‘A Haunting in Venice’ cast revealed: Kenneth Branagh returns for third Poirot movie

Kenneth Branagh is reprising his role as Hercule Poirot for a third time.

And, once again, the director and star has assembled quite a cast!

Titled A Haunting in Venice, the movie follows the British filmmaker’s previous adaptations of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile in 2017 and 2022 respectively.

It might seem rather quick to be making another Poirot film when the second one only came out last year, but it’s worth remembering quite how many times the release of Death on the Nile was delayed.

Originally set for October 2019, the sequel finally made it into cinemas last February!

Watch the trailer here:

For his third time playing Poirot, Branagh has chosen a less famous Christie story.

The new movie will adapt Christie’s 1969 book Hallowe’en Party, with Michael Green returning to write the script.

Changing the title to A Haunting in Venice, the film will be set in post-World War II Venice on All Hallows’ Eve.

We’re told to expect “a terrifying mystery featuring the return of the celebrated sleuth, Hercule Poirot. 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.”

A Haunting in Venice began filming last October (on Halloween, rather suitably), with the shoot taking place at Pinewood Studios near London and on location in Venice, Italy.

As anyone who’s seen Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile will know, whatever you think of the movies, it’s impossible to deny that Branagh certainly knows how to put a great line-up of stars together.

Who’s in the cast? 

Branagh will be reuniting with two actors from his Oscar-nominated film Belfast.

Irish heartthrob Jamie Dornan (50 Shades of Grey) will be joined by young actor Jude Hill, who played his son in Belfast.

Watch the trailer for Belfast here:

Fresh from her award-winning performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once, Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh is appearing too, alongside American comedian and 30 Rock star Tina Fey.

Rounding out the cast are Kyle Allen (Rosaline), Camille Cottin (Call My Agent), Ali Khan (6 Underground), Emma Laird (Mayor of Kingstown), Kelly Reilly (Yellowstone), and Riccardo Scamarico (Caravaggio’s Shadow).

When’s the release date?

A Haunting in Venice is set to arrive in US cinemas on Friday 15 September 2023.

Its release in the UK is expected to be on the same date or not far behind.

Kenneth Branagh commented: “This is a fantastic development of the character Hercule Poirot, as well as the Agatha Christie franchise.”

He teased: “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.”

The director has promised “something truly spine-chilling for our loyal movie audiences.”

20th Century Studios president Steve Asbell added: “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.’”

The BBC revealed its own new Agatha Christie plans last month, with a two-part adaptation of Murder is Easy filming later this year.

Kenneth Branagh’s Murder on the Orient Express is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.