Death on the Nile (2020)

[Athena]

A sequel to Murder on the Orient Express (2017). Kenneth Branagh is expected to return as Poirot and as director.

[kittykat]

Cast update per imdb

Gal Gadot as Linnet Doyle

Armie Hammer as Simon Doyle

Leticia Wright as Rosalie Otterbourne

Tom Bateman from MotOE is also returning.  I'm guessing he'll fill the role of what Colonel Race did in the book and 78 film.

Other cast members include: Annette Bening (imdb says Euphemia I don't remember that character but it's been awhile since I read the book), Russell Brand (Dr. Bessner?), Ali Fazal (Ferguson?), Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders,  Rose Leslie (Jackie?), Emma Mackey (Louise?), Sophie Okonedo (Salome Otterbourne?).  All of the character pairings are my own speculation.

Overall I wasn't a huge fan of the MotOE remake and I love the Ustinov DotN so I don't know.  The cast gives me hope.  If Saunders and French are playing Lady Van Schuyler and Miss Bowers that's gonna be a hoot (speculation only), even if filling in the shoes of Bette Davis and Maggie Smith is a tall order.

Release day is October 2020

Edited October 1, 2019 by kittykat

[krankydoodle]

From Branagh's statement about the movie:

Quote

Crimes of passion are dangerously sexy. Agatha Christie has written a riveting story of emotional chaos and violent criminality and Michael Green [screenwriter for Orient Express] has once again written a screenplay to match. With a cherished group of long-time artistic collaborators and a brilliant international cast, it is truly a pleasure to join Disney, Fox and Agatha Christie, Ltd. in bringing this daring thriller to the big screen. There are significant new twists, an awe-inspiring desert landscape and a chance to celebrate big screen entertainment in glorious 65 millimetre celluloid!

Hmmm on the 'significant new twists' bit.

[GaT]

3 hours ago, krankydoodle said:

Hmmm on the 'significant new twists' bit.

Yeah, a really big Hmmm. There shouldn't be ANY twists that weren't in the book, this statement alone tells me he's going to fuck this movie up as badly as he fucked up "Murder on the Orient Express".

[kittykat]

What new twists can there possibly be?  There is only one main twist from the book.  The only other thing I can think of is (spoiler tagging for non book readers)

Spoiler

In the book Tim Allerton is a Jewelry counterfeiter who collaborates with Linnet's friend Joanna Southwood in copying her pearl necklace.  He makes the switch on the Karnak.  Miss Van Schuyler later steals the pearls not knowing they're the fakes.

In the 1978 version the subplot and the Allerton and Southwood characters are dropped as is Colonel Race's subplot over pursuing a war criminal.  I wonder if they are putting those characters and stories back in but it doesn't exactly scream "seductive."

[Mabinogia]

"Significant new twists?" Yep, I'm out. Not that I was going to watch it after the train wreck that was MotOE but the idea that Agatha Christie stories need "new twists" to make them watchable is beyond hubris.

I would love to watch a faithful adaptation of any Christie novel with the amazing budget and sets MotOE had but I have zero interest in watching another Kenneth Branaugh vanity project. Pity. The rest of the cast sound great.

[VCRTracking]

Trailer is up!

I've seen the 1978 adaptation with Peter Ustinov so I'm spoiled on who did it. I am curious about the new twists. Also if Armie Hammer can yell "Damn it Jackie!" as well as Simon McCorkindale!

 

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by VCRTracking

[krankydoodle]

I see they've made another interesting song choice for the trailer. I don't think it works, but it's not as egregious as Believer was for Murder on The Orient Express though that also means it probably won't generate as much discussion.

I can't say I'm excited about this adaptation, but I am curious to find out what's been changed from the book.

Edited August 19, 2020 by krankydoodle

[ursula]

 

ETA: Pet peeve. Why is Linnet a brunette in every adaptation and Jackie is usually blonde or a lighter hair color? When in the book it was the opposite?

Edited August 19, 2020 by ursula

[Danny Franks]

Emma Mackey looks amazing in this. I don't care about the mystery, but I'll watch this just for the cast.

[Morrigan2575]

Was this ever released?

Can we change the title to reflect 2020? I thought it came out last year and I missed it 😁

Edited August 19, 2020 by Morrigan2575

[VCRTracking]

Kenneth Branagh must have seen Hammer and Gadot presenting at the Oscars together a few years ago and thought like everyone else they should be in a movie!

 

 

[Mabinogia]

Everything about it looks good, except Poirot. Ugh. Kenneth really should get over himself and get someone could have done the role justice. 

[ursula]

55 minutes ago, Mabinogia said:

Everything about it looks good, except Poirot. Ugh. Kenneth really should get over himself and get someone could have done the role justice. 

I can’t get over the grey moustache. When Poirot being so vain he kept dyeing it black is a fricking plot point!

