Murder mystery caper film Knives Out captured the hearts of critics and audiences alike with its thrilling screenplay, excellent art direction, and talented ensemble cast. Now its sequel hopes to do the same, and actor Leslie Odom Jr. has been added to its star-studded cast.

Odom Jr. recently starred in the drama One Night in Miami, and was nominated for an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Critics Choice Award, Golden Globe Award, and SAG Award for the role. The multitalented star has a long list of film and television credits, as well as having released several studio albums. He has also starred on Broadway, including his Tony Award-winning role as Aaron Burr in Hamilton.

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What role Odom Jr. will be playing in Knives Out 2 has not been revealed, with the plot of the film kept firmly under wraps. He joins a powerful cast that includes Army of the Dead's Dave Bautista, Birdman's Edward Norton, WandaVision's Kathryn Hahn, and actor/singer-songwriter Janelle Monae. All of these actors are newcomers to the franchise, and they will be joined by returning star Daniel Craig.

Craig plays Southern detective Benoit Blanc, as he did in the first Knives Out. In that film, he was brought in to investigate the death of the patriarch of a dysfunctional rich family. The ensemble cast of Knives Out included Jamie Lee Curtis, Lakeith Stanfield, Chris Evans, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, and Michael Shannon, among many others. Understandably, there is a lot of pressure on Knives Out 2 to have an equally strong cast.

Director Rian Johnson returns as writer and director of the film, as well as co-producing with his business partner Ram Bergman. While the first film was released in theatres under MRC and Lionsgate, Netflix won the rights for Knives Out 2 as well as for a third film. The deal with Netflix required Craig to return for both sequels, and retained the budget of the first Knives Out.

The script for Knives Out 2 is complete, although Johnson has shared no details so far. It seems to be following Benoit Blanc as he solves a new mystery with different characters. The film will begin production this summer on location in Greece.

Knives Out 2 does not yet have a release date.

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Source: The Hollywood Reporter.