It’s been three years since “Murder on the Orient Express” hit theaters, but we’re finally getting a first glimpse at its sequel, “Death on the Nile.” 20th Century Studios dropped the first trailer for its forthcoming big-ticket murder-mystery. And just by its first look, you can tell it’s quite a star-studded affair.
“The crime is murder. The murderer is one of you.”
The upcoming murder mystery is based on best selling fiction writer, Agatha Christie’s 1937 novel of the same name, one of 66 titles written by the author. The film serves as the sequel to 2017’s hit, “Murder on the Orient Express.” Which once again teams up Kenneth Branagh, as star and director with screenwriter Michael Green.
The murder mystery, based on the Agatha Christie novel, picks up with Kenneth Branagh reprising his role as Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot. This time, Poirot’s Egyptian vacation on a river steamer becomes a search for a murderer after the idyllic honeymoon of a picture-perfect couple (Hammer and Gadot) is tragically cut short.
“I ask you, have you ever loved so much, been so possessed by jealousy, that you might kill?” Poirot asks in the trailer. “The crime is murder. The murderer is one of you.”
The trailer, which is set against the stunning vistas of early 20th century Egypt, is backed by a stylized version of Depeche Mode’s “Policy of Truth.” As Poirot zeroes in on his target.
The Star-studded cast
Like Orient Express, which also was penned by Micheal Green, a serious ensemble has been amassed to tell Christie’s period tale. Death on the Nile will feature a stacked roster of A-listed performers alongside Branagh. Including Gal Gadot, Letitia Wright, Armie Hammer, Annette Bening, Ali Fazal, Sophie Okonedo, Tom Bateman. Emma Mackey, Dawn French, Rose Leslie, Jennifer Saunders and Russell Brand. The group of characters-turned-suspects is made up of both employees on the river steamer as well as travelers. And they all seem to have a motive to kill.
When will Death On the Nile Release?
The Branagh thriller was primed to release in the United States on December 20, 2019. In order to compete with Disney and Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” But following Disney’s acquisition of Fox’s film and TV assets, the movie was pushed back to October 9, 2020. So as to avoid clashes with its new studio’s other tent pole.
20th Century Studios’ “Death on the Nile” is now scheduled to hit theaters on Oct. 23 2020, in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. Production began in September 2019 at Longcross Studios in England and on location in Egypt. And wrapped up at the end of that year. Ridley Scott, Mark Gordon, Simon Kinberg, Kenneth Branagh, Judy Hofflund and Kevin J. Walsh are producers. With Matthew Jenkins, James Prichard and Matthew Prichard set as executive producers.
“We are continuing to fly the flag for the big screen experience”
Branagh oversaw the editing of the film in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. “We are in good shape,” the director told in an interview in May. “The studio have seen the film and are very very supportive of it. We are very excited by it. We are continuing to fly the flag for the big screen experience. We’re prone to the challenges of social distancing and isolation (but) so far so good.”
“Murder on the Orient Express” was a huge box office success, grossing more than $350 million worldwide, off a budget of $55 million. That film follows Poirot as he solves a murder on the famous trans-European train in the 1930s. Branagh starred in an all-star cast that included Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Michelle Pfeiffer. Willem Dafoe, Derek Jacobi, Olivia Colman, Leslie Odom, Jr., and Lucy Boynton. The movie went on to win an Academy Award for Best Costume Design. And in 2004, it was turned into a TV series called “Agatha Christie’s Poirot.”
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