ramps up, so does your desire for them to finally solve the horrific case. In the end, you, the viewer, are left pondering various themes the movie ever so eloquently presents to you throughout.
6. Clue
We’ve all played the classic board game Clue, but have you seen the 1985 black comedy film of the same name? If not, you should totally go watch this mystery classic with Tim Curry, Lesley Ann Warren, Michael McKean, and Christopher Lloyd.
It follows a similar plot to how the actual board game plays out with the classic characters like Colonel Mustard, Miss Scarlett, and the like trying to figure out who murdered Mr. Boddy’s death. As the movie continues, secrets are revealed that continue to drive the plot and keep fingers pointing.
Eventually, you find out who had actually done it, but did you? You see, when this movie was released in theaters, they showed 1 of 3 possible endings. This led to a lot of confusion and continued to drive talk for months after, as family members fought at the dinner table over who the murderer was.
7. Zodiac
Another mystery film featuring the great Robert Downey Junior, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Mark Ruffalo with a fantastic supporting cast, Zodiac is about the infamous Zodiac Killer that was never caught. If you love mysteries, thrillers, and serial killer documentaries, then this one is for you.
While not a true documentary of course, Zodiac was praised for its historical accuracy, among other things like its acting and writing. Often considered one of the top 10 films of the 21st century, Zodiac should definitely be on your watch list if it isn’t already.
8. Murder on the Orient Express
Agatha Christie’s novel “Murder on the Orient Express” heavily influenced the detective mystery genre and continues to influence it almost a century later. Even Daniel Craig’s character in Knives Out is supposed to be based on Hercule Poirot, the lead detective attempting to figure out who murdered Samuel Ratchett.
The 2017 adaptation of the same name features an all-star cast with Penélope Cruz, Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley, Willem Dafoe, and more great actors and actresses. The exquisite 1930s setting on a train sets the mood as you quickly get tossed into the crime. All the passengers are stuck with the killer on board – or is it killers?
In a game of cat and mouse, Hercule Poirot has to quickly determine who the murderer is before they can escape off the train. If you like this one, a bonus movie to watch is Death on the Nile, another Agatha Christie novel turned into a movie released in 2022.
Wrap Up
There are plenty of movies out there to scratch your Knives Out itch, and that was just nine of them. There were so many we couldn’t include in our list. The key to finding a movie to scratch that itch is identifying why you liked Knives Out so much.
Was it the murder mystery? The comedy intertwined with a somewhat tragic story? The detective work of Daniel Craig’s character? Let us know down below.