Movies Like Knives Out: 10 Brilliant Whodunits Full of Twists and Secrets

If you’ve recently rewatched the wildly popular whodunit, Knives Out (2019), and are now craving more smart, stylish, and deeply satisfying mystery films, you’re not alone. Director Rian Johnson’s modern take on the classic locked-room mystery became an instant classic, captivating audiences with its witty dialogue, ingenious plotting, and incredible ensemble cast, led by Daniel Craig as the debonair Detective Benoit Blanc. It successfully revived the whodunit genre for a new generation, proving that a complex mystery can also be an absolute blast of a theatrical experience.

The brilliance of Knives Out lies not just in its mystery, but in its masterful blend of dark comedy, sharp social commentary, and a palpable sense of fun. Fans of the film are looking for more than just a detective story—they want films with a similar atmospheric tension, a parade of eccentric suspects, and a final, shocking reveal that makes the entire journey worthwhile. The search for movies like Knives Out ends here. We’ve compiled a meticulously curated list of 10 must-see films that share its themes, tone, plotting, and unforgettable atmosphere, ensuring your next movie night is a killer success.

1. Clue (1985)

• 1h 28m
• Genres: Comedy, Crime, Mystery
• Director: Jonathan Lynn
• Writer: Jonathan Lynn, John Landis
• Stars: Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn
• Country: United States
• Summary: Six guests are invited to a strange house for dinner and a meeting.

If you loved the satirical edge and frantic energy of a large group of suspects scrambling under one roof in a stately home, Clue is your next essential watch. This cult classic, based on the iconic board game, is perhaps the ultimate example of a comedic ensemble mystery. Its snappy, quotable dialogue and highly theatrical performances, particularly from Tim Curry as the unflappable butler Wadsworth, make it a riotous experience that perfectly parallels the sharp, funny scripting of Knives Out.

What makes it truly similar to Rian Johnson’s film is its playful approach to the genre’s conventions. The film embraces the absurdity of the “everybody is a suspect” premise, ratcheting up the chaos with every twist and turn of the investigation. You’ll recognize the confined setting, the colorful cast of characters—each hiding a sordid secret—and the sheer, unapologetic fun of watching a mystery unfold. Just like with Knives Out, getting to the final answer is only half the enjoyment; the journey of accusation and revelation is pure, comedic gold.

2. Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

• 2h 8m
• Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery
• Director: Sidney Lumet
• Writer: Paul Dehn, Agatha Christie
• Stars: Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman
• Country: United Kingdom
• Summary: In 1935, when his train is stopped by deep snow, Detective Hercule Poirot must investigate the murder of a shady American businessman.

For fans who appreciate the lineage and source material that informed Knives Out, the cinematic adaptations of Agatha Christie are the foundation, and the 1974 version of Murder on the Orient Express is one of the very best. This film is the benchmark for the “all-star cast confined in an opulent, restricted space” mystery. It features a stunning list of Hollywood legends, all expertly directed by Sidney Lumet, each bringing their own layer of suspicion and intrigue to the snowbound train journey.

The film’s atmosphere is rich and deeply immersive, trading the modern mansion of the Thrombey family for the elegant, claustrophobic quarters of the Orient Express. Detective Hercule Poirot, with his meticulous nature and genius deductions, is the intellectual forefather of Benoit Blanc. This is a must-watch for its perfect execution of the classic locked-room mystery, presenting a case where every single person on board has a motive, an opportunity, and a secret that must be unraveled with surgical precision.

3. Gosford Park (2001)

• 2h 17m
• Genres: Comedy, Drama, Mystery
• Director: Robert Altman
• Writer: Julian Fellowes
• Stars: Eileen Atkins, Bob Balaban, Alan Bates
• Country: United Kingdom, United States, Italy
• Summary: Set in 1932, a group of wealthy Britons and their servants convene for a shooting party weekend at a country estate, where a murder takes place.

If the intricate family dynamics and sharp class commentary of Knives Out were what truly resonated with you, then Gosford Park is the perfect film to explore next. Set at a lavish English country estate in the 1930s, this Robert Altman masterpiece uses the framework of a murder mystery to dissect the relationship between the upper-class “upstairs” guests and their numerous “downstairs” servants. The film’s strength lies in its sprawling ensemble cast and its overlapping narratives, offering multiple perspectives on the same events, much like how Knives Out subverted expectations by revealing crucial information early on.

The murder itself acts as a catalyst, pulling back the veil of polite society to expose the jealousy, greed, and deeply entrenched class prejudices of the era. You’ll be immersed in the atmosphere of an aristocratic world on the brink of change, featuring phenomenal performances from a cast that includes Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, and Clive Owen. While the detective work is slightly more understated than Blanc’s flamboyant style, the sheer depth of character and plot makes for a profoundly rewarding and equally intelligent viewing experience.

4. The Nice Guys (2016)

• 1h 56m
• Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime
• Director: Shane Black
• Writer: Shane Black, Anthony Bagarozzi
• Stars: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice
• Country: United States, United Kingdom
• Summary: In 1970s Los Angeles, a mismatched pair of private eyes investigate a missing girl and the mysterious death of a porn star.

