Kenneth Branagh’s New Movie Is The Perfect Follow-Up To His $600 Million Poirot Trilogy

In May 2024, Oscar-winning filmmaker Kenneth Branagh finally announced his next project — and it isn’t a Hercule Poirot outing. In recent years, the actor-turned-director has helmed and starred in three adaptations of Agatha Christie’s best-selling mysteries. As the mustachioed Detective Poirot, Branagh has had varying degrees of success.Kenneth Branagh’s first Hercule Poirot movie, 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express, made an impressive $352.8 million at the box office, but received mixed reviews. The oft-criticized sequel, 2022’s Death on the Nile, barely made back its budget.

However, the director’s third Hercule Poirot mystery, 2023’s A Haunting in Venice, made double its budget back at the box office, garnering $122.3 million. Of all Branagh’s Agatha Christie adaptations, A Haunting in Venice also received the best reviews from critics and audiences alike. Part of the film’s appeal stems from the murder-mystery story’s penchant for embracing the paranormal. Faced with potential ghosts and otherworldly happenings, A Haunting in Venice‘s cast of characters helps establish Branagh as a skilled filmmaker — no matter the genre — which is great news for his upcoming psychological thriller film.

Kenneth Branagh‘s The Last Disturbance Of Madeline Hynde Is A Perfect A Haunting In Venice Follow-Up

The Psychological Thriller Will Star Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer

On the heels of his A Haunting in Venice success as well as his Oscar-winning Belfast, Kenneth Branagh’s new film, The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde, sees the writer-director tackling the psychological thriller genre. So far, Branagh and his producers, many of whom also supported Belfast, are keeping the upcoming film’s plot under wraps. What Branagh fans can expect is another star-making turn from Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), who is set to star in The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde. The film marks Comer’s first time working with Branagh, though it’s poised to be an exciting collaboration.

Much like Branagh, Comer is also adept at switching between genres. The latest Jodie Comer movies include the post-apocalyptic drama The End We Start From and the crime thriller The Bikeriders, though she’s also appeared in the drama Help and the action comedy flick Free Guy. Between Comer’s on-screen prowess and Branagh’s ability to conjure up unsettling atmospheres, as seen in A Haunting in Venice, The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde has a lot going for it. Although it isn’t a murder-mystery, Branagh’s new film will likely appeal to fans of Hercule Poirot’s latest case.

Is Kenneth Branagh Making Any More Agatha Christie Adaptations?

The Director & Star Might Return To Hercule Poirot

While A Haunting in Venice didn’t have the same over-the-top success at the box office that Murder on the Orient Express boasted, it did perform very well, signaling a return to form for the Hercule Poirot series. When it comes to Hercule Poirot 4, nothing has been officially confirmed. However, Branagh is reportedly in talks to return for a fourth Agatha Christie adaptation. Given Branagh’s love for the series and its continued box-office successes, it seems more than likely that the director will return to the world of mysteries after The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde.