'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The long-awaited horror-mystery movie, A Haunting in Venice, was finally released in theaters on September 15, 2023. The Agatha Christie novel, Hallowe'en Party, from which the movie is adapted, centers on the story of Belgian investigator Hercule Poirot, who receives an invitation to a seance from one of his acquaintances. But it's Poirot's job to find the murderer when one of the partygoers is killed.
Since its release, the movie has won praise for accurately recreating the grim and menacing atmosphere of Christie's novels and upholding the standards set by the franchise's predecessors, Death on the Nile and Murder on the Orient Express. The addition of the supernatural element, which was absent from the original text, has also been lauded for the movie.
However, recently there has been much debate among fans about whether the movie is a continuation of Kenneth Branagh's previous Poirot film, which is Death on the Nile. The film entails a completely different case from the one in Death on the Nile and therefore is not a continuation of the 2022 film.
A Haunting in Venice is not a sequel to Death on the Nile
While A Haunting in Venice is an Italian murder mystery with a paranormal subplot, Death on the Nile is centered around the murder of a young socialite on a cruise on the Nile River.
Aside from Hercule Poirot, no other A Haunting in Venice character makes an appearance in Death on the Nile, and the two movies have completely separate plots. Additionally, no storyline from Death on the Nile is continued in the new film.
Another thing to note is that the Agatha Christie book, Hallowe'en Party, on which A Haunting in Venice is based, has not been faithfully adapted for the screen. The movie is a supernatural thriller set in Venice, while the book is a classic whodunit set in the English countryside without the element of the supernatural.
Overall, the only similarities between both movies are that they are adaptations of Agatha Christie's books and feature Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot.
A Haunting in Venice synopsis
The official synopsis of the film, as per Rotten Tomatoes, reads:
"A Haunting in Venice is set in eerie, post-World War II Venice on All Hallows' Eve and is a terrifying mystery featuring the return of the celebrated sleuth, Hercule Poirot. Now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world's most glamorous city, Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.''
The film stars an exceptionally talented star cast with veteran actor Kenneth Branagh in the lead role. The actor has garnered global appreciation for managing to perfectly encapsulate the character of Hercule Poirot.
Branagh has previously starred in numerous films throughout his career, including, Belfast, Hamlet, Oppenheimer, Murder on the Orient Express, Thor, Dunkirk, and Cinderella, among others.
The film stars numerous other actors and actresses essaying pivotal roles including Michelle Yeoh, Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Jude Hill, Emma Laird, Ali Khan, Kyle Allen, and Kelly Reilly, among others.
A Haunting in Venice is now screening in theatres.
