Leslie Odom Jr. joins starry ensemble of Netflix's 'Knives Out 2'

Oscar-nominated actor Leslie Odom Jr is the latest celebrity to join the star-studded cast of the 'Knives Out' sequel for Netflix.

As per Variety, Odom Jr has joined previously announced cast members which include Kathryn Hahn, Dave Bautista, Janelle Monae, and Edward Norton. Actor Daniel Craig, who essayed the role of master sleuth Benoit Blanc in the hit 2019 whodunnit, will reprise the role in the sequel.

The upcoming second installment will be written and directed by Rian Johnson. He is also set to produce with Ram Bergman under their T-Street banner. Plot details are being kept under wraps but the follow-up will be another star-studded murder mystery anchored by Craig's character Blanc.

The original 'Knives Out' starred Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ana de Armas, Christopher Plummer, Michael Shannon, and Toni Collette, among many others.

Netflix will release the sequel and a third installment in the whodunit franchise after agreeing to shell out USD 450 million for the rights. 'Knives Out' was released by Lionsgate and became a sleeper hit, grossing USD 311.4 million when it opened in 2019. Writer and director Rian Johnson earned an Oscar nomination for his screenplay.

It is currently unclear whether or not any of the original film's cast members will join Craig for the new murder mystery, which is planning to start production in Greece this summer.

Odom most recently starred as Sam Cooke in Regina King's 'One Night in Miami', where the star earned two Oscar nominations for best-supporting actor and best original song.

The actor also performed the track, 'Speak Now', during the ceremony. The multi-hyphenate entertainer nabbed the 2016 Tony Award for lead actor in a musical for his performance as Aaron Burr in the Broadway phenomenon 'Hamilton'.

In addition to 'Knives Out' sequel, Odom is also set to appear in the upcoming Sopranos prequel 'The Many Saints of Newark' and John Ridley's sci-fi film 'Needle in a Timestack'.

( With inputs from ANI )