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Scene Map 45
# PG SLUGLINE
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Scene Map
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# PG SLUGLINE
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KNIVES OUT A Murder Mystery by Rian Johnson EXT. THROMBEY ESTATE MANOR HOUSE - DAWN The grounds of a New England manor. Pre-dawn misty.
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EXT. THROMBEY ESTATE FRONT DRIVE Several cars, including a police cruiser with a few uniformed officers by it. Marta pulls up. An officer eyes her, approaches. COP
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INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT OF THE PARTY - FLASHBACK Warmly lit, classic rock playing, food laid out. Linda and Richard mingle happily with the rest of the family (who we'll meet shortly.) LIEUTENANT ELLIOTT (V.O.)
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INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT OF THE PARTY Walt laughing and mingling with his nervous wife DONNA. WALT (V.O.) My wife Donna, she's my rock. Richard backs up into Donna, who YELPS in fear and throws
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INT. LIBRARY JONI I think Linda was upset. But Harlan understood. Tap.
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INT. LIBRARY RICHARD "Immigrants - we get the job done." From Hamilton. Wagner gives him a smile to show he got the reference.
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INT. LIBRARY Back to Walt's hesitating face. The briefest of moments has passed. Walt lies: WALT We talked, we had a business
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INT. LIBRARY Back to Richard. He grins, snaps his fingers. RICHARD Yes. I know - yes, ha. So. Harlan decided to finally put his mom in a
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EXT. SIDE OF HOUSE - DAY Blanc, Elliott and Wagner stroll long the wide lawn beside the house. Blanc ignites a long thin cigar. LIEUTENANT ELLIOTT Maybe I'm a victim of my own
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EXT. PATIO - DAY Back to our scene. Marta looks queasy, tries to stall. 29. MARTA Heh - Richard? - affair? Heh.
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EXT. PATIO - DAY Marta's face works against impending nausea. MARTA I... LIEUTENANT ELLIOTT
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INT. RICHARD AND LINDA'S GUEST ROOM - NIGHT OF PARTY CREAK CREAK CREAK! From outside. Linda's eyes pop open. INT. THIRD FLOOR LANDING - NIGHT OF PARTY Joni knocks on the door of Harlan's attic office. It opens, and Harlan answers. In the room behind him we see Marta,
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INT. HARLAN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - FLASHBACK The night of the party. A clock on a nightstand: 11:32. Off screen we hear Marta leading Harlan up the creaky stairs. 38.
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INT. HARLAN THROMBEY'S STUDY - NIGHT - FLASHBACK Harlan sits, setting up a GO board. Marta enters. MARTA HARLAN It's late, I had champagne It's my birthday, we are - no no no You had one glass - we're
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EXT. FRONT PORCH - NIGHT OF THE PARTY - FLASHBACK Walt smoking and Jacob. HARLAN (V.O.) Go downstairs as noisily as you can, say goodbye loudly.
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INT. SECOND FLOOR LANDING - NIGHT Marta climbs the creaky stairs. HARLAN (V.O.) You've gone from suspect number one to an impossibility.
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INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT OF PARTY - FLASHBACK - NIGHT NIGHT OF THE PARTY Harlan and Ransom go off together to have a private talk, leaving the family having a heated conversation in the living room.
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INT. LIVING ROOM Walt yells at a non responsive, bored Greatnana. WALT LINDA DO YOU WANT DINNER, NANA? Walt she's fine, she ate the DINNER? TO EAT? EAT? whole salmon spread already.
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INT. OUTSIDE HARLAN'S ATTIC OFFICE DOOR - NIGHT - FLASHBACK Marta stands frozen. Soft voices of Walt and Jacob float up from downstairs. She turns back to the door. Silence. Moments going by. Shit. Can she do this? Shit. No. She turns and pushes back into the office -
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EXT. WOODS - DAY They all hack through the overgrown gardener's path. TROOPER WAGNER That wood elephant, it's a thing from his book "The Ivory Blade."
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INT. HARLAN THROMBEY'S STUDY The blood is now only a subtle dark stain, but other than that the room has been left intact from the night of the party. Marta and Wagner observe as Blanc paces the room. BLANC
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INT. LIVING ROOM Walt, Donna and Jacob (nose in his phone) sit around the room. Linda and Richard stand, on their phones. Ransom breezes in, bumping Donna who YELPS, startled. Elliott and Wagner follow.
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INT. LIVING ROOM JACOB And then there was more shouting, but I also heard Ransom say "I'm warning you."
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INT. THIRD FLOOR LANDING Blanc looks down the "dead end" hallway. Marta joins him, out of breath. BLANC Show me, but don't step on the
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INT. LIBRARY - MINUTES LATER The whole family assembled. Marta stands in the back, with Blanc, Elliott and Trooper Wagner. Alan Stevens, Harlan's attorney, sits at a table with papers in front of him, assistant Sally beside him.
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EXT. THROMBEY ESTATE FRONT DRIVE Marta stumbles out of the house in a daze. Behind her, the entirety of the family floods out after her, shouting reassurances and questions and accusations and a general din of confusion.
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INT. RESTAURANT - CORNER BOOTH Tucked into a dark corner, Marta is miserable. Ransom is bemused, but regards her closely. They sit in silence. A waitress sets a sausage plate down. RANSOM
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INT. LIVING ROOM - EVENING Lit by a fire in the fireplace, the whole family pacing around, Alan the lawyer looking very tired seated at a table in the center of the room. 83.
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INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT Beer bottles now stacked up in front of Ransom. Marta has just told Ransom everything. He stares into space, and makes the slightest hint of a laugh which I'll write as: RANSOM
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INT. MARTA'S BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING She wakes to a sharp rapping at her door. Her sister Alice pokes her head in, flustered. ALICE Marta get your ass up, what the hell
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INT. APARTMENT BUILDING HALLWAY Dim and dingy. Marta comes out of their apartment door, then jump, startled - at the end of the hall, lurking: Walt. MARTA
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INT. GREATNANA'S ROOM Dim. By an open window stands GREATNANA. Blanc enters, she turns. They look into each others eyes. BLANC Mrs. Thrombey. I've always found it
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INT. HALLWAY A uniformed COP runs down the hallway in Thrombey's house and bursts into the room where Blanc sits with Greatnana. 99. COP
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INT. COP CAR Blanc in back, Elliott in front, Trooper Wagner driving. COP (ON RADIO) LIEUTENANT ELLIOTT Vehicles in pursuit in (into radio) Washington Street No force - repeat that.
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INT. MARTA'S CAR Marta glances at the dashboard clock - 9:55. Blanc, casual: BLANC Strange case from the start. A broken arc, a case with a hole in the
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INT. 1209 COLUMBUS ROAD Dark, empty retail space. Lit only by the painted-over front windows. Marta edges her way in, her eyes still adjusting from the sun. MARTA
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INT. HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM - LATER Marta and Blanc sitting silently in the fluorescent-lit waiting room. Marta with her face in her hands. Blanc is on his phone, mostly listening. BLANC
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INT. LIVING ROOM The family gathered, impatient. Lieutenant Elliott and Trooper Wagner are there too, with another uniformed officer. Ransom sits in the corner, his face passive. Marta gulps. Blanc is a few steps behind her. As she
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INT. LIBRARY Blanc steers Marta into the library, as sounds of hubub and shouting come from the other room. MARTA What the hell? I want to come clean,
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INT. SMALL STUDY - NIGHT OF PARTY Ransom and Harlan face each other. RANSOM You can't be serious. HARLAN
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INT. LIBRARY Marta is stunned, she can't even process this. MARTA No, no that's impossible. 121.
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INT. LIBRARY BLANC Enter Benoit Blanc. Elliott can't help but roll his eyes. LIEUTENANT ELLIOTT
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INT. RANSOM'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT / DAY? CLOSE ON: The BLACKMAIL NOTE - at the bottom is written "1209 COLUMBUS ROAD 8AM" A hand TEARS this bottom part off, then puts the top half in an envelope. BLANC (V.O.)
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INT. LIBRARY For the first time, Ransom looks afraid. RANSOM Fran's alive? Marta's phone starts to ring. They all see the caller id -
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INT. LIVING ROOM Marta sits, a blanket over her shoulders. An officer who's just taken her statement walks away. Blanc approaches. MARTA Can I ask. At what point did you

