Benoit Blanc is without a doubt an iconic character. Conceived by the talented director and producer Rian Johnson, he comes to life in the brilliant Knives Out franchise, a bizarre whodunit setting starring Daniel Craig, an eccentric detective who ingeniously resolves the most complex murder mysteries. To date, two movies have been released: Knives Out, and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, both to favorable reviews by the audience and the critics. The success of the franchise foretells more upcoming adventures of this brilliant private investigator.
And then, there’s The Muppets. Those lovable and quirky characters conceived by Jim Henson live long and prosper as a part of the Disney family. With an annual release of a series, movie, or special presentation, there is always something to watch with Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and the rest of the gang.
In a long interview for Tudum, Netflix’s go-to site for upcoming content, Rian Johnson was asked about internet fans requesting a crossover between Benoit Blanc and the Muppets. The director acknowledged the idea’s potential, but he explained that the combination of the two universes was incompatible. It’s clear that there are some limitations when it comes to rights, crossovers, and ownership, so a polite response from Johnson was a given. Nevertheless, there are points of connection and an imaginary world where The Muppets and Knives Out would definitely work.
The Muppets’ Whodunit Background
ITC Entertainment/Henson Associates
Johnson’s concerns are not all farfetched. It’s true that either of the franchises would compromise a little bit to accommodate the other one, but the starting point of this crossover should be a different question. Instead of asking ourselves what makes them different, we should agree on what the two have in common. The answer is The Great Muppet Caper.
The 1981 film was The Muppets’ second theatrical release. The plot revolved around a jewel heist and Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo trying to solve the case. It featured the typical comedy from the troupe combined with a mystery to solve. The movie lives on to prove that the characters are more than comfortable with a whodunit setting. The film itself has a couple of simple yet interesting twists in its story that could easily be featured in one of Benoit Blanc’s cases. Moreover, The Muppets Most Wanted is an homage to The Great Muppet Caper by adding a crime subplot, showing how they still can perfectly handle crime-solving stories.
Something apparently incompatible between the two franchises is that Knives Out’s two entries are centered on a murder. This would contrast with the fact that The Muppets are mainly targeted at a younger audience. Yet, Muppet humor can accommodate more adult tones while remaining a family show as long as they remain true to their witty multi-layered humor that has something for everyone. If a murder scheme is a must for the crossover, the victim could easily continue to appear as a ghost throughout the story. From Benoit Blanc’s side, Glass Onion showed that fantasy is also part of the franchise, imagining a Silicon Valley eccentric millionaire with cutting-edge technology that combines comedy with sci-fi. There is definitely a meeting point between The Muppets whodunit’s past and Knives Out’s inventive imaginary setting.
Benoit Blanc’s Quirkiness
Netflix
The detective interpreted by Daniel Craig suits the Muppet world in many ways. In particular, Glass Onion gave us a glimpse at Blanc’s most human and zany side. Whereas the first Knives Out depicted him more as an eccentric gentleman with a knack for mystery, the second film showed his clumsy side. The investigator with a Southern American accent shows signs of depression due to the pandemic by doing web meetings in the bathtub, and he behaves clumsily when surrounded by the elitist characters involved in the main plot of the story. Benoit’s further development makes him the perfect fit for a Muppet movie.
Moreover, we should not discard the possibility of having a muppet-like Benoit Blanc. Daniel Craig has thoroughly demonstrated his comedic talent, and Blanc’s characteristic accent would also make for a perfect puppet version. The character doesn’t even need to be named just like his Knives Out counterpart, it could easily be its muppet version, and it can also be voiced by a different actor, as long as a relevant cameo from Craig makes the cut.
All in all, both Knives Out and The Muppets have a solid comedy base that makes the crossover imaginable. Needless to say, there are many elements that make them different and wouldn’t work if the two franchises met, as Rian Johnson pointed out when questioned about it. Still, when pointing out what the two have in common, these aspects wouldn’t compromise the characters’ essence, which is what can make the crossover work.
In the end, scratching any legal complications, the idea came from fans’ uproar, and the fact that it reached the creator of Knives Out himself goes to show that, though complicated, it’s not impossible. Besides, the director already has connections to Disney, which basically is in debt with Rian Johnson after what happened with Star Wars: Episode VIII.
