''Honestly, I'm pissed off'': Glass Onion director Rian Johnson reveals he does not like film's title

Rian Johnson’s sixth directorial, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, is currently streaming on Netflix. The sequel to the critical and commercial blockbuster Knives Out (2019), Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, has been a raving success.

Before its OTT premiere, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery was released in cinema halls on November 23, 2022. During its one-week limited theatrical run, the film grossed $15 million against a $40 million budget.

In a recent interview with The Atlantic, Rian Johnson emphasized that he intended Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery to be a “self-contained” film and hence is “pissed off” that the title has the “A Knives Out Mystery” addition.

The director said he would have preferred only Glass Onion for the title.

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Why is Rian Johnson annoyed with the Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery title?

In a conversation with The Atlantic, Rian Johnson detailed the thought process behind his latest murder mystery, which he terms a “vacation mystery,” and his annoyance with the film’s title.

The multi-award-winning filmmaker told David Sims, the interviewer, that the title of his latest feature irks him because he “tried hard to make them (the movies) self-contained.” He added:

“Honestly, I’m pissed off that we have A Knives Out Mystery in the title. You know? I want it to just be called Glass Onion.”

Rian Johnson expressed that though he wants “everyone who liked the first movie to know this is next in the series,” in his vision, “it’s a new novel off the shelf every time.” He avered:

“But there’s a gravity of a thousand suns toward serialized storytelling.”

When Sims asked Rian Johnson his “first idea” behind this whodunit, the latter replied that it was “the setting, the idea of doing a destination mystery.” Though he wanted to make Glass Onion a “vacation mystery,” he admits it was a “tough genre” to crack.

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Which actor was a surprise discovery for Rian Johnson? The director chimes in

The Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery cast comprises Daniel Craig, who has reprised his role as ace detective Benoit Blanc from Knives Out, Edward Norton, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Janelle Monáe, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, Jessica Henwick, and Dave Bautista, among others.

In other words, it is indeed a starry cast. Among them all, it was Bautista who surprised Rian Johnson the most. Speaking to The Atlantic, Johnson reckoned:

“When I was writing [his character, a men’s-rights streamer named Duke Cody], I was picturing a scrawny dude who’s trying to overcompensate. When Bautista was brought up, I was instantly so smitten by the idea. I’ve been a very big fan of his dramatic chops as an actor.”

The Sundance Film Festival award winner described The Guardians of the Galaxy actor as “genuinely, immediately vulnerable,” and “someone who has the physical trappings of someone who would play it big, but he actually brings sensitivity to the role.”

Bautista played the role of video game streamer Duke Cody, who also doubles as a men's rights activist on Twitch and YouTube.

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How much did lead man Craig get paid for Glass Onion?

Known as “The Last of the Gentlemen Sleuths” and “the world's greatest detective,” Blanc is a cigar chomper, flamboyant, somewhat eccentric, and a highly intelligent individual.

The actor brings a certain charm and charisma to the character, making Blanc a fan-favorite sleuth. No wonder Craig was paid a hefty $50 million for his Glass Onion appearance. This is 50% of the paycheck the star would get for the second and third Knives Out sequels.

In other words, Craig would pocket an additional $50 million for the third part of the Knives Out series.