While Knives Out is a whodunit, one of its greatest joys is the dynamic, darkly humorous relationship between Detective Benoit Blanc and Marta Cabrera. For those who loved that comic chemistry and the quirky, procedural aspects of the investigation, The Nice Guys delivers in spades. This film is less of a traditional mystery and more of a neo-noir buddy-cop film, featuring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as a hilariously dysfunctional pair of investigators thrown into a massive, convoluted 1977 Los Angeles conspiracy.

The film excels with its machine-gun dialogue, fast pace, and witty take on the detective genre, all hallmarks of writer/director Shane Black. Gosling and Crowe have fantastic, unexpected chemistry, delivering a tone that is simultaneously gritty and laugh-out-loud funny, making it a stylistic cousin to the energy of Knives Out. You get the joy of watching two unlikely partners stumble toward the truth, uncovering a massive and shocking plot that is far bigger than their original case.

5. Death on the Nile (1978)

• 2h 20m
• Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery
• Director: John Guillermin
• Writer: Anthony Shaffer, Agatha Christie
• Stars: Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, Lois Chiles
• Country: United Kingdom
• Summary: As Hercule Poirot enjoys a luxurious cruise down the Nile, a newlywed heiress is found murdered on board. Can Poirot identify the killer before the ship reaches the end of its journey?

Another glorious entry from the all-star era of Agatha Christie adaptations, Death on the Nile offers the same appeal as Knives Out—an exotic, beautiful, and inescapable setting full of glamorous suspects. Replacing the snowbound train is a luxurious paddle steamer traveling down the Nile River in 1937, creating an equally confined and visually stunning “gilded cage” for the murder. Peter Ustinov takes up the role of Hercule Poirot, bringing a wonderfully cerebral and dryly humorous approach to the world’s most famous Belgian detective.

The central puzzle revolves around a murdered heiress and a huge cast of characters who seem to be uniformly motivated by greed, jealousy, and desperation, making the pool of suspects delightfully wide and deep. The atmosphere is one of sun-drenched sophistication mixed with underlying malice, creating a captivating contrast. If you love a mystery that forces a brilliant detective to work through a labyrinth of secrets in a lush, locked-room environment, this elegant classic is a must.

6. The Last of Sheila (1973)

• 2h
• Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery
• Director: Herbert Ross
• Writer: Stephen Sondheim, Anthony Perkins
• Stars: James Coburn, Raquel Welch, Dyan Cannon
• Country: United States
• Summary: An eccentric movie producer-gamester invites six film industry friends to his yacht to play out one of his games, the goal of which is to reveal which of them killed his beloved, Sheila.

If you appreciate the sheer complexity and cleverness of the mystery structure in Knives Out, you should immediately seek out The Last of Sheila. This deep-cut cult favorite was co-written by Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim and actor Anthony Perkins, and it is celebrated by fans for having one of the most intricate and airtight plots in cinematic mystery history. The premise is fantastically meta: a movie producer invites a group of friends to his yacht to play a “secret-telling” game, a year after the death of his wife, Sheila.

The movie brilliantly combines Hollywood gossip with high-stakes intellectual gamesmanship. Much like the twists in Knives Out similar movies, the key to solving the case lies in following the small, seemingly insignificant details and realizing that everyone is playing a game with rules that are constantly shifting. It’s an absorbing film full of sharp dialogue, wealthy suspects behaving badly, and a genuinely surprising solution that is earned through pure, calculated plotting—perfect for the viewer who loves a dense puzzle.

7. Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)

• 2h 21m
• Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery
• Director: Drew Goddard
• Writer: Drew Goddard
• Stars: Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson
• Country: United States
• Summary: Seven strangers, each with a secret to bury, meet at Lake Tahoe’s El Royale, a rundown hotel with a dark past. Over the course of one fateful night, everyone will have one last shot at redemption… before everything goes to hell.

The stylish flair and contained setting of Knives Out are powerfully echoed in Drew Goddard’s highly stylized Bad Times at the El Royale. Set in the late 1960s, the film centers on a dilapidated, two-sided hotel that literally straddles the border between California and Nevada. Into this isolated space gather seven disparate characters—a priest, a soul singer, a vacuum salesman, and a few others—all with deep, dark secrets that inevitably collide over the course of one stormy night.

This film delivers an intense, multi-layered mystery, utilizing a non-linear narrative that peels back the secrets of the hotel and its guests chapter by chapter. While it leans into thriller and neo-noir elements more than pure whodunit, the appeal is the same: a confined location where strangers and their hidden agendas create a volatile mix. The atmosphere is thick with retro cool and palpable suspense, making for a dark, compelling, and incredibly visually engaging mystery.

