rom his earliest works, Oscar-nominated writer-director Rian Johnson has confidently, even casually, carved his own niche in genre after genre.

The neo-noir of "Brick," the caper-comedy of "The Brothers Bloom" and the mind-bending sci-fi of "Looper" collectively announced the dawn of a new voice that could turn expectation on its head. Then came the inevitable progression into the modern brand and intellectual-property landscape. "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," Johnson's foray into George Lucas' galaxy far, far away, zigged where many would have zagged. Rather than simply serve audiences, he challenged them, pushing against the edges of a well-worn cinematic universe with one of the most singular entries in the franchise to date.

With the 2019 murder mystery "Knives Out" and now its sequel, "Glass Onion," Johnson has conjured his own cinematic universe, one that revives a moribund genre and all its trappings while tackling the zeitgeist with a finger-on-the-pulse vision of the contemporary moment. "Shrewdly cast, it boasts one of the most brilliant screenplays of the year, not just in terms of its exquisite, laugh-out-loud dialogue and satirical barbs at pop culture, but in the meticulous, meta plotting of a traditional whodunnit that keeps the mind ticking over from start to finish," Deadline critic Damon Wise wrote in his review.

Indeed, on the page, Johnson crafted an absolute playground with "Glass Onion" not just for himself, but for his ensemble of actors and for the many artisans that helped him bring the film to life. With a crackling narrative drive and bold structural concepts, the project was a dream for film editor Bob Ducsay to assemble like the intricate puzzle-box riddles that kick the story off. With a colorful cast of characters whisked away to a remote island estate lorded over by an eccentric billionaire, the project came rife with creative potential for Oscar-nominated production designer Rick Heinrichs and costume designer Jenny Eagan. And for the pivotal role of Andi Brand, Johnson handed actress Janelle Monáe the opportunity of a lifetime and a chance to show just how versatile she can be.

Beginning with the design elements, Heinrichs first collaborated with Johnson on "The Last Jedi" after spending much of his career breathing life into the imaginings of everyone from the Coen brothers ("Fargo, "The Big Lebowski") to Tim Burton ("Sleepy Hollow," "Big Eyes"). With "Glass Onion," he was tasked with building out the island estate of Edward Norton's malicious magnate Miles Bron through both practical and digital means. An ultra-modern palace fit with a tiered garden, a vast atrium packed with original works from Basquiat and Degas and a towering transparent headquarters that gives the film its title, the abode might as well be the eighth wonder of the world.

Indeed, Bron's massive "glass onion" was ultimately constructed with 350 sheets of glass. His creativity was spurred by literally slicing an onion in half and observing its many layers. "The sculptural quality was amazing to explore," Heinrichs says. "Bron's aesthetic expresses his cool-bro, subversive veneer, but it's all a sad cry for attention."

Another heavy lift for Heinrichs, and the film's props department, were those aforementioned puzzle boxes, which serve as invitations to Bron's estate in the opening section of the film. Drawn from inspirations as disparate as Magic Eye books and the Fibonacci spiral, they serve as an extension of Johnson's appreciation for practical wizardry and were meticulous in their construction.

Leaping into characterizations, the film of course marks the reprise of world-renowned super-sleuth Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). Eagan sought to change up the one character returning to the world of "Knives Out" by pushing him into the modern while still keeping a vibe of old and refined glamour about him. "I just took 'To Catch a Thief' with Cary Grant and thought if we could go in that general direction, I'd be happy," Craig says. "I always felt Benoit cared about what he looked like, so it was a chance to pull out more of his wardrobe."

The sleek, strong, but subtle style of scientist Lionel Toussaint (Leslie Odom Jr.) provided another shade on Eagan's palette, while the more down-to-earth threads of unscrupulous Senate hopeful Claire Dabella (Kathryn Hahn) struck a different balance. Not to mention the looped Speedos and leopard-print insanity of Twitch influencer Duke Cody (Dave Bautista), which made for quite a foil to all. However, it's Kate Hudson's model-turned-sweatshop mogul Birdie Jay that really allowed Eagan's creativity to run wild. "I have so many looks in this movie that I had so much fun wearing," the Oscar-nominated actress says. "To me, fashion is art. Period."

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The sophisticated stylings Monáe showcases serve a whole other purpose, however. Cassandra "Andi" Brand, Bron's former business partner, casts a pall over the otherwise jovial proceedings with an unspoken, fractious history between her and the other guests that finally reveals itself once Johnson pulls the rug out with a big reveal halfway through the film. While that moment is a dazzling bit of writing, it also embosses the scope of talent Monáe brings to the table. The actress "puts in one of the best and most intuitively perfect performances of 2022," Wise wrote in his review.

That reveal is also the moment that most exhibits the task Ducsay had before him. "There's this macro thing, which is absolutely gigantic, but then there are the most micro things imaginable, and we have to service both," the editor says. With such a large ensemble, there was a mound of footage and coverage to dig through in piecing the scenes themselves together, but there was also the inherent complexities of a non-linear structure to wrangle with.

Ducsay was actively working on the project for 14 months. He was one of the first of Johnson's collaborators to come on board and, of course, one of the last to leave. Piecing the narrative together in a cohesive and understandable way was a huge undertaking as he expertly and covertly weaved in the answers of the "whodunnit," but also left some clues in plain sight, making the film an extra delight on a second watch.