As Martha Delacroix, the dedicated follower and right-hand of Monsignor Jefferson Wicks, the eight-time Oscar nominee helps serve as the supplier of needed exposition and an amusing nuisance to our hero. And then comes the reveal of what actually went down within this church, and Close uncorks a powerful and emotional monologue that explains exactly why you hire Glenn Close to be in your movie.

2. Josh O’Connor in Wake Up Dead Man

With the new Knives Out entry, Rian Johnson makes the bold move to sideline Blanc early on and hand the film to another character and actor, and Josh O’Connor rewards the confidence in him, carrying Wake Up Dead Man. The Challengers and Crown alum takes on the role of Father Jud Duplenticy, a young priest with a history of violence and such a belief in the lord that he proclaims, “I’m young, dumb, and full of Christ.” He heads to his new parish in upstate New York, ready to serve, only to be disappointed in the man in charge, Monsignor Jefferson Wicks. When Wicks dies and Jud falls under suspicion, he works alongside Blanc, while experiencing a crisis of faith. Over the last few years, O’Connor has been building quite the résumé, but Dead Man is his official arrival as one of the next great and interesting leading men. And he’s also about to ignite so many debates about who the true hot priest is!

1. Daniel Craig in Knives Out, Glass Onion, and Wake Up Dead Man

Netflix/Everett Collection

Could it really be anyone else? Yes, he’s sidelined a bit in Dead Man, but, through three films, Craig crafted an iconic character that will be a first ballot Movie Detective Hall of Famer. While it would have been easy for Blanc and his “Kentucky-fried Foghorn Leghorn drawl” (great descriptor, Ransom) to be a completely hammy performance, Craig embraced the absurdity and never went too big. And much of that can be credited to his background in dramatic films and as James Bond, whereas a comedic actor would have likely tried to overdo the jokes and humor. It’s fun to speculate on who Johnson will cast in each of these movies, but Craig as Blanc is why we keep coming back, and why we’ll do so for as long as he’s solving murders.