Knives Out - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details

Rian Johnson revealed in an interview that Apple allows filmmakers to use iPhones in their movies, but with a major stipulation: villains cannot be shown using an iPhone on camera. This detail can function as a meta-clue for attentive viewers, as it subtly indicates which characters are not the culprit.

The large portrait of Harlan Thrombey that looms over the living room was a digital green screen effect. In the final scene, after the mystery is solved and justice is served, the portrait's expression subtly changes to a slight, knowing smirk, as if Harlan is giving his approval from beyond the grave.

The actor and magician Ricky Jay was originally cast in the role of the security guard, Mr. Prufrock. After Jay passed away during production, M. Emmet Walsh was cast instead. As a tribute, a photograph of Ricky Jay is briefly visible in the film just before Walsh's first appearance.

Benoit Blanc mentions the famously complex Thomas Pynchon novel "Gravity's Rainbow," admitting he's never read it but likes the title because it describes his method. This is a nod to the intricate, almost impenetrable nature of the case he is trying to solve.