After 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express and 2022’s Death on the Nile, the third Hercule Poirot, A Haunting in Venice, is changing the formula. Instead of solely being a murder mystery, A Haunting in Venice will incorporate the spiritual world into its storyline. Executive producer James Prichard explained why A Haunting in Venice needed to shift its tone and embrace supernatural elements.
“If we are going to continue to make these films, we can’t do the same thing over and over,” Prichard said via Total Film. “A departure at this moment is possibly risky, but it also has the potential to keep it alive, bring in a different audience, and do something interesting that will hopefully surprise and delight.”
What to Expect in A Haunting in Venice?
“A Haunting in Venice is set in eerie, post-World War II Venice on All Hallows’ Eve and is a terrifying mystery featuring the return of the celebrated sleuth, Hercule Poirot,” the official synopsis reads. “Now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city, Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.”
Kenneth Branagh reprises his role as Hercule Poirot for the third time in A Haunting in Venice. The ensemble features Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jude Hill, Emma Laird, Ali Khan, Riccardo Scamarcio, Kelly Reilly, and Michelle Yeoh.
Based on Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie, A Haunting in Venice is directed by Branagh and written by Michael Green. This marks the third collaboration between Branagh and Green on a Hercule Poirot. The pair served in the same roles on A Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile. Branagh is a co-producer alongside Judy Hofflund, Ridley Scott, and Simon Kinberg.
A Haunting in Venice is scheduled for release in theaters on September 15, 2023.
