Jeremy Renner Joins 'Knives Out 3' in First Film Since Near-Fatal Accident

LOS ANGELES — Jeremy Renner has found his first film role since his near-fatal snowplow accident. Renner is the latest star to join Rian Johnson's new “Knives Out” film, “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” a Netflix representative confirmed to the Times on Thursday.

The Hawkeye actor joins an already star-studded cast including Mila Kunis, Kerry Washington, Glenn Close and the returning Daniel Craig. “Challengers” lead Josh O’Connor, “Priscilla” star Cailee Spaeny and “Fleabag” actor Andrew Scott also appear in the murder mystery. Johnson returns as writer and director.

“Wake Up Dead Man” is the latest film in Netflix’s $450 million two-movie purchase. “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (2022) is the streaming giant’s ninth most-watched English-language film of all time with over 136 million views. The first film was distributed by Lionsgate and grossed approximately $313 million at the worldwide box office.

Renner was hit by a 7-ton snow plow on New Year's Day 2023. He was thrown from the machine while clearing his driveway. When Renner attempted to stop the snow plow as it was descending toward his nephew, he was caught in the path of the machine, ultimately leaving him in critical condition. The accident left him with 38 fractures and a collapsed lung, as well as significant chest trauma.

“I relive it every night,” Renner recently told the Times. “It’s in my visions. It's in my dreams and in my waking thoughts.

Doctors initially said it would take years for him to walk, Renner told the Times. Due to his self-proclaimed stubbornness, he was walking with a cane within three months.

He told The Times that recovery is a “one-way street,” adding: “It’s not even a way to go.” [like] an Ikea piece of furniture – there are no directions. You're going in one direction: you're getting better. Is it easy? Just remember what you did yesterday, or what you couldn't do, and try to do it today.

Renner returned to acting in January, filming season 3 of the Paramount+ show “Mayor of Kingstown,” which premieres Sunday.

“To try to create some truth and then make the audience believe it, while I'm just trying to relearn how to walk, to put one foot in front of the other and not get up in agony. I’m doing all these things to find my place on the planet,” Renner said.