Posted on Aug 22, 2023 4:10:33 PM
It’s a sequel toDeathon the NileandMurder on the Orient Express
Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) is back — and so is his mustache. The detective’s on-screen sleuthing began back in 2017 with the movieMurder on the Orient Express. Unsurprisingly, the plot surrounds a murder … on the Orient Express. Fans had to wait quite a few years before the 2022 follow-up,Death on the Nile. And like its predecessors, the film’s title is pretty self-explanatory regarding the plot.
Of course, keeping with tradition,A Haunting in Venice— the third film in the series, releasing on September 15— chronicles what appears to be a haunting post-seance. The only difference is that it might notactuallybe a haunting. But given some of the cast's statements on the movie, it's safe to say that the film's spooky events aren't a trick of the eye.
During a featurette for the film, Branagh succinctly summed up the first two films. He said, “Orient Expressdealt with revenge.Death on the Niledealt with greed.” And when it comes to the third installment, Branagh teased, “This film is about whether there is anything beyond us — a ghost, a god [and] whether Poirot believes in it that involves him and us being scared.”
It’s always nice when a film title gives prospective viewers an on-the-nose summary of what to expect. Luckily, fans of the series don’t have to wait another five years for the third film, which releases in September.
It’s based on an Agatha Christie novel
Like both of the first Poirot movies,A Haunting in Veniceis an adaptation of an Agatha Christie book. Branagh noted in the featurette, “Agatha Christie was an incredible storyteller. She is the world’s number one mystery writer because she understood a good detective story.”
Christie was one of the reigning champions of the mystery genre, but most people aren't aware that it was actually Edgar Allan Poe and not Sherlock Holmes writer Sir Anthony Conan Doyle that birthed the detective genre. Poe's "Murders in the Rue Morgue" paved the way for authors like Doyle and Christie to put their spin on the genre.
WithA Haunting in Venice, fans are headed into a reimagining of Christie's 1969 bookHallowe’en Party. The original novel takes place on, you guessed it, Halloween. After a teenager alleges that she witnessed a murder, she then shows up dead herself, and Poirot has to figure out what exactly happened.
While most of Poirot’s cases center around logic and some good ol’ detective work,A Haunting in Venicebrings us on what seems to be a paranormal journey. This time, Poirot has to figure out whether or not someone is pulling his chain or if he’s witnessing some ghostly shenanigans. The main plot of the movie is in line with the original novel, but the filmmakers have deviated far enough from the book's sequence of events to interest fans of the OG novel and movie fans alike.
As it turns out, Branagh has been itching to adaptHallowe’en Partyfor years. His first reference to the Christie novel appeared in his Oscar-winning film,Belfast, where the book made a cameo.Branagh told The Hollywood Reporterthat the novel's appearance was an homage to his mother, who got into mystery novels (Christie in particular) in her 40s. He noted that the gesture was “an offering to the Gods” in the hopes that he’d be able to make the film down the line. Well, mission accomplished.
A Haunting in Venicetakes place in post-WWII Venice
Though the original novel is set in an English village, Branagh opted to move the film's setting to a Post-WWII Venice. Given the plot, the decision will no doubt enhance the storytelling and the movie's spooky vibes (if the trailer is anything to go by). Branaghremarked on the film and its location to Empire, where he said, “It’s exotic and it's gothic. It's mysterious. Each day that city fills completely and empties.” He added, “It's very, very striking and shadow-filled, as Venice is.”
He explained that the palazzo is an orphanage in the movie, adding an element of tragedy into the mystery mix. Branagh noted that the orphanage “carries a dark secret, and you'll find out what that is when you see the film.”
The city has so much haunting history that apparently, several of Branagh's filming location suggestions got axed. Given the grisly past of many Venice locations, the locals have a reverence for sites rumored to house ghosts — whether they're an imprint of tragedies or paranormal in nature.
