Murder on the Orient Express (2017 film)

In 1934, famed Belgian detective Hercule Poirot solves a theft at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Intending to return to London, his friend Bouc arranges accommodations for Poirot aboard the Simplon-route train, the Orient Express. Alongside Bouc, Poirot's fellow passengers include widow Caroline Hubbard; businessman Edward Ratchett, his manservant Edward Masterman and secretary Hector MacQueen; elderly Russian Princess Natalia Dragomiroff and her maid Hildegarde Schmidt; Hungarian diplomat Count Rudolf Andrenyi and his wife Elena; physician John Arbuthnot; Mary Debenham, a governess; Pilar Estravados, a Spanish missionary; Cuban-American car salesman Biniamino Marquez; and Gerhard Hardman, an Austrian university professor.

Having received threatening letters, Ratchett attempts to hire Poirot to protect him during the journey, but Poirot declines, not wanting to do business with a suspicious character. An avalanche derails the train's engine, stranding the passengers until a rescue engine can arrive. During the night, Poirot is awakened by strange noises in the hall next to his cabin and sees someone in a red kimono rushing down the aisleway. Ratchett is found murdered the following morning, stabbed a dozen times.

Poirot and Bouc work together to hunt the murderer. Poirot discovers the burned remnants of one of Ratchett's threatening notes, and from it deduces that Ratchett was actually John Cassetti, the man responsible for the kidnap and murder of Daisy Armstrong, an infant child. Daisy's death caused her mother, Sonia, to go into premature labor, killing her and the baby, and her father, Colonel John Armstrong, committed suicide out of grief. The family nursemaid, Susanne, accused of complicity in Daisy's murder, also committed suicide.

Poirot finds a bloodstained handkerchief with a monogrammed "H", and a conductor uniform button in Mrs. Hubbard's cabin, leading him to find the uniform and kimono planted in his suitcase. Hubbard is later stabbed from behind and cannot identify the culprit. Poirot's interrogations of the passengers identifies direct connections between them and the Armstrong family. While interviewing Debenham, Poirot is shot in the shoulder by Dr. Arbuthnot, who confesses to Cassetti's murder; Bouc incapacitates him before he can kill Poirot. However, Poirot quickly surmises that Arbuthnot, a skilled former army sniper, deliberately missed a killing shot.

Poirot gathers and confronts the passengers outside the train, uncovering their true identities:

• MacQueen's district attorney father was pressured into prosecuting Susanne, but his career was destroyed when she was posthumously exonerated.
• Hardman, in actuality a former police officer named Cyrus, was in love with Susanne.
• Pierre Michel, the train's conductor, was Susanne's brother.
• Dr. Arbuthnot and the terminally ill Masterman were Colonel Armstrong's comrades.
• Marquez, Schmidt, and Estravados worked for the Armstrongs.
• Ms. Debenham was Daisy's governess.
• Countess Andrenyi is Sonia's sister.
• Princess Dragomiroff was Daisy's godmother.
• Hubbard is actually Linda Arden, a former stage actress, Sonia's mother, and Daisy's grandmother.

Poirot concludes that they murdered Cassetti together, each stabbing him once. Hubbard takes the blame for planning the murder and recruiting the others. Debenham wore the kimono and Arbuthnot superficially stabbed Hubbard to mislead Poirot. Agreeing their cause was just, but compelled to tell the truth, Poirot challenges the passengers to shoot him dead so they will get away with the murder. Instead, Hubbard grabs the gun and attempts suicide, but realises it is unloaded; Poirot was testing the suspects' characters.

With the locomotive back on the tracks, Poirot surmises that justice is impossible in this case, as Cassetti deserved death. For the first time, Poirot must live with a lie and imbalance. He presents the lone escaped killer theory to the Yugoslavian police, allowing the others to remain on the train. As he disembarks, a British Army messenger delivers a note asking him to investigate a death on the Nile.

• Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot, a world-renowned Belgian detective and former police officer.
• Tom Bateman as Bouc, Poirot's friend, and nephew of the owner of the Orient Express.
• Penélope Cruz as Pilar Estravados, the Armstrongs' Spanish nurse. The character replaces the Swedish nurse, Greta Ohlsson, and assumes the name of an unrelated character from Hercule Poirot's Christmas.
• Willem Dafoe as Cyrus Bethman Hardman, who initially pretends to be an Austrian university professor named Gerhard Hardman, but is later revealed to be Susanne's American lover.
• Judi Dench as Princess Natalia Dragomiroff, Daisy's godmother and close friend of Linda.
• Johnny Depp as John Cassetti, alias Edward Ratchett, a famous gangster, and Daisy Armstrong's kidnapper and murderer.
• Josh Gad as Hector MacQueen, Ratchett's secretary. His father was the prosecutor of Susanne.
• Derek Jacobi as Edward Henry Masterman, Ratchett's valet and butler, Col. Armstrong's former valet.
• Leslie Odom Jr. as Dr. Arbuthnot, Mary's secret lover, who is also a former army sniper and Col. Armstrong's close friend. This character is an amalgamation of two characters from the novel, Col. Arbuthnot and Dr. Constantine.
• Michelle Pfeiffer as Linda Arden, alias Caroline Hubbard, Sonia and Helena’s mother and Daisy's grandmother.
• Daisy Ridley as Mary Debenham, Sonia's personal secretary and Daisy's governess.
• Marwan Kenzari as Pierre Michel, the conductor and brother of Susanne, the Armstrong maid who committed suicide after being wrongly accused of killing Daisy.
• Olivia Colman as Hildegarde Schmidt, Natalia's maid and the Armstrong cook.
• Lucy Boynton as Countess Helena Andrenyi, Sonia's younger sister.
• Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Biniamino Marquez, a car salesman and the Armstrong chauffeur. This character replaces Antonio Foscarelli.
• Sergei Polunin as Count Rudolph Andrenyi, Helena's husband.

Additionally, Phil Dunster and Miranda Raison portrays Daisy's parents, Sonia and Col. John Armstrong.

20th Century Fox announced the project in December 2013.{{cite news |last=McNary |first=Dave |author-link=Dave McNary |title=Fox Remaking Murder on the Orient Express |series=Exclusive |url=https://variety.com/2013/film/news/fox-remaking-murder-on-the-orient-express-exclusive-1200950073/ |access-date=November 25, 2015 |newspaper=Variety |date=December 12, 2013}} Michael Green wrote the screenplay for a new film adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/murder-orient-express-reboot-michael-green-1201449409/|title='Murder on the Orient Express' Reboot Sets Michael Green as Writer (EXCLUSIVE)|first=Dave|last=McNary|author-link=Dave McNary|date=March 10, 2015|access-date=March 23, 2019}} On June 16, 2015, it was reported Fox was in talks with Kenneth Branagh to direct.{{cite web |last=Geier |first=Thom |title=Kenneth Branagh in talks to direct Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express |series=Exclusive |url=https://www.thewrap.com/kenneth-branagh-in-talks-to-direct-agatha-christie-murder-on-the-orient-express-exclusive/ |website=TheWrap |date=June 16, 2015 |access-date=July 11, 2015}} On November 20, 2015, it was announced that Branagh would both direct the film and star in the role of detective Hercule Poirot.{{cite news |last=McNary |first=Dave |author-link=Dave McNary |title=Kenneth Branagh to direct, star in Murder on the Orient Express remake |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/kenneth-branagh-star-directing-murder-on-the-orient-express-1201645936/ |access-date=November 25, 2015 |website=Variety |date=November 20, 2015}} He later said that he "enjoyed finding the sort of obsessive-compulsive in [Poirot] rather than the dandy."{{cite interview |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/11/10/563378736/kenneth-branagh-on-his-meticulous-master-detective-role-in-murder-on-the-orient- |title=Kenneth Branagh on his meticulous master detective role in Murder on the Orient Express |work=NPR |date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=November 26, 2017 |language=en |series=All Things Considered |last=McEvers |first=Kelly}}

