Is A Haunting in Venice based on an Agatha Christie novel?

❘ Updated: 2023-09-16T14:52:15

20th Century Studios

A Haunting in Venice comes to theatres soon and its title and production team probably have a lot of fans confused. So, is A Haunting in Venice based on an Agatha Christie novel?

A Haunting in Venice is Sir Kenneth Branagh’s third stint as both Director and star in a series of films that center on Agatha Christie’s gentlemen detective Hercule Poirot. This latest entry loosely follows the events of Murder on the Orient Express (2017) and Death on the Nile (2022) and is a perfect watch for those waiting on a third Knives Out installment.

The film takes Branagh’s Poirot to post-World War 2 Venice to solve a (potentially) supernatural mystery. Naturally, this wasn’t the detective’s intent and the case just sort of falls into his lap.

Despite featuring Agatha Christie’s most famous character, A Haunting in Venice is the first of Branagh’s Poirot films that doesn’t share a title with one of her works. Hardcore fans likely already know what’s happening here but those less familiar with Christie may be wondering which, if any, of her books a Haunting in Venice is based on. We’ve got the answer.

Hercule Poirot and his multi-layered mustache are back.

What Agatha Christie book is A Haunting in Venice based on?

A Haunting in Venice is indeed an adaption of Agatha Christie and borrows from the novel Hallowe’en Party. Interestingly, while Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile brought two of Christie’s most popular works to the screen, Hallowe’en Party was not as well received.

The novel focuses on Hercule Poirot solving the murder of a young girl at an All Hallow’s Eve function, hence the title. While not a lot is currently known about A Haunting in Venice, the official synopsis does depart from this slightly.

In the film, Poirot is invited to a seance at a haunted mansion during which a murder is committed. The film looks to lean into the supernatural and borrow some elements from horror flicks.

Ridley Scott’s involvement should help with the suspenseful horror aspects of A Haunting in Venice. The departures from the original novel also leave room for surprises to long-time Christie fans.

Tina Fey plays Agatha Christie insert Ariadne Oliver.

A Haunting in Venice hits cinemas on September 14 globally and looks set to run for 107 minutes. Alongside Branagh, the film features performances from Tina Fey (30 Rock), Jamie Dornan (50 Shades of Grey), and Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once).

For more on upcoming films and television series, check out Dexerto’s TV & Movies section for details on what to look forward to.

You can check out our other coverage of the movie below: