Glass Onion’s “Arrival” Scene Explained by Rian Johnson

Recently, Rian Johnson spoke with Vanity Fair for the Notes on a Scene series. He explained the “arrival” scene. That which sees Daniel Craig’s detective Benoit Benoit Blanc meet the “douchey friends” of Edward Norton’s eccentric billionaire Miles Bron Birdie Jay Kate Hudson, Lionel Toussaint Leslie Odom Jr., Claire Debella Kathryn Hahn, Duke Cody private island for an all-to-real murder-mystery party. According to Johnson, the star-studded cast’s first get-together was “day one, shot one” for the popular sequel. Which debuted on November 23 for a short theatrical run. And that is now available to watch on Netflix. Glass Onion is intentionally a far cry from the original Knives Out. That features a new color palette, “the blues and yellows of summer in Greece with beautiful swimwear,” says Johnson. Rather than the “cozy brown, New England sweaters” of the original. We’re going to have totally new deals every single time,” Johnson described of the films in the Knives Out franchise. Johnson decided to have every film exist in a totally different universe goes back original source of his inspiration for all of this,” his love of Agatha Christie.

The Objective of Rian Johnson

Rian Johnson shared how he worked with costume designer Jenny Eagan to create the vibe of the Glass Onion. And create looks for the ensemble cast that were “distinct as characters in a game of Clue. But also looks like someone that would be walking around in the real world.” As such, Hudson’s former fashion It girl was in fabulous colors outfit. While Hahn’s politician was in decidedly less glamorous attire. 

Johnson said keeping a smile on his face meekly, “Poor Kathryn, Kathryn showed up and she’s like, ‘I’m in a Benoit Blanc mystery and everyone wears fabulous costumes. This is going to be amazing.’ When she arrives, she walks through the clothing racks. And notices Kate’s rack with its shimmering colors and Daniel’s rack with all of these gorgeous dresses. She then walks over to her rack. and as you can see here my directive to Jenny Eagan was ‘beige,’” he says. “I just wanted her in sad tans and beige…. I wanted it to be the sad trumpet noise of costumes in this movie.”

Glass Onion

Johnson’s statement on Glass onion

Masks were one component of the costume that significantly aided in character development.“I wrote this movie in 2020. I wrote it during the lockdown, which is likely the reason why it takes place on a Greek island,” Johnson said. “Fade in Greek island…that’s where I wanted to be.

” While Johnson promised one thing that Glass Onion is not a mask movie, he was compelled by, as he put it, “the notion of defining people’s personalities based on their choice of mask wear.” As such, Johnson says he put Hahn in a “you guessed it” beige mask; Odom Jr.’s scientist Lionel in “a very proper, N95 mask”; and Craig’s stylish detective in “a dapper mask that’s matched to his outfit.” Johnson’s favorite mask—or lack thereof—was Hudson’s Birdie, whose high-fashion chain-linkJohnson found the mask with holes particularly amusing. “I think we all knew some version of this person,” he says. “She’s like, ‘I’m trying. I’m masked. What do you want?’”

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