glass Onion Knives Out
How scenes compare to the Scripts in our Library
| Percentile | Before | After | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concept | 8.2 | 83 | Amadeus: 8.1 | fight Club: 8.2 |
| Plot | 8.3 | 71 | Mr Robot: 8.2 | Inception: 8.3 |
| Conflict Level | 8.0 | 68 | Breaking bad: 7.9 | severance (TV): 8.0 |
| Dialogue | 7.8 | 58 | Squid Game: 7.7 | glass Onion Knives Out : 7.8 |
| Overall | 8.3 | 57 | Queens Gambit: 8.2 | face/off: 8.3 |
| Emotional Impact | 7.0 | 29 | Catch me if you can: 6.9 | glass Onion Knives Out : 7.0 |
| Characters | 8.0 | 29 | Hors de prix: 7.9 | Donnie Darko: 8.0 |
| Story Content | Character Development | Scene Elements | Audience Engagement | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scene Number | Full Analysis | Tone | Overall Grade | Concept | Plot | Characters | Character Changes | Conflict | High stakes | Story forward | Emotional Impact | Dialogue | |
| 1 | Glass Onion | "tense" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | |
| 2 | Lionel's Dilemma | "tense" | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | |
| 3 | The Wood Box | "Light-hearted" | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | |
| 4 | Box Confusion | "sarcastic" | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | |
| 5 | Box Puzzles | "Tense" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | |
| 6 | The Music Box Puzzle | "whimsical" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | |
| 7 | The Puzzle Box | "Exciting, humorous" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | |
| 8 | Virtual Game Night and Bath Time Confessions | "mixed tone of frustration, confusion, and humor" | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8 | |
| 9 | Arrival at the Island | "Tense" | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | |
| 10 | Arrival at the Island | "Tense, but with moments of humor" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | |
| 11 | The Arrival of Andi | "Suspenseful" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | |
| 12 | Arrival on the Island | "Tense" | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | |
| 13 | Arrival on the Island | "Tense" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | |
| 14 | Arriving on Miles' Island | "Inquisitive" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | |
| 15 | The Puzzle Boxes | "tense" | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | |
| 16 | Poolside Shenanigans | "light-hearted" | 7 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | |
| 17 | Introduction to the eclectic bunch | "Playful" | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | |
| 18 | Discussion of Disruption | "Intense" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 9 | |
| 19 | Revelations and Tension | "Tense" | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | |
| 20 | Investigating the Island | "tense" | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | |
| 21 | The Mona Lisa and Whiskey Kisses | "Tense" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | |
| 22 | The Unveiling | "tense" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8 | |
| 23 | The Murder Game | "Tense" | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8 | |
| 24 | Blanc nails it | "Suspenseful" | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 9 | |
| 25 | The Truth Unveiled | "Tense" | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 9 | |
| 26 | Miles' Dark Past | "Tense" | 9.5 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | |
| 27 | Andi Confronts the Group | "Tense" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 10 | |
| 28 | The Party Takes a Dark Turn | "tense" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | |
| 29 | Deadly Party Game | "Suspenseful" | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 8 | |
| 30 | The Glass | "Tense" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 8 | |
| 31 | The Vanishing | "Tense" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | |
| 32 | The Murder Game Unravels | "Tense" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | |
| 33 | The Aftermath | "Tense" | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 8 | |
| 34 | The Puzzle Box | "Tense" | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | |
| 35 | Helen's Concerns | "Suspenseful" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | |
| 36 | Helen hires Blanc to investigate Andi's murder | "Tense" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | |
| 37 | Buttress | "Tense" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | |
| 38 | Investigation Begins | "intriguing" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | |
| 39 | Miles and Andi's History with Alpha | "Intense" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 7 | |
| 40 | The Truth Behind Alpha's Founding Idea | "Intense" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 8 | |
| 41 | Investigating Alpha | "Tense" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | |
| 42 | The Investigation Intensifies | "Suspenseful" | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | |
| 43 | Investigating Andi's Murder | "Tense" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 7 | |
| 44 | Going Undercover | "Tense" | 7 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | |
| 45 | Claire Confronts Helen | "Tense" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 9 | |
| 46 | The Faxed Evidence | "Tense" | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | |
| 47 | Discovery and Betrayal | "Suspenseful" | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 9 | |
| 48 | PEG | "Tense" | 7 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | |
| 49 | Desperate Search | "Tense" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | |
| 50 | Helen's Escape | "Tense" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | |
| 51 | The Cover-Up Continues | "tense" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | |
| 52 | The Glass Onion | "Tense" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | |
| 53 | The Glass Onion Revelation | "Tense" | 9.5 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 10 | |
| 54 | Revelations | "tense" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 9 | |
| 55 | The Revelation | "Tense, Suspenseful" | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | |
| 56 | Blanc discovers Miles' involvement in Andi's death | "Suspenseful" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | |
| 57 | The Big Reveal | "Tense" | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | |
| 58 | Revelations and Betrayals | "Tense" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | |
| 59 | Helen's Fury | "Intense" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 7 | |
| 60 | The Destruction of Miles Bron's Kingdom | "Dark" | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 8 | |
| 61 | Birdie | "Tense" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 8 | |
Scene 1 - Glass Onion
Adapted Screenplay
Written by Rian Johnson
1 A FRONT DOOR, PAINTED BLACK 1
A hand knocks. Muffled noise inside, then it opens revealing
CLAIRE DEBELLA, 30s. Nicely made up in a beige blouse but
wears sweat pants and Uggs. She's on the phone. The man who
knocked is a COURIER delivering a cardboard box about the
size of four large stacked pizza boxes.
