If you were to ask cinephiles which movies should be remake with Muppets, there’s a good chance Knives Out would be a popular answer. It would be wildly entertaining to see Kermit, Fozzie, and the gang get up to their usual hijinks alongside Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, putting the brand’s trademark spin on the murder mystery genre. On paper, Benoit Blanc and the Muppets are a match made in heaven, which is why fans have been campaigning for a Knives Out/Muppets crossover for years. Ahead of the premiere of Wake Up Dead Man on Netflix, those prayers have been answered … somewhat. Benoit Blanc still isn’t solving a case backstage at The Muppet Show, but he is taking his talents to Sesame Street.
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Netflix has posted a Knives Out parody amusingly titled Forks Out. In it, a puppet version of Benoit Blanc attempts to solve the case of Cookie Monster’s missing pie. Rian Johnson, the writer/director of the three Knives Out movies, expressed joy sharing Netflix’s video on X. You can check it out in the space below:
Netflix’s Forks Out Proves a Full Knives Out/Muppets Crossover Would Work
The biggest takeaway from the video is that the blend of Knives Out and Muppets works as well as anyone could have hoped. Though Sesame Street is obviously geared towards a younger audience than The Muppet Show (which was family friendly but still had jokes and references that could go over a child’s head), it’s still a perfect venue for this concept. Benoit Blanc, who in live-action comes across as a larger-than-life character with his exaggerated accent and master sleuth skills, fits right alongside the likes of Cookie Monster, Elmo, and Oscar the Grouch as he works the case in his signature manner. The writers of the parody did a fantastic job capturing the essence of Blanc, who eloquently peels back the layers of the mystery until he reaches his conclusion.
What’s more is that this Sesame Street segment retains what makes the iconic children’s television program so beloved. Not only is the parody packed with humor, it also teaches youngsters watching important life lessons. Nothing about the spirit of Sesame Street was sacrificed to make it a better fit for Benoit Blanc. The video pulled off a rather tricky balance and delivered something that should make fans of both properties happy. Adults who love the Knives Out movies will find as much to enjoy here as kids who watch Sesame Street regularly.
This parody will surely make the calls for a full-length Knives Out/Muppets crossover even louder since we now have proof of concept. Wake Up Dead Man concludes the deal Johnson signed with Netflix for two Knives Out sequels, but it doesn’t necessarily mark the end of the franchise. The series could easily continue beyond Wake Up Dead Man, especially since each installment rotates the ensemble cast around Craig. If Johnson came up with the right idea, he’d have little trouble getting a fourth Knives Out off the ground. Whether or not it starred Muppets is another question. Johnson is aware of the fan interest in that crossover, but he isn’t sold on the idea due to the tonal differences between the two.
Unless Johnson has a change of heart, the odds of a full-length Benoit Blanc/Muppets feature are low. It’s one thing for Netflix to make a five-minute sketch that does a riff on Knives Out. A feature film is an entirely different animal that presents a new set of challenges. There’s no denying it would be fun, however, particularly since the Muppets have been juxtaposed with serious dramatic performances before (Michael Caine’s turn in The Muppet Christmas Carol). The Knives Out movies revolve around grounded murder mysteries, but they still have plenty of room for comedy and levity. Maybe this Sesame Street bit will give Johnson some inspiration.
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