Kenneth Branagh’s 2017 adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express is streaming on Prime Video along with its sequels, creating a great opportunity for audiences to revisit the series. Branagh directs and stars in each film as Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie’s legendary detective. Each film features an exciting setting and a cast of well-known stars to go with its mysterious murder waiting to be solved by the character from Agatha Christie’s books.
In particular, Murder on the Orient Express centered around Hercule Poirot’s journey from Jerusalem to London and the murder that occurs one night when the train derails. As the first in Branagh’s series, the movie introduced (or re-introduced) fans to the legendary detective with all his quirks, capturing the audience’s imagination and tempting them to solve the mystery before him. However, the Hercule Poirot series’ streaming release serves as a harsh reminder of the truth about the iconic detective’s appearances, which is all the more clear when they are seen together.
Kenneth Branagh’s Poirot Sequels Failed To Live Up To Murder On The Orient Express
Though Critically Well Received, They Were Not As Financially Successful
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Though Kenneth Branagh has since directed and starred in two sequels to Murder on the Orient Express, neither of them has been able to garner the same attention as his original adaptation of a Hercule Poirot mystery. Murder on the Orient Express received mixed reviews from critics but was financially successful with audiences, grossing $352.8 million on a budget of $55 million (via Box Office Mojo). With incredibly popular source material and a cast of A-list stars, the 2017 movie was able to attract a great deal of positive attention from audiences.
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However, 2022’s Death on the Nile and 2023’s A Haunting in Venice, which have the same advantages of source material and big name stars, failed to achieve the same financial success. While Death on the Nile received similar critical reviews to its predecessor, it grossed only $130.3 million (via The Numbers), and A Haunting in Venice did even better with critics, garnering a 75% on Rotten Tomatoes, but grossing less again. While the diminishing financial success of the franchise is disappointing, its continued critical support indicates that the Poirot series could still have a future.
Kenneth Branagh’s Poirot Still Deserves A 4th Movie – Is It Happening?
Branagh Could Return Again With A New Poirot Mystery
Because Hercule Poirot is such an iconic fictional character who appeared in so many Agatha Christie books, there are still so many stories that could be adapted in future movies by Kenneth Branagh. In addition to the three films that Branagh has directed so far, there are 30 other Agatha Christie books that feature Hercule Poirot. This means that there are plenty of ways that Branagh could choose to bring Poirot back to the big screen, and, based on past box office performances, audiences will likely be happy to see these future ventures as well.
While it is unconfirmed, there has even been speculation that the next movie in the series could be The Murder of Roger Ackroyd , which Branagh has previously stated to be among his favorites.
So far, Branagh has not explicitly confirmed whether there will be another Hercule Poirot mystery movie coming soon, but there have been hints. After the 2023 release of A Haunting in Venice, the movie’s producer, James Prichard, implied that Branagh was interested in continuing the series. While it is unconfirmed, there has even been speculation that the next movie in the series could be The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, which Branagh has previously stated to be among his favorites. If Branagh decides to return as Poirot, hopefully the success of Murder on the Orient Express will carry on to future films.
Sources: Box Office Mojo, The Numbers, & Rotten Tomatoes