CLAIRE
-subject to their approval hold on
(to courier)
Hey - oh shit, sorry - let me -
She realizes she isn't wearing a mask, puts her arm
awkwardly over her mouth. Widen to reveal:
2 EXT. SUBURBAN HOUSE - DAY 2
The courier's van with CONNECTICUT plates at the curb.
Claire signs for the package and takes it.
ALPHA COURIER
Sign here.
CLAIRE
Thank you.
A title card up over this:
MAY 13, 2020
3 INT. DEBELLA HOME 3
Claire awkwardly puts the large box on the kitchen island,
where her husband DEVON (30s, shaggy haired in a vintage
GREENPEACE t-shirt) wrangles three kids and sorts paperwork.
DEVON
What's this?
CLAIRE
I don't know I've got the CNN thing
in like, now.
As she rushes into the living room where a mini studio is
set up in front of a bookshelf, "DEBELLA 2020" election
signs everywhere.
She's a blaze of beige energy, sharp and incredibly wry.
(CONTINUED)
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2.
3 CONTINUED: 3
CLAIRE (cont'd)
(to Assistant)
Amy! Come on look alive, hold that
please.
Claire hands her a phone and coffee.
ASSISTANT
On in 10, she's leading you in now.
In the kitchen, Devon has removed the cardboard box,
revealing a large smooth WOODEN BOX, with a small note -
"LOVE, MILES!" Devon gets very excited.
DEVON
It's from Miles!
Claire just has time to react to this before she's on live.
CNN ANCHOR (ON SCREEN)
And with me now is Connecticut
Governor Claire Debella, whose senate
campaign is picking up steam, as
she's positioned herself as a very
different kind of candidate.
Governor, thanks for joining us,
working from home like the rest of
us, I can see
CLAIRE
Yes, welcome to our office, campaign
center and kindergarten, we are
losing our minds.
4 INT. AEROSPACE FACTORY 4
A cavernous warehouse-sized space with clean floors and
massive pieces of strange equipment. It's empty and mostly
dark. An unattended TV on the wall (in an open break area
with bean bag chairs) plays to nobody at all.
CNN ANCHOR (ON TV)
Your campaign is backed by
billionaire philanthropist Miles
Bron, founder of the ubiquitous tech
giant Alpha, which now has dozens of
companies from Alpha Cosmos to Alpha
Car, Alpha Shop, Alpha News,
(CONTINUED)
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3.
4 CONTINUED: 4
A WORKER in protective gear and face shield rolls a cart
through the space, past the tv. On the cart is a WOOD BOX,
identical to the one Claire received. A huge sign in the
background if we notice it: "ALPHA COSMOS"
5 INT. CONFERENCE ROOM 5
LIONEL TOUSSAINT (30s) sits alone at a table facing a wall
of various SCIENTISTS on zoom screens. Head in his hands.
Ratings
Scene 2 - Lionel's Dilemma
I know. I know I know I know but what
can I do?
Every scientist says some exasperated variation of:
SCIENTISTS (ON SCREENS)
You can tell him NO.
SCIENTIST ONE
Lionel you're a scientist not a
publicist, you can't keep making
excuses for Miles Bron's every insane
whim!
