Following in the footsteps of Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, Kenneth Branagh’s third Hercule Poirot film has officially been announced to be A Haunting in Venice! Additionally, cast announcements have already begun!
20th Century Studios has announced the new ensemble behind the mystery-thriller film, starting with Kenneth Branagh reprising his role as Hercule Poirot. Rounding out the cast are Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh, Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, and Riccardo Scamarico.
While A Haunting in Venice is not an official Agatha Christie novel or play, it is inspired by Christie’s Halloween Party, a book that features Hercule Poirot and his friend and murder mystery writer, Ariadne Oliver. Given the death of Bouc, Poirot’s associate, in the previous film, this suggests that the next recurring character in Branagh’s Hercule Poirot series will be Ariadne Oliver.
Set in post-WWII Venice on All Hallows’ Eve, the film follows a now-retired Poirot who is living in a self-imposed exile in Venice. He reluctantly attends a séance at a haunted palazzo, where one of the guests is murdered, and the former detective must once again find out who did it.
Branagh states:
“This is a fantastic development of the character Hercule Poirot, as well as the Agatha Christie franchise. 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.”
Judy Hofflund returns as a producer. Executive producers include Louise Killin and James Prichard, along with Ridley Scott, Simon Kinberg, and Mark Gordon. The movie will come out in 2023.
Are you excited for the upcoming film? If so, reread all of Agatha Christie’s works and catch up on all news about the Queen of Mystery here!