In June 2016, Angelina Jolie entered into "talks" to join the cast of the film, in the role of Mrs Caroline Hubbard.{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/angelina-jolie-talks-star-murder-orient-express-901498 |title=Angelina Jolie in Talks to Star in 'Murder on the Orient Express' |last=Siegel |first=Tatiana |date=June 16, 2016 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=March 23, 2019}} However, it was later reported that Jolie had passed on the role and that Charlize Theron, among others, was in consideration for the role.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/angelina-jolie-murder-on-the-orient-express-2-1201830713/|title=Angelina Jolie No Longer Boarding 'Murder on the Orient Express' (EXCLUSIVE)|first1=Brent|last1=Lang|date=August 4, 2016|access-date=March 23, 2019}} In August 2016, Leslie Odom Jr. joined the cast.{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/leslie-odom-jr-murder-on-the-orient-express-1201839535/ |title='Hamilton' Star Leslie Odom Jr. in Talks to Join 'Murder on the Orient Express' (EXCLUSIVE) |last=McNary |first=Dave |author-link=Dave McNary |date=August 17, 2016 |website=Variety |access-date=March 23, 2019}} In September 2016, Tom Bateman, Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Michael Peña, Judi Dench, Lucy Boynton and Derek Jacobi joined the cast.{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/murder-orient-express-adding-tom-bateman-924733 |title='Murder on the Orient Express' Adding Tom Bateman (Exclusive) |last=Ford |first=Rebecca |date=September 6, 2016 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=March 23, 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/johnny-depp-talks-star-murder-orient-express-933797 |title=Johnny Depp in Talks to Star in 'Murder on the Orient Express' |last1=Ford |first1=Rebecca |last2=Kit |first2=Borys |date=September 29, 2016 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=March 23, 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michelle-pfeiffer-daisy-ridley-michael-pena-judi-dench-board-murder-orient-express-933817 |title=Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Michael Pena, Judi Dench Board 'Murder on the Orient Express' (Exclusive) |last1=Kit |first1=Borys |last2=Ford |first2=Rebecca |date=September 29, 2016 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=March 23, 2019}} In October 2016, Josh Gad and Marwan Kenzari joined the cast.{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/josh-gad-joins-kenneth-branagh-johnny-depp-murder-orient-express-940241 |title=Josh Gad Joins Kenneth Branagh, Johnny Depp in 'Murder on the Orient Express' |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=October 20, 2016 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=March 23, 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/mummy-actor-marwan-kenzari-joins-johnny-depp-murder-orient-express-941748 |title='Mummy' Actor Marwan Kenzari Joins Johnny Depp in 'Murder on the Orient Express' (Exclusive) |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=October 27, 2016 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=March 23, 2019}} In November 2016, Penélope Cruz joined the cast.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2016/11/penelope-cruz-murder-on-the-orient-express-1201852985/|title=Penelope Cruz Joins 'Murder On The Orient Express'|first1=Anita|last1=Busch|first2=Mike Jr |last2=Fleming|date=November 11, 2016|publisher=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=March 23, 2019}} In December 2016, Sergei Polunin joined the cast.{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dancer-star-sergei-polunin-acting-murder-orient-express-red-sparrow-952594 |title=Ballet Star Sergei Polunin Lands Roles in 'Murder on the Orient Express,' 'Red Sparrow' (Exclusive) |last=Ritman |first=Alex |date=December 5, 2016 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=March 23, 2019}} In January 2017, Willem Dafoe and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo joined the cast with the latter replacing Peña, who had dropped out of the project.{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/william-dafoe-joins-murder-orient-express-946624 |title=William Dafoe Joins 'Murder on the Orient Express' |last=Ford |first=Rebecca |date=January 5, 2017 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=March 23, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/01/manuel-garcia-rulfo-murder-on-the-orient-express-vivica-a-fox-the-mafia-aint-dead-movie-1201893871/|title=Manuel Garcia-Rulfo Boards 'Murder On The Orient Express'; Vivica A. Fox Joins 'The Mafia Aint Dead'|first1=Amanda|last1=N'Duka|date=January 25, 2017|access-date=March 23, 2019}}

