The soundtrack for Netflix‘s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery sets the mood for Benoit Blanc’s darkest case yet. Scored by Nathan Johnson, the music takes a haunting turn to match the film’s gothic setting and themes of faith, betrayal, and hidden sins.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Composer and Musical Direction
Nathan Johnson, a frequent collaborator and cousin of director Rian Johnson, returns after composing the scores for Knives Out and Glass Onion. For this third installment, he abandons jazz and classical lushness for something more raw and unsettling.
- Musical Style: Gothic, dissonant, eerie
- Key Instruments: Scratchy cellos, broken harmonium, foreboding horns
- Opening Cue: Begins with scraping strings that resolve into pure tones, setting an ominous tone
- Recording Label: Cut Narrative Records / Mutant
The score mirrors the story’s descent into spiritual darkness, set in a small-town church filled with secrets and dread.
Who is Nathan Johnson?
Nathan Johnson is an American composer and Rian Johnson’s cousin and long-time collaborator. He has scored every film in the Knives Out series, as well as Brick, Looper and The Brothers Bloom.
Why Nathan Johnson’s score sounds the way it does
Johnson likes to break his instruments on purpose. On this score he had the string section scrape their bows to produce a nails-on-a-chalkboard sound, and recorded a half-broken harmonium he found at Abbey Road, slowing down its creaking and wheezing to build dread.
How the Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery score was made
Rian Johnson asked for something much darker and more gothic than the previous two Knives Out scores, and Nathan Johnson responded by bending the same orchestral forces out of shape. The score was recorded at Abbey Road and released through Cut Narrative Records on 28 November 2025. It has since been shortlisted for an Academy Award.
If this style appeals to you — orchestral with prepared and broken instruments, gothic — the tracklist below rewards listening in order rather than on shuffle. Scores written this way are built to accumulate, and individual cues can feel slight on their own.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Soundtrack Overview (Original Score)
The official score album contains 20 tracks, each reflecting a major beat of the mystery. Below is the full listing:
| Track No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Overture | 0:39 |
| 2 | Eve’s Apple | 2:28 |
| 3 | The Flock | 2:42 |
| 4 | Monsignor Wicks | 3:01 |
| 5 | The Confrontation | 1:37 |
| 6 | The Good Friday Murder | 3:03 |
| 7 | Jud’s Prayer | 2:13 |
| 8 | The Hollow Man | 1:48 |
| 9 | The Red Thread | 1:40 |
| 10 | A Minor Omission | 2:00 |
| 11 | False Priest | 1:21 |
| 12 | Betrayed | 2:37 |
| 13 | Torching the Flock | 2:39 |
| 14 | Wake Up Dead Man | 2:11 |
| 15 | The Empty Tomb | 1:42 |
| 16 | In the Flesh | 4:06 |
| 17 | Blanc’s Revelation | 3:46 |
| 18 | The Confession (Violin Concerto in G Minor) | 8:18 |
| 19 | Vengeance is Mine | 2:31 |
| 20 | Requiem | 2:46 |
Highlight: The climactic track “The Confession” is an 8-minute violin concerto in G minor that underscores the film’s emotional and moral peak.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Key Song: U2’s “Wake Up Dead Man”
Although not part of the official score, U2’s song from their 1997 album Pop plays a symbolic role:
- Not featured directly in the movie, but the film’s title pays homage to it.
- Rian and Nathan Johnson cited the song’s “faith and doubt” themes as central to the film’s emotional arc.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Themes Reflected in the Music
- Faith vs. Corruption: The music uses atonality and discord to echo the twisted nature of the church’s dark history.
- Mystery and Revelation: As Benoit Blanc unravels the crime, the score evolves from oppressive ambiance to melodic resolution.
- Gothic Atmosphere: From the broken harmonium to the eerie violin solos, the music evokes cold stone chapels, whispered prayers, and inner torment.
Where to Listen Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Soundtrack?
The full soundtrack is available digitally:
- Spotify
- Apple Music
- Amazon Music
- YouTube Music
CD and vinyl editions are distributed by Cut Narrative Records.
“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” premiered on December 12, 2025, and is available to stream exclusively on Netflix.
Wake Up Dead Man might be the darkest Knives Out entry yet—and its music fully embraces that shift. Nathan Johnson’s score is haunting, experimental, and spiritually charged. It deepens the tension of Rian Johnson’s mystery while standing alone as a bold musical achievement.
(Image: Netflix’s Official Site)
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Soundtrack — Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery soundtrack?
The Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery score was composed by Nathan Johnson.
How many tracks are on the Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery soundtrack?
The official release contains 20 tracks. The full tracklist, with running times, is in the table above.
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Riya has spent six years writing about music. At OST Vibes she covers soundtracks for film, series and games — who scored what, what is actually on each official release, and where to listen to it. Her focus is English-language pop and screen music. Spot a mistake in a tracklist or a credit? Email [email protected] and it will be corrected.