Knives Out writer/director Rian Johnson recently found out Alex Trebek enjoyed his movie and was overjoyed. Johnson’s Knives Out came out November of last year and stars Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas in the three principal roles, but involves a star studded ensemble cast as befits a return to the Clue style whodunnit murder mystery formula. Most people probably know Johnson’s work from Star Wars: The Last Jedi and perhaps Looper and would find the turn towards a classic murder mystery surprising, but he actually got  his start with feature films writing and directing the neo-noir cult-hit Brick.

This is all to say that Johnson has a lot of experience now with complex plots with a lot of moving parts, and it paid off in Knives Out which has done quite well commercially and critically, popular with professional movie reviewers and audiences alike. It’s done so well, and Johnson enjoyed making it so much, that a sequel is already in the works.

During Jeopardy!’s recent  Jeopardy! The Greatest Of All Time tournament, long time host Alex Trebek recently mentioned that he had just come from seeing Knives Out and found it “very good,” as reported by Ken Jennings, one of the show’s most popular and successful contestants. Rian Johnson saw the tweet and reacted with “What is OH MY GOD,” making sure to follow the particular question-as-answer rules of Jeopardy!. He then went on to say the current tournament is “the greatest televised event of all time.”

Many were at first concerned that this  Jeopardy! The Greatest Of All Time tournament was happening was because Alex Trebek was going to retire. Last year, Trebek was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and had to undergo chemotherapy, but he remained part of the show and says he has no plans to retire, though he has rehearsed the show’s final episode already. He’s been hosting the show since 1984 and has become something of an institution, known for his dry wit and friendly personality.

Seeing Alex Trebek laud Knives Out and Rian Johnson’s excited reaction is heart-warming. Trebek is a mainstay of broadcast television and the other is a rising star in the directorial world. It makes a lot of sense that Trebek in particular might like Knives Out, though, since the genre name of “whodunnit” fits the rules of Jeopardy! as well as Johnson’s reaction, and it’s always good to see two talented individuals appreciate each other’s work.

Next: Knives Out Almost Had A James Bond-Style Post-Credits Scene

Source: Ken Jennings and Rian Johnson