Principal photography on the film began on November 22, 2016, in the United Kingdom,{{cite news |last1=Daniels |first1=Nia |title=Murder on the Orient Express starts filming |url=http://www.theknowledgeonline.com/the-knowledge-bulletin/post/2016/11/22/murder-on-the-orient-express-starts-filming |access-date=November 22, 2016 |journal=The Knowledge |date=November 22, 2016}}{{cite news |last=Daniels |first=Nia |title=Murder on the Orient Express sets up UK shoot |url=http://www.kftv.com/news/2016/11/15/murder-on-the-orient-express-sets-up-uk-shoot |access-date=November 22, 2016 |website=KFTV |date=November 15, 2016}} and concluded in May 2017. It used some of the same 65 mm film cameras as Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, which Branagh had acted in shortly before the production.{{cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kenneth-branagh-finding-perfect-mustache-murder-orient-express-1049186 |title=Kenneth Branagh on Finding the Perfect Mustache for 'Murder on the Orient Express' |last=Ritman |first=Alex |date=October 27, 2017 |newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=November 9, 2017}} The two were among the very few to be shot on 65 mm film since Branagh's Hamlet in 1996, and the only ones released in 2017. While in post-production, Branagh "was Skyped in from thousands of miles away" to watch Pfeiffer record an original song called "Never Forget" for the film's finale. "As soon as we added it on to the end of the film, it joined seamlessly and gave a moment of reflection and consideration that the film needed and wanted," said Branagh.{{cite news |last=Wooding |first=Andy |title=Kenneth Branagh and Patrick Doyle talk Murder on the Orient Express music |url=http://filmdoctor.co.uk/2017/12/07/exclusive-sir-kenneth-branagh-and-patrick-doyle-talk-murder-on-the-orient-expresss-creating-the-films-score-and-original-song-with-michelle-pfeiffer/ |access-date=December 6, 2017 |journal=Film Doctor |date=December 6, 2017 |archive-date=December 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171210025749/http://filmdoctor.co.uk/2017/12/07/exclusive-sir-kenneth-branagh-and-patrick-doyle-talk-murder-on-the-orient-expresss-creating-the-films-score-and-original-song-with-michelle-pfeiffer/ |url-status=dead }}

A first look at the film and cast was released on May 3, 2017, in an exclusive article by Entertainment Weekly.{{cite news |last=Collis |first=Clark |title=This week's cover: Exclusive first look at Murder on the Orient Express |url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/05/03/murder-on-the-orient-express-first-look/ |access-date=May 3, 2017 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=May 3, 2017 }}

Murder on the Orient Express was released in the United Kingdom on November 3, 2017, and in the United States on November 10, 2017, by 20th Century Fox.{{cite news |title=Steven Spielberg Pentagon Papers drama gets 2017 Oscar season release |url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/steven-spielberg-tom-hanks-meryl-streep-oscars-1202392948/ |last=Lang |first=Brett |access-date=April 22, 2017 |newspaper=Variety |date=April 22, 2017}} The film was released on digital HD on February 20, 2018, and on Ultra HD Blu-ray, DVD and Blu-ray on February 27, 2018.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Murder on the Orient Express grossed $102.8 million in North America and $250 million elsewhere for a worldwide total of $352.8 million, against a production budget of $55 million.