LIONEL
But genius always looks like insanity
at first, though, right? Isn't that
how he became Miles Bron? I mean you
guys have no idea - the man faxes me
in the middle of the night,
constantly, he loves faxes, he sends
his ideas and I'm supposed to - you
tell me - genius or insanity -
Lionel pulls a handful of fax pages from a pile on the table
LIONEL (cont'd)
"Uber for biospheres" - no idea but
maybe right? - "AI in Dogs =
discourse" - I, all night long they
just keep - here - but then -
He holds up another that just says "CHILD = NFT?"
LIONEL (cont'd)
Remember CHILD equals NFT - We all
laughed, but then the "Krypto Kidz"
app paid for this building.
The door opens, and the worker pushes the cart in.
(CONTINUED)
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5 CONTINUED: 5
WORKER
Delivery. I wiped it down.
Lionel goes over to the cart, still talking, pulls it in.
LIONEL
How can you argue with that?
SCIENTIST TWO
We know, never bet against Bron, we
know it but he's asking us to put a
volatile substance on a manned flight
LIONEL
He won't listen, he just comes back
with "make it work" - and what if it
works?
A stentorian scientist breaks through:
SCIENTIST THREE
This is science, not a religion.
Remember that Lionel. Because if your
name is on this and it fails, it will
sink you forever.
Lionel lifts the card on the wooden box. "LOVE, MILES!"
6 EXT. THE DAKOTA - MANHATTAN - DAY 6
The beautiful apartment building, on a clear Manhattan day.
7 INT. APARTMENT 7
Claire's interview on a television.
CLAIRE (ON TV)
I'm hard line on climate change, if
that scares you go stick your head
back in the sand. My constituents
trust I'm gonna fight the machine to
keep their water clean and land
green. Oh, that's good, we gotta get
t-shirts with that. Remind me.
We pull back from the television through a room filled with
a DIZZYING array of INTERESTING PEOPLE - models, musicians,
authors, designers, circus performers, all reclining on
couches or grouped on the floor, smoking and doing drum
circles and partying like it isn't 2pm on a weekday during a
pandemic.
(CONTINUED)
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7 CONTINUED: 7
Finally we land on ex-model, magazine editor and fashion
designer BIRDIE JAY (40s.) A few men are, at any given
moment, always paying attention to her, and she looks both
fabulous and sick of life.
BIRDIE
I'm so bored. Peg! Where's Peg?
Peggggggg!
Ratings
Scene 3 - The Wood Box
the door holding a familiar CARDBOARD BOX, which she
deposits on the coffee table.
PEG
I'm here.
(spots off-screen)
Please stop fire spinning inside!
BIRDIE PEG
Pegggg I'm so bored, give me
my phone just a little just
a little phone time just a No phone.
tiny little phone time
MODEL
Why can't she have her phone?
DANCER
Because she's mean.
Birdie rolls her eyes and sarcastically does air quotes:
BIRDIE
No. It's cause she's afraaaaid I'll
tweeeeet. An ethnic slurrrr.
Agaaaaain.
PEG
You agreed, no phone for the rest of
the media cycle.
BIRDIE
I didn't even know that word referred
to Jewish people, I though it was
just a generic term for "cheap."
Peg blinks at her.
PEG
"Jewy??"
(CONTINUED)
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7 CONTINUED: (2) 7
BIRDIE
Everything's so woke these days it's
out of control.
VAMPIRE IN TUXEDO
Yes.
Peg pulls away cardboard, revealing the WOOD BOX.
BIRDIE
I'm sorry I say it like I see it, no
filter, if people can't handle that
it's their problem what's this?
PEG
A guy dropped it off -
Birdie picks up the card and seeing who it's from lights up:
8 INT. DEBELLA HOME 8
Claire, back in the kitchen with Devon, answers a call on
her phone - from LIONEL. She puts him on speaker.
CLAIRE
Alright genius what is this thing?
SPLIT-SCREEN with Lionel in his conference room, inspecting
the box.
DEVON LIONEL
It's a Miles invitation It's one of Miles's
invitations
CLAIRE
Well duh but what is it? It's just
like a block of wood
DEVON
There's gotta be a way to open it
right?
LIONEL
There's no latches or even visible
seams. It's solid. The wood grain
pattern is weird though, it's
familiar...