Branagh told The Hollywood Reporter, “I would say that we are firmly a supernatural thriller, and the normal rules do not apply. So, as magnificent as Venice is, the film and the story itself is not as Gothic as it might appear, but it’s certainly exotic.” Color us intrigued.
So, who exactly is helmingA Haunting in Venice?
You can’t have a Poirot film without Branagh leading the charge — both in the director’s chair and resuming his role as Poirot. And for the third time in a row, Michael Green has penned the latest movie in the series.
Fans might notice a shake-up in the score ofA Haunting in Venice. That's due to Hildur Guðnadóttir taking the reigns as composer fromDeath on the NileandMurder on the Orient Expresscomposer Patrick Doyle. Guðnadóttir was responsible for composing films likeJoker,Chernobyl, andWomen Talking, so the film is undoubtedly in good hands.
It’s always refreshing when a series keeps things consistent in the writing and directing departments to uphold cohesive storytelling. However, like the rest of the franchise, we’re getting a mostly fresh cast.
Poirot like we’ve never seen before
Branagh is bringing Poirot back to life, but inA Haunting in Venice, we’ll see a new side of the detective. The actor told Empire that Poirot has “convinced himself [that] he's retired. He's lost his faith, so he says.” Branagh added, “Michael had this idea that murder and the possibility of ghosts would be irresistible to a man with that mustache and that nose for sniffing a culprit.”
According to Branagh, Poirot’s war experience has led to isolation and a loss of friends, which has shaken his belief in God. Branagh explained, “He's a man whose confidence and composure [have] been rocked by the intense and scary pressure that his life has put him under.”
In the franchise's typical fashion,A Haunting in Veniceis choc-full of a new set of a-listers who, Branagh assures fans, were just as surprised during filming as fans will be watching the movie. He noted in the featurette, “These actors had no warning about what would happen: what we did with lights, when doors [were] opening.”
The cast and characters
So, which actors make up the new cast, and what characters do they play? Joining Branagh are hisBelfastco-stars Jamie Dornan (Dr. Leslie Ferrier) and Jude Hill (Leopold Ferrier). Dornan noted in the featurette, “I’ve never been on a set like this before. There’s a great sense of authenticity. It will be a proper thrill for the audience.” He added that the “ideas of fantasy” and darkness are infused into the film by its Venice setting.
Branagh praised the new slate of actors in his Hollywood Reporter interview, where he said, “It almost feels like you’re arriving at a new school where everybody already knows each other. But Jude and Jamie’s generosity — and their clear ease with me — was a really good helpful sign for the other actors.” Brannagh remarked on how grateful he is that the actors were involved in the movie.
One of the most integral additions to the cast is Michelle Yeoh’s character, Joyce Reynolds, who happens upon the palazzo when she hears voices. Branagh told Empire that “Yeoh brings this great gravity to the role of someone who finds it possible and believes that they can talk to the dead. It exacts a price, and she beautifully articulates what that could be.”
Meanwhile, Kelly Reilly has taken on the role of Alina Drake. Branagh explained to Empire that Alina’s daughter is lost “in suspicious circ*mstances” and that her daughter wants to speak to her.
To round out the cast, Tina Fey plays Ariadne Oliver. Meanwhile, Emma Laird has taken on the role of Desdemona Holland, Camille Cottin is Olga Seminoff, and Kyle Allen is Maxime Gerard. Other cast members include Riccardo Scamarcio as Vitale Portfoglio, Ali Khan as Nicholas Holland, and Fernando Piloni as Vincenzo Di Stefano.
Fans of the books will notice familiar names, slightly altered character names, and entirely new characters. With the movie's mild shakeups, Branagh and the other creators likely opted to go with a spin on the OG novel with new and revamped characters alike. But we'll just have to wait for the movie to see whodunnit and how much of the plot and characters have a fresh take.
When doesA Haunting in Venicerelease?
Fans can catch the Halloween-centricA Haunting in Venicein Regal theatres on September 15.
A Haunting in Venicepremieres in theatres on September 15th! See it at Regal.