Knives Out

A wealthy patriarch's death sparks a hunt for a motive in a murder mystery filled with financial dependence, inheritance quarrels, and infidelity.

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Overview

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Unique Selling Point

This modern murder mystery with a unique voice that blends sharp dialogue, dark humor, and intricate plot twists offers a fresh take on the genre. Through its exploration of complex family dynamics, moral dilemmas, and unexpected revelations, this screenplay captivates the audience, keeping them engaged and guessing until the very end.

AI Verdict & Suggestions

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Gemini
 Highly Recommend
Claude
 Recommend
GPT4
 Highly Recommend
Story Facts

Genres: Mystery, Drama, Thriller, Comedy, Crime

Setting: Contemporary, Thrombey estate and various other locations in Boston

Themes: Family Dynamics, Immigration and Identity, Truth and Deception, Wealth and Privilege

Conflict & Stakes: The primary conflicts revolve around Marta's innocence in Harlan's death, the family's inheritance, and the truth behind the mysterious events at the Thrombey estate. The stakes include Marta's freedom, the family's fortune, and the reputation of the Thrombey family.

Mood: Suspenseful and mysterious

Standout Features:

  • Ensemble Cast: Featuring a talented ensemble cast of established and rising stars
  • Twists and Turns: Intriguing plot twists and unexpected revelations keep the audience engaged
  • Social Commentary: Explores relevant social themes such as class divide and immigration issues

Comparable Scripts: Knives Out, Clue, Gosford Park, Death on the Nile, Knives Out: Glass Onion, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, The Guest, Ready or Not, Bad Times at the El Royale, The Handmaiden

Script Level Analysis

Writer Exec

This section delivers a top-level assessment of the screenplay’s strengths and weaknesses — covering overall quality (P/C/R/HR), character development, emotional impact, thematic depth, narrative inconsistencies, and the story’s core philosophical conflict. It helps identify what’s resonating, what needs refinement, and how the script aligns with professional standards.

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Overall Score: 8.41
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Goals and Philosophical Conflict
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Themes
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Writer Exec

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Unique Voice
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