In the United States and Canada, Murder on the Orient Express was released alongside Daddy's Home 2, and was projected to gross around $20 million from 3,341 theaters in its opening weekend.{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2017/11/thor-ragnarok-great-tuesday-murder-on-the-orient-express-daddys-home-2-weekend-box-office-preview-1202204084/ |title=Thor rocks on with $10.8 M Tuesday; will continue to strike lightning in second weekend with $60 M |first=Anthony |last=D'Alessandro |date=October 25, 2017 |journal=Deadline Hollywood}} The film made $10.9 million on its first day, including $1.6 million from Thursday night previews at 2,775 theaters. It ended up grossing $28.7 million, finishing third at the box office, behind holdover Thor: Ragnarok, and Daddy's Home 2. On the film's opening weekend, 51% of the audience was over the age of 35.{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2017/11/thor-ragnarok-murder-on-the-orient-express-daddys-home-2-weekend-box-office-1202205662/ |title=Daddy's Home 2 higher than the Orient Express in a 'Ragnarok'-ruled weekend – Early Sunday AM update |first=Anthony |last=D'Alessandro |date=November 11, 2017 |access-date=November 11, 2017 |journal=Deadline Hollywood}} In its second weekend, the film took in $13.8 million (a drop of 51.9%), finishing fifth, behind Justice League, Wonder, Thor: Ragnarok and Daddy's Home 2.{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2017/11/justice-league-opening-weekend-box-office-lower-thor-ragnarok-wonder-the-star-1202211094/ |title='Justice League' encounters kryptonite at The B.O. with $96 M opening: Why the DC movie weakened – Sunday AM update |first=Anthony |last=D'Alessandro |journal=Deadline Hollywood |date=November 19, 2017|access-date=November 19, 2017}}

Murder on the Orient Express received mixed reviews from critics.{{Cite magazine |last=Gettell |first=Oliver |date=November 12, 2017 |title=Thor: Ragnarok continues box office reign; Daddy's Home 2 edging Orient Express |url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/11/12/thor-ragnarok-daddys-home-2-murder-orient-express-box-office/ |access-date=July 8, 2024 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |quote=Murder on the Orient Express, meanwhile, is close behind despite receiving mixed reviews}}{{Cite news |last=Spears |first=Steve |date=December 7, 2017 |title=Foghat's forgotten slow ride on The Orient Express |url=https://www.tampabay.com/blogs/80s/2017/12/07/foghats-forgotten-slow-ride-on-the-orient-express/ |access-date=July 8, 2024 |work=Tampa Bay Times |quote=Murder On The Orient Express has drawn mixed reviews}}{{Cite news |last=Schonter |first=Allison |date=November 7, 2017 |title=The First 'Murder on the Orient Express' Reviews Are Mixed |url=https://popculture.com/movies/news/murder-on-the-orient-express-reviews-mixed/ |access-date=July 8, 2024 |work=PopCulture.com |quote=Kenneth Branagh's Murder on the Orient Express ... premiered to mixed reviews from film critics.}}{{Cite news |last=Barnes |first=Brooks |date=November 12, 2017 |title='Daddy's Home 2' and 'Orient Express' Turn Out Older Crowds |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/12/movies/daddys-home-2-murder-on-the-orient-express-thor-ragnarok.html |access-date=July 8, 2024 |work=The New York Times |quote=“Murder on the Orient Express,” ... received mixed reviews}} On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 60% based on 301 reviews, with an average rating of 6.1/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "Stylish production and an all-star ensemble keep this Murder on the Orient Express from running off the rails, even if it never quite builds up to its classic predecessor's illustrious head of steam."{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/murder_on_the_orient_express_2017 |title=Murder on the Orient Express (2017) |website=Rotten Tomatoes |date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=April 25, 2022}} On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 52 out of 100, based on 46 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/murder-on-the-orient-express |title=Murder on the Orient Express Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=December 23, 2017}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.

Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a B+, calling it "a lushly old-fashioned adaptation wrapped in a veritable turducken of pearls, monocles, and international movie stars."{{cite news |url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/11/07/murder-on-the-orient-express-review/ |title=Murder on the Orient Express is a lushly old-fashioned whodunit: EW review |last=Greenblatt |first=Leah |date=November 7, 2017 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=November 8, 2017}} Blake Goble of Consequence of Sound said, "Handsomely staged, exceptionally well-cast, and reasonably faithful, Branagh has revived Murder on the Orient Express in a highly pleasing fashion."{{cite news |url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2017/11/film-review-murder-on-the-orient-express/ |title=Film Review: Murder on the Orient Express |last=Goble |first=Blake |date=November 8, 2017 |journal=Consequence of Sound |access-date=November 8, 2017}} Trace Thurman of Bloody Disgusting gave the film three and a half skulls and said, "For those looking for an involving murder mystery that is respectful of its source material and filled with an all-star cast, look no further than Murder on the Orient Express."{{cite journal |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/reviews/3468871/review-murder-orient-express/ |title=[Review] 'Murder on the Orient Express' is a Lovely Ode to Old-Fashioned Murder Mysteries |last=Thurman |first=Trace |date=November 8, 2017 |journal=Bloody Disgusting |access-date=November 9, 2017}} Matt Goldberg of Collider gave the film a B−, calling it a "handsomely crafted production," albeit one that "falls apart at the climax of the film."{{Cite journal |url=https://collider.com/murder-on-the-orient-express-review/ |title=Murder on the Orient Express review: A good yarn that frays at the end |last=Goldberg |first=Matt |date=November 9, 2017 |journal=Collider |access-date=November 9, 2017}} Jo Livingstone of The New Republic praised the film's "stylized gorgeousness," but wrote that Branagh's change of "Poirot's fussiness ... into obsessive compulsive tendencies" was "less distinct and, ultimately, less interesting".{{cite magazine |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/145714/murder-orient-express-spectacular-massacre-classic |title=Murder on the Orient Express is a spectacular massacre of a classic |magazine=The New Republic |last=Livingstone |first=Josephine |date=November 8, 2017 |access-date=November 26, 2017 |language=en-US}}

On the negative side, Matthew Jacobs of The Huffington Post was impressed by the cast, but ultimately felt "Agatha Christie's whodunit has no steam."{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/murder-on-the-orient-express-review_us_5a01b952e4b0368a4e86ee90?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009 |title=Murder on the Orient Express pulls into the reboot station. All aboard! Or not. |last=Jacobs |first=Matthew |date=November 8, 2017 |journal=HuffPost |access-date=November 8, 2017}} Peter Travers of Rolling Stone found that there were many dull moments and that the film was a needless remake.{{cite news |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/peter-travers-murder-on-the-orient-express-is-fast-train-to-nowhere-w511177 |title=Murder on the Orient Express review: Whodunnit redo is fast train to nowhere |last=Travers |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Travers |date=November 7, 2017 |newspaper=Rolling Stone |access-date=November 8, 2017}} Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film two and a half stars, and stated that he felt it focused too much on Poirot to the detriment of the other characters, adding, "Never let it be said the director misses an opportunity to place his star front and center, unfortunately relegating just about everyone else in the obligatory international all-star cast to a paper-thin character with one or at most two defining personality traits."{{cite news |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment/others-sent-to-back-of-train-in-branaghs-murder-on-orient-express/ |title=Others sent to back of train in Branagh's 'Murder on Orient Express' |last=Roeper |first=Richard |date=November 8, 2017 |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times |access-date=November 8, 2017}} Ignatiy Vishnevetsky of The A.V. Club rated the film a C+ and complained that Branagh's "erratic direction—more interested in cut glass and overhead shots than in suspicions and uncertainties—bungles both the perfect puzzle logic of the crime and its devious solution."{{cite news |url=https://www.avclub.com/a-perfect-mystery-jumps-the-rails-in-the-star-studded-m-1820251675 |title=A perfect mystery jumps the rails in the star-studded Murder on the Orient Express |last=Vishnevetsky |first=Ignatiy |date=November 8, 2017 |journal=The A.V. Club |access-date=November 9, 2017}} Christopher Orr of The Atlantic said the film was "visually sumptuous yet otherwise inert" and summed up, "Murder on the Orient Express is not a bad movie per se, merely one that feels self-indulgent and thoroughly unnecessary."{{cite magazine |last=Orr |first=Christopher |title=Murder on the Orient Express is a ride worth skipping |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2017/11/murder-on-the-orient-express-review/545501/ |magazine=The Atlantic |date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=December 27, 2017}}