Claire's phone buzzes with another call
CLAIRE
It's Birdie. Hold on.
(CONTINUED)
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8 CONTINUED: 8
Claire adds her and we now also SPLIT-SCREEN Birdie in the
party apartment.
BIRDIE
Ok how do you open this thing?
CLAIRE
Hi Birdie, Lionel's on too. Hi Peg!
BIRDIE
Peg's putting out a fire but she'll
be back.
CLAIRE
Putting out another fire? Bird what'd
you say this time, you gotta stay off
the twitter.
BIRDIE
No nothing like that, no it's fine.
Peg runs by in the background with a fire extinguisher.
Ratings
Scene 4 - Box Confusion
Is this a Miles thing - have you
figured it out yet? Lionel? Use your
science brain.
Lionel runs his hands over the box, perplexed.
LIONEL
Working on it. Bird should you be
having a party?
BIRDIE
They're in my pod, it's fine. Has
anyone heard from Duke?
ALL
No.
9 INT. THREE CAR GARAGE - DAY 9
A gorgeous MUSTANG parked in the background, sleek weight
lifting equipment, expensive gadgets. DUKE CODY (40s, very
fit) sits in the foreground speaking directly into the
camera. We slowly widen to reveal the frame of a YOUTUBE
video around him - we're watching him live broadcasting.
(CONTINUED)
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9 CONTINUED: 9
DUKE
This has gotten some attention
obviously so I want to speak to
this - no, Jimmy Kimmel, I do not
"hate boobs." Boobs - breasts - give
us many useful things. Milk. Cheese.
Breasts nourish our young, until the
age where we can hunt for them. And
let's be honest, breasts are fun.
Nothing wrong with that. Am I right
babe?
A 22 year old girl named Whiskey steps into frame, dressed
in a sporty provocative way involving camouflage.
WHISKEY
I love my boobs, they're super fun.
Oops! Sorry feminists!
She struts off screen as Duke continues.
DUKE
When we refer to the
"breastification" of America, what we
mean is a breakdown of the natural
order, evolutionary truths that go
back billions of years.
A woman's voice shouts from three rooms away:
WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Dukey!
DUKE
If you're a young man in America
you're being asked to slow down so
women can catch up. For centuries in
the western workplace has been
dominated by men, because that's what
nature made us to do.
We pull back from a computer monitor, at which point we
REVEAL that he was in front of a greenscreen with a photo
background, and is actually broadcasting from a slightly
shittier 3 car garage, with none of the polish or decor,
with a slightly shittier version of the sports car, piles of
merch with Lion logos and "APEXOSITY" slogans everywhere.
WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Dukey!
(CONTINUED)
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9 CONTINUED: (2) 9
DUKE
but you can have the next best thing
with our Apex Supplements. Whiskey's
gonna break it down for you.
Duke weaves out of the garage and into the hallway of a
mcmansion, lots of cheap marble and clutter, shutting the
door behind him. His MOM walks through with a basket of
laundry, speaks with a jersey accent.
Whiskey takes over and starts pitching the supplements as
Duke walks out of frame.
MA
Dukey, I been calling you you gotta
answer me when I call.
DUKE
Ma! Will you shut it? I'm live, we've
gone over this, Whiskey and me when
we're live -
Ma SLAPS him hard enough to rattle his teeth.
MA
You tell your mother to shut up?
Ratings
Scene 5 - Box Puzzles
I'm sorry it's just we're live
MA
What?
DUKE
We're -
MA
What?
Stares him down. His eyes on the floor.
DUKE
Nothing, jeez mom, I'm sorry.
She nods cooly and walks off.
MA
You got a delivery, it's in the
kitchen.
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10.
10 INT. DEBELLA HOME / CONFERENCE ROOM / APARTMENT 10
SPLIT-SCREEN all - Lionel is examining the box with a loupe.
LIONEL
Maybe it's sensitive to heat?
BIRDIE
Wait here's Duke, hold on - Duke!
Now include in the split-screening:
11 INT. DUKE'S KITCHEN - DAY 11
Duke's box is on the mcmansion kitchen table, but his is
different - the wood top is not smooth and featureless but
COVERED IN complex puzzles. He talks on speakerphone.
DUKE
What is this thing? My mom already
broke it.
His mom's voice from the hall:
MA (O.S.)
It's a stereogram!
DUKE MA (O.S.)
She did something to it and
it opened up, I dunno she
broke it - Ma! It's a stereogram, I told
you.