[Danny Franks]

10 hours ago, Mabinogia said:

Everything about it looks good, except Poirot. Ugh. Kenneth really should get over himself and get someone could have done the role justice. 

Lin Manuel Miranda would have been amazing as Poirot.

[GaT]

22 hours ago, Mabinogia said:

Everything about it looks good, except Poirot. Ugh. Kenneth really should get over himself and get someone could have done the role justice. 

 

21 hours ago, ursula said:

I can’t get over the grey moustache. When Poirot being so vain he kept dyeing it black is a fricking plot point!

I wish I could give you each 100,000,000,000,000 more likes because I hated how Poirot looked in "Murder on the Orient Express". It drove me crazy & I could barely pay attention to the movie, (which was crap anyway). Someone needs to stop this asshole from making (and starring in) any more movies based on Christie novels.

[DollEyes]

On 8/20/2020 at 3:04 AM, Danny Franks said:

Lin Manuel Miranda would have been amazing as Poirot.

If not him, then Jean Dujardin, the  French 2011 Best Actor Oscar-winner for The Artist, would work as well.

[AimingforYoko]

Removed from schedule, no new release date given.

As of now there's only one Gal Gadot movie scheduled for Christmas. (And I have to believe that's going to move)

[MissAlmond]

There's something about the trio of John Brabourne produced Hercule Poirot movies (Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, Evil Under the Sun) no remake has quite captured for me. I loved David Suchet's Poirot, but his version of the above three didn't do it for me either.  Now chances are great I'll go see Branagh's Death on the Nile- I'm a sucker for Agatha Christie movies- but it'll probably be a one time shot just like his Orient Express.  The Brabourne films, OTOH, I not only own but re-watch repeatedly according to mood and season.  

Edited November 8, 2020 by MissAlmond

[VCRTracking]

I like David Niven in Nile. Great sub for Hastings.

[blackwing]

I'm looking forward to this movie... I'm sure there will be some changes from the book but the trailers and cast look great.  I've read all of Christie's books and short stories and I think any Christie adaptation is better than none.

On 8/19/2020 at 4:47 PM, ursula said:

I can’t get over the grey moustache. When Poirot being so vain he kept dyeing it black is a fricking plot point!

 

On 8/20/2020 at 2:53 PM, GaT said:

 

I wish I could give you each 100,000,000,000,000 more likes because I hated how Poirot looked in "Murder on the Orient Express". It drove me crazy & I could barely pay attention to the movie, (which was crap anyway). Someone needs to stop this asshole from making (and starring in) any more movies based on Christie novels.

I didn't mind Branagh as Poirot.  I think David Suchet has influenced what many think Poirot is supposed to look like, but Peter Ustinov also did not have the hair and mustache dyed dark brown or black.  Also, after seeing the disaster that was John Malkovich, I think Branagh looks like Laurence Olivier next to him.

[ursula]

13 hours ago, blackwing said:

I think David Suchet has influenced what many think Poirot is supposed to look like, but Peter Ustinov also did not have the hair and mustache dyed dark brown or black. 

I’m not sure if you’ve read the books but Poirot’s vanity over his moustaches was a recurring theme to the extent that it became a plot point

Spoiler

in the last book.

Dissatisfaction with Branagh’s grey moustache is not a reaction to any of the adaptations, Suchet or Ustinov. Funny aside, I remember Ustinov as the villain Suleiman from the obscure Ashanti movie not as Poirot.

[kittykat]

Given the two year delay and Armie Hammer's disgrace, it is increasingly feeling like this film is dead in the water.

[MissAlmond]

On 3/18/2021 at 9:57 PM, kittykat said:

Given the two year delay and Armie Hammer's disgrace, it is increasingly feeling like this film is dead in the water.

You might be right: https://deadline.com/2021/03/armie-hammer-sex-scandal-death-on-the-nile-release-date-change-lapd-1234720509/

[kittykat]

Wow.  And given that he arguably plays the second main character it would be, as the article states, tough to pull an All the Money in the World and recast/reshoot.

And Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French ARE playing Miss Van Schuyler and Miss Bowers!!!  Damn this movie had so much potential.

[Danny Franks]

That's a shame. This movie looked like it could be a breakout role for Emma Mackey. They should just release it but blur out every shot of Hammer with CGI, or replace his head with Ryan Reynolds or someone.

[starri]

Disney seems to have so little interest in this, I don't know why they didn't just dump it on streaming at the start of everything.  They could have eaten the loss and avoided all of the bad press.  It's a shame.  I was actually looking forward to this.

2 minutes ago, kittykat said:

Wow.  And given that he arguably plays the second main character it would be, as the article states, tough to pull an All the Money in the World and recast/reshoot.

Gal Gadot is also pregnant, which only makes it more complicated.