{{Main|Death on the Nile (2022 film)}}

In 2015, Christie's great-grandson James Prichard, chairman of Agatha Christie Limited, expressed enthusiasm for sequels, citing the positive collaboration with Kenneth Branagh and the production team. In May 2017, Branagh expressed interest in further installments if the film were successful.{{cite news |url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/05/04/murder-on-the-orient-express-kenneth-branagh/ |title=Murder on the Orient Express star Kenneth Branagh wants to make more Poirot movies |date=May 4, 2017 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=May 31, 2017}} On November 20, 2017, 20th Century Fox announced that a sequel, Death on the Nile, based on the 1937 novel of the same name, was in active development, with Michael Green, screenwriter of the first film, returning to write the screenplay. Death on the Nile underwent several delays, due in part to Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox and the COVID-19 pandemic. It was theatrically released on February 11, 2022.{{cite web|url= https://deadline.com/2020/12/black-panther-2-thor-love-and-thunder-rogue-squadron-disney-release-schedule-investor-day-patty-jenkins-1234655024/ |title='Thor Love & Thunder' & 'Black Panther 2' Move Deeper Into 2022; Patty Jenkins' 'Star Wars' Pic Going 2023: Disney Updates Release Sked Post Inventor Day|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Anthony|last=D’Alessandro|date=December 11, 2020|access-date=December 11, 2020}}

{{Main|A Haunting in Venice}} 20th Century Studios president Steve Asbell confirmed in March 2022 that a third installment was in development.{{Cite web |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=March 3, 2022 |title=10-Plus Movies a Year for Hulu, 'Avatar' (For Real!), More 'Free Guy': 20th Century Studios President on Company's Future |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/avatar-death-on-the-nile-sequel-and-free-guy-future-1235103538/ |access-date=March 4, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}{{Cite web |last=Massoto |first=Erick |date=March 3, 2022 |title=A Third Hercule Poirot Film Has Been Written, Says 20th Century Studios President |url=https://collider.com/hercule-poirot-third-sequel-film-written-script-kenneth-branagh/ |access-date=March 4, 2022 |website=Collider}} A Haunting in Venice was officially announced October 10, 2022, as an adaptation of Hallowe'en Party, "one of the lesser-known novels" by Christie, relocated to post-war Venice.

Brannagh returns to direct and star as Poirot, with Michael Green returning as screenwriter. The film also stars Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh, Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, and Jude Hill, among others. Production began November 2022, and the film was released September 15, 2023.{{Cite web|date=October 10, 2022|title=Kenneth Branagh's Third Hercule Poirot Film 'A Haunting in Venice' Casts Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh and More|url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/a-haunting-in-venice-kenneth-branagh-poirot-1235398277/|website=Variety}}{{cite web|url= https://deadline.com/2022/10/blade-fantastic-four-avengers-secret-wars-release-dates-shift-1235141388/|title=Marvel Shifts Release Dates For 'Blade', 'Fantastic Four', 'Avengers: Secret Wars', Next 'Deadpool' Among Disney Moves|last=Grobar|first=Matt|date=October 11, 2022}}

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