Lionel's eyes widen as he runs his hands over the patterned
wood grain surface.
LIONEL
A stereogram...
CLAIRE DEVON
A what-o-gram? Wait, a
stereogram, were those those The magic eye things, I
things - could never do those
DUKE
Ma! What'd I tell you about touching
my stuff!
(CONTINUED)
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11 CONTINUED: 11
Lionel brings his fingers close to his eyes so they cross,
then moves it away - the pattern on the wood grain doubles
and blurs, then focuses and comes together like a Magic Eye
painting... forming a large 3D ARROW SHAPE. He presses his
finger just under the tip of the arrow.
A hidden button in the wood depresses with a CLICK and the
top of the box slides open with magical fluidity, revealing
four quadrants with intricate puzzles, three covered with
fine gold mesh.
Lionel's eyes gleam with childlike wonder.
LIONEL
Oh wow...
CUT TO: the gang works together, solving the puzzles one by
one. The first is a checkered board with three colored
marbles arranged on it.
PEG LIONEL
Do you group them by color
maybe - Or size? Weight, should I
weigh them?
CLAIRE
Eight by eight - it's a chess board!
This is a chess endgame, it's - So
it's set up for mate in one, should
I -
LIONEL
Do it Kasparov!
She slides one of the marbles to checkmate. With the same
graceful fluidity, one of the gold mesh coverings slips
away, revealing the next puzzle.
BEGIN A BRIEF SOLVING MONTAGE:
A completed tic-tac-toe grid with an "F" to the left of it,
and a small telegraph key (tapping device).
BIRDIE
That's tic-tac-toe! I know this!
CLAIRE BIRDIE
But it's solved already so
it can't be - thank you It's tic-tac-toe.
Birdie, for contributing,
yes.
(CONTINUED)
Ratings
Scene 6 - The Music Box Puzzle
12.
11 CONTINUED: (2) 11
PEG LIONEL
Wait - the tapper thing,
it's for morse code - the
x's and o's are dots and Dits and dahs! That's an O -
dashes and U - R, FOUR, which is,
here -
BIRDIE
It's tic-tac-toe...
He taps four dots and a dash and the next screen opens - a
sliding tile puzzle. They all dive in, slowly revealing a
large capital "N"
BIRDIE CLAIRE
Is something supposed to N... maybe stands for
happen? something, maybe in one of
the other puzzles
Without turning from the sink Duke's mom:
MA DUKE
It's a compass Ma!
LIONEL
North! The whole thing's a compass,
turn it - what's true north, where
are we - this way -
Spinning the box so it faces north, jangling it a bit and
THE FINAL mesh SLIDES OPEN, revealing the workings of a
MUSIC BOX. In addition four little BARS pop up on the four
top edges of the box.
The music box starts to play a classical tune.
CLAIRE LIONEL
It's music. Guys. It's Shhhh
music. It's music.
BIRDIE
Are you mocking me?
CLAIRE
Yes
BIRDIE
Alright ha ha I'm gonna shazam it.
Birdie loudly talks into a large white cube on the table.
(CONTINUED)
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11 CONTINUED: (3) 11
BIRDIE (cont'd)
ALEXA, SHAZAM THIS SONG PLEASE.
ALEXA, SHAZAM THIS SONG PLEASE.
ALEXA, SHAZAM THIS SONG PLEASE.
Yo-Yo Ma, eating a slice of pizza, leans over to Peg.
YO-YO MA
That's Bach's "Little Fugue in G
Minor."
PEG
Are you sure?
YO-YO MA
Yeah. Listen.
BIRDIE
I'm shazaaming it.
YO-YO MA
A fugue is a beautiful musical puzzle
based on one one tune, and when you
layer this tune on top of itself it
starts to change and turns in to a
beautiful new structure.
Birdie realizes
BIRDIE
This can't shazaam, it's a lamp.
CLAIRE
I love you Birdie.
BIRDIE
I love you too!
LIONEL
Wait. Layered back over itself. Hold
on. See that center wheel? Lift it
up...
The entire top layer pops up like an album off a turntable,
on a center spoke.
It starts SPINNING, then settles... revealing FOUR NEW
PUZZLES.
LIONEL (cont'd)
A whole new tune.
(CONTINUED)
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11 CONTINUED: (4) 11
DUKE
Freakin Miles, man. Genius.