[BlackberryJam]

If only they could do the reshoots replacing Branagh and Hammer!

[MissAlmond]

On 3/24/2021 at 7:56 PM, kittykat said:

And given that he arguably plays the second main character it would be, as the article states, tough to pull an All the Money in the World and recast/reshoot.

Agreed. Plus Spacey's scenes in All the Money in the World were pretty much in one room.  Death on the Nile most likely was either filmed on location or CGI used to make it appear the characters are in Egypt.  That's way too much work and money to recreate.  Toss in the "whodunit" aspect and the PR campaign can't be adjusted to reassure audiences 

Spoiler

Doyle/Hammer is the villain and gets his in the end.

 

On 3/24/2021 at 7:59 PM, starri said:

Disney seems to have so little interest in this, I don't know why they didn't just dump it on streaming at the start of everything

You're right. Disney inherited Death on the Nile but the earlier pushbacks were due to COVID, not lack of confidence in the film.  Murder on the Orient Express succeeded beyond expectations moneywise.  Disney most likely figured the same would happen with Death on the Nile and held out for a theatrical release. 

Edited March 26, 2021 by MissAlmond

[blackwing]

On 3/18/2021 at 9:57 PM, kittykat said:

Given the two year delay and Armie Hammer's disgrace, it is increasingly feeling like this film is dead in the water.

If he's guilty, then he deserves whatever legal punishment is decided.  I guess I don't understand why things like this affect a movie.  With a TV show, it's easy, they just fire the actor and write him off, like with Cas Anvar in "The Expanse".  The producers of the show must have decided they didn't want to work with him anymore.

But with a movie, particularly a movie that has already finished filming, I don't understand why they would bother.  Like with reshoots for "All the Money in the World" or the Christie miniseries "Ordeal By Innocence" which replaced Ed Westwick with that other guy.

If the movie is already done, why not just release it?  I am sure some will boycott it because they don't want to see the guy, but others might be able to disconnect real life from art and see it anyways.  Let the public speak with their dollars.

What if he is found guilty?  Are they just never going to release the movie?  After spending millions to produce it, they would rather just shelve it indefinitely and take the complete loss?  That doesn't make sense to me.

[kittykat]

The same reason Woody Allen hasn't gotten film distribution the last few years or people can't rewatch the Cosby Show.  Even if people can disassociate the art from the artist the project as a whole is still tainted by association, unfair or not.

At best they still should drop it on streaming like they have with the award films and let people decide to watch on their own.

[BlackberryJam]

2 hours ago, kittykat said:

 Even if people can disassociate the art from the artist the project as a whole is still tainted by association, unfair or not.

Right. Disney doesn’t want to have its name associated with Hammer and it’s not just about the potential criminal case. The rumors about this guy have been circling for years, yet he was cast in this film, these people chose to work with him and now they don’t want their names associated with him either.

[AngieBee1]

The same reason Woody Allen hasn't gotten film distribution the last few years

His latest film RIFKIN'S FESTIVAL was released in Europe.  It's fair to say he'll likely never work with huge names again, but he will never have problem finding distribution. Even A RAINY DAY IN NEW YORK had a scattered release, including the U.S.

DISNEY has put all of their 20th Century Fox projects on the back burner. I don't know why they don't just release it to Hulu or sell them all. DEATH ON THE NILE, and THE KING'S MAN have been pushed back repeatedly. THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW was finally sold to Netflix after its delay. 

DOTN is an ensemble film. It's easy to avoid Hammer in the promotion of the film.  When I AM NUMBER FOUR tanked and Alex Pettyfer's name was poison, when it came time for the DVD release the ads only focused on Number 6 played by Teresa Palmer. If the Four in I AM NUMBER FOUR can be avoided, so can Hammer.

[Morrigan2575]

According to IMDb Death on the Nike has a February 11, 2022 release date.  Is this a Valentines Day movie? 😊

Edited June 20, 2021 by Morrigan2575

[MissAlmond]

On 3/25/2021 at 2:55 PM, blackwing said:

If the movie is already done, why not just release it?  I am sure some will boycott it because they don't want to see the guy, but others might be able to disconnect real life from art and see it anyways.  Let the public speak with their dollars.

Funny now that movie theaters have re-opened, I have to agree.  If Death on the Nile were out now, I would have rushed to buy a ticket.  Huge fan as I am of the 1978 version, an Agatha Christie murder mystery would have hit the right spot to return to a movie theater.  

Edited June 20, 2021 by MissAlmond

[BetterButter]

 

[starri]

 I have to admit, the remix of "Policy of Truth" is so good, it makes the trailer damned effective.

And they REALLY go out of their way to avoid featuring Armie Hammer.  Just based on this, you'd think Jennifer Saunders has the bigger part.