8. Sleuth (1972)

• 2h 18m
• Genres: Mystery, Thriller
• Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
• Writer: Anthony Shaffer
• Stars: Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine, Alec Cawthorne
• Country: United Kingdom, United States
• Summary: A celebrated mystery writer invites his wife’s lover to his isolated manor and proposes a cat-and-mouse game for him to play.

If the intricate parlor games and the sheer audacity of the final twist were your favorite aspects of Knives Out, then Sleuth is a mandatory viewing. The film is a masterclass in psychological gamesmanship, featuring one of cinema’s most legendary dual performances by Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine. The entire film is essentially a two-man show, revolving around an arrogant, elderly mystery novelist and the younger man who is having an affair with his wife.

The novelist invites his rival to his elaborately decorated estate for a confrontation that quickly devolves into an increasingly dangerous series of elaborate, humiliating, and ultimately deadly games. Like a more tightly focused Knives Out, Sleuth uses a grand, secluded mansion as the setting for intellectual warfare and stunning double-crosses. The film is a theatrical, dialogue-driven gem that keeps you guessing who is truly playing who until the very final moments.

9. Game Night (2018)

• 1h 40m
• Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy
• Director: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
• Writer: Mark Perez
• Stars: Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Kyle Chandler
• Country: United States
• Summary: A group of friends who meet regularly for game nights find themselves trying to solve a murder mystery.

For those who appreciated the comedic flair and modern, fast-paced sensibility of Knives Out, but prefer a bit more pure action and laugh-out-loud humor, Game Night is an excellent choice. This film takes a concept—a planned murder mystery party—and hilariously escalates it into a real kidnapping and criminal conspiracy. It’s a comedy that embraces the tropes of the whodunit and the action-thriller, subverting them at every turn as the amateur sleuths struggle to figure out which parts of the evening are part of the game and which are terrifyingly real.

The dynamic between the core group of friends, led by Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, provides the snappy ensemble chemistry that made the Thrombey family so memorable. It’s an intelligent, tightly plotted comedy that doesn’t sacrifice its mystery elements for the sake of a joke. The audience gets to play along, enjoying the twists and turns as the characters navigate a chaotic, confusing, and unexpectedly dangerous search for the truth.

10. A Simple Favor (2018)

• 1h 57m
• Genres: Comedy, Crime, Mystery
• Director: Paul Feig
• Writer: Jessica Sharzer
• Stars: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding
• Country: United States
• Summary: A mommy blogger in a small town attempts to uncover the truth behind her best friend’s sudden disappearance.

If the mix of social satire, dark comedy, and unexpected twists in Knives Out appealed to your taste for the bizarre, then A Simple Favor should be high on your list. Directed by Paul Feig, this film blends a Hitchcockian suspense plot with a sharp, quirky sense of humor. It follows Stephanie, a wholesome “mommy blogger,” who becomes obsessed with solving the disappearance of her elegant, enigmatic, and utterly unattainable best friend, Emily, who simply vanishes after asking a simple favor.

The movie is a feast of stylish visuals, shocking secrets, and a tone that is constantly shifting from light comedy to genuine, dark thriller. Much like the way Knives Out unraveled the secrets of a wealthy, dysfunctional clan, A Simple Favor meticulously dismantles the picture-perfect life Emily presented to the world, revealing layers of double-crosses, secrets, and an intricate, surprising mystery at its core. It’s a witty, unpredictable, and ultimately satisfying modern whodunit.

The Elements of a Great Modern Mystery:

What fundamentally connects these ten films to Knives Out (2019) is a commitment to two core principles: an ingenious puzzle and sharp, character-driven storytelling. Each movie, whether a classic from the 70s or a modern dark comedy, places a diverse group of suspects in a confined or restrictive setting—a snowbound train, a sprawling estate, a yacht, or a strange roadside hotel. This restriction is crucial; it forces the characters, and their secrets, to collide with dramatic and often comedic effect.

The storytelling style is another common thread, moving beyond the simple “who” to explore the “why” and “how” with thematic depth. Just as Knives Out used the death of the patriarch to satirize class privilege and inheritance, films like Gosford Park and The Last of Sheila deploy murder as a mechanism to dissect social hierarchy, exposing the greed and dysfunction lurking beneath a veneer of sophistication. This subtextual commentary elevates them from simple puzzles to resonant cinema.

Furthermore, the central investigator—whether Benoit Blanc, Hercule Poirot, or a hilariously mismatched duo—is key. They serve as the audience’s guide, a figure of intellectual prowess and often eccentricity, whose presence injects an immediate sense of focused purpose into the chaos. When you search for movies like Knives Out, you’re really looking for that winning combination: a vibrant ensemble cast, a palpable sense of atmosphere and style, and a truly clever plot that you can actively try to solve alongside the detective. All the movies on this list deliver on that promise.

We hope this selection of whodunits, dark comedies, and ensemble mysteries satisfies your craving for brilliant, knotty mysteries. From the theatrical games of Sleuth to the contemporary chaos of Game Night, there’s a new mystery waiting for you to solve. What’s your favorite murder mystery movie that keeps the spirit of the Thrombey family alive? Let us know in the comments below!