Rian Johnson Confirms Wake Up Dead Man Rickrolling Connection in London

You've just been Rickrolled—and so has the cast of the new Knives Out film. In a surprising twist of internet history meeting modern cinema, director Rian Johnson revealed a secret connection between his upcoming movie and the web's most enduring prank.

The Wake Up Dead Man and Rick Astley Crossover

For nearly 20 years, 'Rickrolling' has been the gold standard of internet humor. On December 29, 2025, Johnson confirmed on Bluesky that the gym scene in Wake Up Dead Man was filmed at the exact same location where Rick Astley shot the 1980s classic Never Gonna Give You Up.

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Shared Creative DNA at the Harrow Club

The shared location is the Harrow Club in London, a former church turned community space. Despite the location's legendary status in pop culture, Johnson noted that he was the only one on set excited about the fact. He joked that he played the song on his phone to 'blank stares' from the crew, highlighting a funny generational gap on the production team.