Kenneth Branagh Making Third Agatha Christie Mystery Despite 'Death on the Nile' Stumble

Kenneth Branagh is directing another Agatha Christie adaptation in spite of the lukewarm reception for his Death on the Nile. He has assembled an all-star cast for A Haunting In Venice, which is based on Christie's book Hallowe'en Party. According to a report by Deadline, Branagh will reprise his role as Inspector Hercule Poirot in addition to directing again.

Branagh first took on Christie's work in 2017 by directing Murder on the Orient Express, where he played Hercule Poirot. He returned for Death on the Nile earlier this year, though the movie was heavily delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Both of those productions got lackluster reviews, but that didn't stop 20th Century Studios from ordering a third installment. Branagh issued an enthusiastic statement on how this movie would build on Christie's work even more.

"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," he said.

The cast for A Haunting in Venice is just as stacked as the last two movies. It will reportedly include Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarico and Michelle Yeoh. Writer Michael Green has adapted Christie's book into a script, and production is already underway. Executive producers include Ridley Scott, Simon Kinberg, Mark Gordon, Louise Killin and James Prichard.

The story jumps ahead many years from the previous movies to the period after World War II, when Poirot is retired and living in Venice. The aging sleuth attends a séance at an allegedly haunted palazzo, and one of the other guests there is murdered. All at once, Poirot is pulled back into his investigative work and faced with the city's shadowy secrets.

Steve Asbell, president of 20th Century Studios, issued a statement with this announcement as well. He said: "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. 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.'"