20th Century Studios has announced the ensemble cast of “A Haunting in Venice,” director Kenneth Branagh’s third effort in the Hercule Poirot films based on Agatha Christie novels.
The new ensemble behind the supernatural thriller film is headlined by Branagh reprising his role as Poirot, with Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh, Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly and Riccardo Scamarico rounding out the cast.
Set in post-WWII Venice on All Hallows’ Eve, the film follows another mystery featuring the celebrated sleuth Poirot. Inspired by Christie’s “Hallowe’en Party,” the now retired and living in self-imposed exile Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a haunted palazzo when one of the guests is murdered, and the former detective must once again find out who did it.
“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.”
Alongside Branagh, the team of creatives behind the 2017 film “Murder on the Orient Express” and this year’s “Death on the Nile” will return for the third entry in the Poirot franchise. This includes 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 also produce.
“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,” Steve Asbell, president of 20th Century Studios, said of continuing the trilogy with Branagh. “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.’”
Production on the film will begin in November, with filming locations including Pinewood Studios in London and location work in Venice. The film will open in theaters nationwide in 2023.
From Variety US