The movie Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025) is a mystery/crime thriller written and directed by Rian Johnson. The movie stars Daniel Craig (as Benoit Blanc) alongside Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church. Below is everything you need to know about where the third Benoit Blanc case was filmed and the key on-location spots used to create its moody, gothic look.
Blanc investigates an “impossible” murder tied to a church congregation, with the film leaning into darker, gothic mystery tones—think old stone churches, graveyards, and secrets hidden in plain sight. Limited theatrical run November 26, 2025, streaming on Netflix December 12, 2025. World premiere at TIFF on September 6, 2025.
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When and Where Was Netflix’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Filmed?
| Movie Name | Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery |
| Genres | Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Drama, Comedy |
| Filming Locations | London & Essex (UK); Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden (Hertfordshire) |
| Filming Dates | June 10, 2024 – August 17, 2024 |
| Cinematography by | Steve Yedlin |
| Release Date | Theatres: Nov 26, 2025, Netflix: Dec 12, 2025 |
Filming began June 10, 2024, in the UK and wrapped in mid-August. Location work centred on Holy Innocents Church in High Beech (Epping Forest, Essex) and surrounding areas, with stage builds and interiors at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden.
📍Holy Innocents Church, High Beech (Epping Forest), Essex, England
Exterior church and graveyard sequences were filmed at the Church of the Holy Innocents in High Beech, lending the movie its atmospheric rural-parish look. Set photos captured Daniel Craig and Josh O’Connor on the grounds, and the location aligns with the story’s church-centered mystery.
Tip for visitors: High Beech (also spelled High Beach/High Beech) sits inside Epping Forest, northeast of central London, making it an easy day trip.
📍Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, Hertfordshire
A significant portion of filming—especially large interior builds—took place on soundstages at WBS Leavesden. Production materials and studio posts confirm the film shot there; the cavernous chapel seen on screen was constructed by the art department rather than filmed inside the small parish church.
📍Epping Forest Area (incl. Butler’s Retreat, Chingford) – Reported/Spotted
Additional filming in the Epping Forest area included sightings near Butler’s Retreat (a restored barn café by Chingford Plain), used for select scenes according to on-the-ground reports and location logs. While not as prominent as the church exterior, these spots reinforced the film’s woodland-edge aesthetic.
📍Woodhall Manor, Sutton (near Woodbridge), Suffolk (reported)
The production has been linked by local venue reports to Woodhall Manor, a 16th-century, Grade II* listed estate near Woodbridge, Suffolk. With oak-panelled rooms, walled gardens, and period exteriors, the manor fits the film’s darker, parish-adjacent aesthetic and could plausibly serve as a private residence or parish-connected interior. Note: Netflix and the filmmakers haven’t officially credited this site yet; we’ll update if it appears in program notes or end credits.
Behind the Scenes of Wake Up Dead Man
Director Rian Johnson publicly marked Day 1 of shooting on June 10, 2024 with a set photo of Daniel Craig, and later confirmed the production wrapped in mid-August 2024. The schedule matches what we see on screen: UK-based locations doubling for a small American hamlet, then stage work at Leavesden for the larger interiors.
For context, early marketing and festival reactions highlighted the film’s darker tone and church-centric mystery, aligning with the choice of Epping Forest and a gothic parish exterior.
Is there any trailer available for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery?
Yes. Netflix released an official teaser revealing the film’s gothic feel and church/graveyard imagery. You can watch the teaser via Netflix Tudum.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is set to be released on November 26, 2025 and on December 12, 2025, by Netflix.
FAQs
Q1: Where was Wake Up Dead Man filmed?
A1: Primarily in the UK: on location at Holy Innocents Church, High Beech (Epping Forest, Essex) and on stages at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden.
Q2: Did Wake Up Dead Man production film inside the real church?
A2: The exterior is Holy Innocents Church, but the large interior chapel seen on screen was built by the production at the studio.
Q3: When did Wake Up Dead Man filming start and wrap?
A3: Started: June 10, 2024 • Wrapped: mid-August 2024.
Q4: Why does Wake Up Dead Man look like the U.S. if it was shot in the UK?
A4: The story is set in a small New York hamlet, while the production used UK locations and sets to double for that setting.
Q5: Who is the cinematographer of Wake Up Dead Man?
A5: Steve Yedlin, reuniting with Johnson from the previous Knives Out films.
For Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the team blended real British parish exteriors (Holy Innocents, High Beech) with purpose-built interiors at Leavesden, wrapping in a tight summer 2024 schedule. The result is a convincingly American small-town setting with the gothic mood Johnson promised—perfect for Blanc’s most “impossible” case yet.