ChurchLeaders asked Johnson what he would say to the church today, as someone who grew up in the church but has since walked away from Christianity.
“Looking back, I wish I had been better at meeting people where they’re at when I was a believer,” Johnson replied. “And honestly, I still feel that way today. It’s a natural tendency to retreat into cultural bubbles instead of stepping out and meeting people where they are.”
In addition to hoping audiences have a good time watching the film, Johnson hopes “Wake Up Dead Man” sparks conversations about faith.
“It’s not a faith-based movie, and there’s crude humor, but I hope they stick with it because it lands in a redemptive place,” he said. “More than anything, I hope it resonates with people’s own experiences with faith—or, if it doesn’t, that it starts a conversation about why it doesn’t.”
“I hope it generates conversations about faith, because I think people want to talk about it,” he added.
“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” is streaming on Netflix. Watch the full interview with Rian Johnson below:
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