MA
That first one's the Fibonacci
sequence.
DUKE
Ma!
Ratings
Scene 7 - The Puzzle Box
calculated, color filters irising over illuminated suns,
gold mesh opening, three more puzzles solved by our group as
the excitement mounts. Finally:
LIONEL
Forty seven for sure?
DUKE
(looking at his phone)
That's the atomic number of silver -
that's definitely silver?
BIRDIE
That's silver. So this is it?
They all set number tumblers (beneath a mounted chunk of
silver) to "47." A simple switch below the tumblers.
LIONEL
Ok. One. Two. Three.
They all flip the final switch.
The top of the box SPLITS down the middle and parts,
revealing a CENTRAL CHAMBER covered with a wooden DOME.
This DOME then opens like a flower in time lapse,
beautifully revealing a recess with a blue index card sized
NOTE inside.
With hushed awe, Claire, Lionel, Duke and Birdie all take
their notes, and read.
CLAIRE
My dear friends, my beautiful
disruptors, my closest inner circle.
LIONEL
We could all use a moment of
normalcy. And so, you are cordially
invited
(CONTINUED)
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15.
11 CONTINUED: (5) 11
BIRDIE
for a long weekend on my private
island AAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!
DUKE
where we will celebrate the bonds
that connect us. And I hope your
puzzle solving skills are whetted,
BIRDIE
AAAAAAAAAHHHHH YES YES YES YES
LIONEL
because you will also be competing to
solve the mystery...
CLAIRE
...of my murder. Travel details to
come, please forward any dietary
restrictions. Love and all my kisses,
Miles.
12 INT. DUKE'S KITCHEN 12
Duke is bubbling with excitement.
DUKE
Oh my god - Ma, where's my spear
fishing gear at? I gotta pack it!
(shouts)
Babe! Hey babe! Get packed!
As he leaves Whiskey walks in, blinks at the box.
WHISKEY
What's that?
MA
I dunno.
13 INT. CONFERENCE ROOM 13
Lionel leans back, twirling the invite. He turns off the
banks of monitors with a remote control.
14 INT. APARTMENT 14
Birdie is losing her shit, dancing around the party.
(CONTINUED)
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16.
14 CONTINUED: 14
BIRDIE
Yessssssssssssssss!
HARD CUT TO:
15 INT. GARAGE 15
A darkened garage, with moving boxes half packed. A card
table has the familiar box on it, still smooth and solid and
unsolved. The "LOVE MILES!" card next to it.
Sitting behind the table, staring blankly at the box, is a
WOMAN in her 30s we have not met yet. Her expression is
unreadable. She stares at the box for a long while.
Then she gets up and walks out of frame. We stay with the
box. Sounds of clattering. Then a few moments later she
comes back.
With a hammer.
Without hesitation she SMASHES the box. It splinters apart -
all the intricate puzzles shattering, springs and latches
and pieces flying everywhere. She smashes it until it breaks
open entirely, revealing the invitation inside.
She drops the hammer. Takes the invite. Sits. Reads it.
Ratings
Scene 8 - Virtual Game Night and Bath Time Confessions
rage. Maybe sadness. Whatever it is, it stays behind her
eyes and she finishes reading and stares through the
invitation for a long, long while.
CUT TO:
On an iPad screen, little robot men traverse a space station
in a video game. "EMERGENCY MEETING!" flashes on the screen,
and then "DISCUSS!"
16 INT. BENOIT BLANC'S APARTMENT - DAY 16
BLANC
Hold on. What's happening?
Blanc sits in his bath tub smoking a cigar, annoyed and
disinterested. On a second ipad, a SKYPE call with four of
his friends.
BLANC (cont'd)
What just happened? I'm so confused.
(CONTINUED)
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17.
16 CONTINUED: 16
ANGELA LANSBURY
Blanc, I saw you go in the engine
room. You're the imposter, we all
know it.
BLANC
I'm sorry, I don't understand this at
all, so Angie caught me and now the
game's just over?
STEPHEN SONDHEIM
You're thrown out of the airlock,
it's a no brainer.
BLANC
Yeah, sorry Steve, I know you're
saying words but they mean nothing to
me, absolute gibberish. I think maybe
this game is just not my thing.
On the screen: Blanc's robot spins out into space, resulting
in a VICTORY for the team.
KAREEM ABDULJABBAR
I gotta say, "the world's greatest
detective," I really thought you'd be
better at this.
NATASHA LYONNE
Maybe we should try Codenames? Or
Quiplash?
A KNOCKING from out in the apartment somewhere.
BLANC
No no, I look I appreciate you all
trying to do this for me.
KAREEM ABDULJABBAR
We're worried about you buddy.
Lockdown's not been easy for any of
us, we'd all kill for a vacation
right now. But Phillip told me you
haven't left the bath in a week?
BLANC
Oh that's hyperbole.
KNOCKING AGAIN.
BLANC (cont'd)
(shouts)
Answer that, would you?
(CONTINUED)
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18.
16 CONTINUED: (2) 16
PHILLIP (O.S.)
You're not in the bath again are
you??
BLANC
(to Phillip, guilty)
No!
(back to the zoom)
I just I lose it a bit between cases
anyway, but I'm really feeling
insane. My mind is a fueled up racing
car and I've nowhere to drive it.
NATASHA LYONNE
Have you tried crosswords?
BLANC
I don't need puzzles or games, and
the last thing I need is a vacation.
I need danger, the hunt, a challenge.
I need a great case.
PHILLIP (O.S.)
Blanc! There's someone here for you.
Blanc looks off in the direction of the voice, curious.
PHILLIP (O.S.) (cont'd)
With a box.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 9 - Arrival at the Island
Opening title over glistening waves. Tilt up to reveal:
18 EXT. GRECIAN PORT TOWN - DAY 18
Hills dotted with rustic homes, a charming HOTEL on the
water. A long JETTY juts out into the crystal blue sea.
At the end of this jetty, sitting with his luggage, Benoit
Blanc checks his watch. He wears a dapper face mask.
Blanc is alone. Until an N-95 masked Lionel walks up with
his roller bag. Stops about 20 feet from Blanc. Gives him a
polite nod but doesn't engage, checks his phone.
Blanc waits a moment, not sure if he should say something.
Finally he decides "this is silly" and starts to say
something when -
(CONTINUED)
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19.
18 CONTINUED: 18
BEEP BEEP
A cab pulls up, and deposits a masked Claire and her
luggage. Lionel greets her warmly. Blanc stands, but they
both ignore him, and eventually he sits again awkwardly.
LIONEL
Governor.
CLAIRE
Hey genius.
Birdie and Peg come down the jetty in a golf cart driven by
a masked BELLHOP from the little hotel, Louis Vuitton bags
stacked in back. She wears a fashionable but totally useless
lace mask.
BIRDIE
Hellooooooo!
Claire grins tightly, leaning into Lionel.
CLAIRE LIONEL
We need to talk. I know.
Just us. I know.
Maybe when we're - Sure.
Then Birdie is upon them like a summer storm in colorful
silks and a huge hat.
BIRDIE
Oh my god. We can't hug right? Can
we?
CLAIRE / LIONEL / PEG
No.
BIRDIE
I want to hug everyone, this feels so
crazy hello hello
CLAIRE
Birdie. Hi Peg. You need a hand?
With the luggage. Lionel hops forward and helps her and the
bellhop unload.
PEG
Thanks, hi.
BIRDIE
Did you two stay at the hotel last
night? We didn't see you.
(CONTINUED)
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20.
18 CONTINUED: (2) 18
CLAIRE
No Birdie we clearly just arrived.
Birdie points to Blanc, still watching silently.
BIRDIE
But YOU, hello, Stranger Danger!
BELLHOP
(to Blanc)
Mr. Blanc, you are Stranger Danger?
BLANC
No, no, that's fine Nikos, I don't
even know what that means.
A sleek two level boat glides up to the jetty, but Lionel
squints, looking at Blanc for the first time.
LIONEL
Wait - Benoit Blanc?
CLAIRE
Oh my god, Benoit Blanc the
detective? Did you solve the murder
of - oh whatshername, that ballet
dancer thing, that's you?
BLANC
It is. I'm obviously familiar with
you all as well - Governor, Dr.
Toussaint, Miss Birdie Jay. What an
extraordinary gathering.
Before anyone can answer a deep guttural BOOM like a gunshot
draws their attention towards the town.
19 EXT. GRECIAN PORT TOWN STREETS - DAY 19
A helmet-less mask-less Duke roars through the narrow
coastal streets on a barking motorcycle, Whiskey on back.
She fires a ridiculous pearl handled gun into the air.
20 EXT. JETTY 20