Kenneth Branagh Is Back For Another Hercule Poirot Adventure And It Already Sounds Brilliant

When people saw Murder on the Orient Express for the first time, they were enchanted by the cast, the storyline and the charm that Kenneth Branagh brought to the role of Hercule Poirot. This is why there was a resounding agreement for a second installment titled Death on the Nile which (while shrouded in some slight controversy) became a successful film too bringing a cast like never before. 20th Century Studios recently also announced the ensemble cast for the next Hercule Poirot film titled A Haunting in Venice and just like before, the film is already shaping up to have an explosive cast, Deadline reported. 

Joining the cast alongside Kenneth Branagh are Michelle Yeoh, Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly and Riccardo Scamarico all in roles currently unknown. And if people were wondering whether the writers and director may completely change the vibe of the film, there shouldn’t be much fear because screenwriter Michael Green, producer Judy Hofflund and executive producers Louise Killin and James Prichard, in addition to filmmakers Ridley Scott, Simon Kinberg and Mark Gordon who will also join as producers will be a part of the film. 

According to Variety, the film will be based on the Agatha Christie novel Hallowe’en Party, where our beloved protagonist Hercule Poirot is currently on self-prescribed retirement looking for some solace when he reluctantly attends a séance at a haunted palazzo when one of the guests is murdered, forcing Poirot to once again twist his mustache and get to solving this case. As expected, this slightly lesser-known IP is already making Branagh extremely happy about the film.

“This is a fantastic development of the character Hercule Poirot, as well as the Agatha Christie franchise,” Branagh said of the new film. “Based on a complex, little-known tale of mystery set at Halloween in a pictorially ravishing city, it is an amazing opportunity for us, as filmmakers, and we are relishing the chance to deliver something truly spine-chilling for our loyal movie audiences.” The president of 20th Century Studio, Steve Asbell also commented on the film’s progress, “We are enormously privileged to continue our long collaboration with the incomparable Sir Kenneth Branagh and couldn’t be more excited by the bold new creative direction Ken, Michael, and the rest of the filmmaking team have taken with this latest film.” 

Adding further, expressing gratitude, “We also remain grateful to James Prichard and the rest of our friends at Agatha Christie, Ltd., for their partnership and for once again entrusting us with, as Poirot modestly calls himself, ‘probably the greatest detective in the world.’” Filming on the motion picture is set to begin in November this year, at the Pinewood Studios in London along with some location work in Venice. The film will arrive in theatres nationwide in 2023.