[Morrigan2575]

2 hours ago, starri said:

 I have to admit, the remix of "Policy of Truth" is so good, it makes the trailer damned effective.

It really was a great version. The movie looks good, won't see it in theaters but, I'll watch it as soon as it's available for streaming

[GaT]

15 hours ago, BetterButter said:

 

I see Kenneth Branagh changed the way his Poirot looks, still not  correct, but better. Maybe after he makes 10 or 15 more Agatha Christie movies he'll finally admit that Poirot's hair & mustache ARE JET BLACK, NOT GRAY OR SHADES OF GRAY.

Edited December 22, 2021 by GaT

[BlackberryJam]

I love Christie, so I’ll watch it, in a manner guaranteed not to provide one dime of income to Armie Hammer. 

Branagh did tone down the ridiculousness a bit, but he’ll probably still run around he ship or something idiotic.

[GaT]

1 hour ago, BlackberryJam said:

I love Christie, so I’ll watch it, in a manner guaranteed not to provide one dime of income to Armie Hammer.

Unless he's got points, he's gotten all his money already.

[BlackberryJam]

2 minutes ago, GaT said:

Unless he's got points, he's gotten all his money already.

I get you, but I don't want the film to make money. 

[BetterButter]

 

[blackwing]

On 12/22/2021 at 1:22 PM, BlackberryJam said:

I get you, but I don't want the film to make money. 

Then that would almost certainly kill any chances of future Branagh Poirot movies.  I am hoping for more, I'd love to see more big screen  Christie adaptations.  "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" is widely considered one of Christie's best.  "The ABC Murders", "Lord Edgeware Dies", "Evil Under the Sun", "Peril at End House".  I'm not picky, I want more.  I don't think Branagh's Poirot is perfect, but he is making the character his own.  Poirot is an iconic character who has been memorably portrayed on big and small screen by various actors.  Branagh's portrayal of Poirot is like when a new actor steps into the shoes of James Bond.

The trailer does a good job of not showing Armie Hammer.  I don't condone Armie Hammer or his behaviour, but I don't want his issues to affect the success of this movie.  Warning, spoiler...

Spoiler

if the movie stays true to the book, then his character is the killer and those who don't like him will be sure to get a certain bit of satisfaction at seeing him arrested and carted away.

 

[BlackberryJam]

6 minutes ago, blackwing said:

Then that would almost certainly kill any chances of future Branagh Poirot movies.  I am hoping for more, I'd love to see more big screen  Christie adaptations.  "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" is widely considered one of Christie's best.  "The ABC Murders", "Lord Edgeware Dies", "Evil Under the Sun", "Peril at End House".  I'm not picky, I want more.  I don't think Branagh's Poirot is perfect, but he is making the character his own.  Poirot is an iconic character who has been memorably portrayed on big and small screen by various actors.  Branagh's portrayal of Poirot is like when a new actor steps into the shoes of James Bond.

The trailer does a good job of not showing Armie Hammer.  I don't condone Armie Hammer or his behaviour, but I don't want his issues to affect the success of this movie.  Warning, spoiler...

  Hide contents

if the movie stays true to the book, then his character is the killer and those who don't like him will be sure to get a certain bit of satisfaction at seeing him arrested and carted away.

 

I am a big Christie fan, and I think Branagh's take on the character is silly and buffonish, which ruins the adaptations for me. His tea party in the snow in Orient Express was horrifying. 

[GaT]

8 hours ago, BlackberryJam said:

I am a big Christie fan, and I think Branagh's take on the character is silly and buffonish, which ruins the adaptations for me. His tea party in the snow in Orient Express was horrifying. 

I wish I could make a like button multiply. To me it was a soon as I saw him & his mustache & hair were all wrong. Then of course, he became "Hercule Poirot Action Man" when the gun appeared & he nailed shut the coffin on his interpretation of any Agatha Christie story. 

[tv echo]

 
(source)

[zoey1996]

I saw it this afternoon in the theater. I've never read any Agatha Christie, nor have I seen any of the movies, so this was a one-off for me. It was interesting and fun, and the scenery (CGI or not) was absolutely gorgeous. I had trouble telling Jacks and Lynette apart, since they both were brunette in this movie. Loved seeing French/Saunders together again! I also enjoyed the pre-mustache WWI scene, with the explanation for Poirot's mustache in the later year setting. Did he have a fiancée in the books?

[Suzn]

I would really like to see this movie but I can't watch Kenneth Branagh desecrate Poirot again.  He was so awful in Murder on the Orient Express that I just can't watch him.  I thought he was a decent actor so why he is so hideously bad as Poirot is surprising.  It appears to have something to do with an overinflated ego.

[AimingforYoko]

3 hours ago, Suzn said:

It appears to have something to do with an overinflated ego.

So you're saying he's perfect for Poirot?