News

A promising update from 20th Century Studios boss Steve Asbell details the next Agatha Christie adaptations and the books theyll be adapting. The studio has seen some success adapting Christies work for the big screen in recent years, assigning Kenneth Branagh directing duties on top of starring as the iconic Hercule Poirot. All three Poirot movies from the studio have received relatively fresh reviews on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes and have made $612 million at the global box office, leaving the door open to more adaptations of Christies revered novels.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Asbell spoke about the prospect of more adaptations of Christies work. He revealed that the next three adaptations will be based on And Then There Were None, Witness for the Prosecution, and Miss Marple. Asbell also said that there are a bunch of other titles in the works. No further details have been revealed, so...

A Haunting in Venice director Kenneth Branagh is helming contemporary psychological thriller The Last Disturbance of Madline Hynde. With production underway, Deadline reports today that the thriller has lined up an impressive ensemble cast.

Patricia Arquette, Michael Sheen, Tom Bateman, Vicky McClure, Michael Balogun, Kristina Tonteri-Young and Karla Crome join lead star Jodie Comer, along with Aiysha Hart and Gemma Whelan.

The logline and plot details for The Last Disturbance of Madline Hynde remain under wraps at this time, other than it being described as a contemporary psychological thriller. Branagh writes and directs the feature which is being independently financed through his Belfast producers Tamar Thomas, Laura Berwick and Becca Kovacik, along with Matthew Jenkins and Maximum Effort’s Ashley Fox and Johnny Pariseau.

Jodie Comer is high in demand lately. The actor recently joinced the cast of 28 Years Later, the long awaited follow-up to 2002’s hit horror film 28 Days Later,...

From Harker Press, the publisher behind Taking Shape, House of Rejects, and Reign of Chucky, comes The Soul of Wes Craven, a brand new book that is Now Available!

You know him as the Sultan of Slash, the Guru of Gore, and the Father of Freddy. Now get to know the real person behind some of the most iconic horror movies of our time.

With his latest book, author Joseph Maddrey presents a revealing look at the life, career, and soul of filmmaking auteur Wes Craven.

Featuring new interviews with the friends, family, and colleagues who knew him best, The Soul of Wes Craven offers fans insight into the master of horror like never before.

Now available in paperback, hardback, and Kindle eBook formats, and coming soon to Audible from Encyclopocalypse Publications, The Soul of Wes Craven features…

Over eighty new interviews – all exclusive to this book Never before seen...

Midsummer Scream, the World’s Largest Halloween and Horror Convention, Returns to Southern California July 26th-28th 2024

Passes on Sale Beginning March 2nd 2024 for Three Days of Fright-Filled Fun; Limited-Time Special Rate for General Admission Passes Available

Credit “Suspiria Vilchez for Midsummer Scream”

It’s never too early to begin thinking about Halloween, and thousands of haunt-lovers will get first looks at what this year’s spooky season has to offer during Midsummer Scream, which announced its return to the Long Beach Convention Center July 26th to July 28th 2024.

Passes for Midsummer Scream will be available beginning Saturday at www.MidsummerScream.com, with a special early purchase discount of 40% for General Admission passes. In addition, non-discounted VIP “Gold Bat” passes, which sold out in 2023, will also be available beginning Saturday.

The seventh annual Midsummer Scream — the world’s largest Halloween and horror convention — promises a weekend filled with unparalleled excitement and spooky surprises,...

Matthew Vaughn was originally attached to direct Thor, which would have had a Viking setting and introduced Valhalla. According to Vaughn, Marvel wasn't ready to greenlight his Thor movie at the time, as all focus was set on Iron Man. Vaughn believes there's a need for better superhero films and hopes to eventually direct one in the future.

Original Thor director Matthew Vaughn reveals why he didn't helm the 2011 movie that introduced Chris Hemsworth's God of Thunder in the MCU. Released in Phase 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's timeline, Thor opened the door for the McU's cosmic and magical stories. The 2011 film was directed by A Haunting in Venice director Kenneth Branagh, though Kick-Ass and Kingsman: The Secret Service director Matthew Vaughn was initially attached to helm it.

While discussing his movie Argylle with Rolling Stone, Matthew Vaughn explains why his original Thor project didn't move forward. According to Vaughn,...

Rachel McAdams as Barbara Dimon and Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret Simon in ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’ (Photo Credit: Dana Hawley)

As we get ready to close out 2023, it’s time to look back at the films that entertained us and left a lasting impression. It was the year of Barbie vs. Oppenheimer (affectionately referred to as “Barbenheimer”) battling for the summer box office, and The Flash with Michael Keaton returning as the Caped Crusader in a film that fell short of reviving the DC movie franchise. A classic coming-of-age story from the 1970s finally found its way to the screen, and 2023 also served up yet another delightful adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel.

The following films represent my personal favorites of 2023. These films, from a wide range of genres, mesmerized me and reminded audiences of the magic of movies.

10) Air Starring Matt Damon, Viola Davis, and...

As Italy succumbs to the fascists, a war veteran and small-town restaurateur falls for a beautiful stranger in Giuseppe Piccioni’s robustly made and excellently acted prewar melodrama

Giuseppe Piccioni is the Italian director whose early movie Light of My Eyes I admired when it came to the London film festival over 20 years ago; somewhat unjustly, he never became a fashionable festival name, like a Sorrentino or a Guadagnino. Now he has made a really involving, melancholy story of prewar fascist Italy, an old-fashioned romantic drama with the storytelling ardour and the melodramatic flourish of page-turning commercial fiction. It is extremely well acted by Benedetta Porcaroli (seen last year in Carolina Cavalli’s Amanda) and that blue-chip Italian male lead Riccardo Scamarcio, known in Hollywood for the John Wick movies and Kenneth Branagh’s Agatha Christie mystery A Haunting in Venice.

Scamarcio plays Luciano, a first world war veteran and...

Kenneth Branagh's A Haunting in Venice's time jump in 1947 prevents the adaptation of three Hercule Poirot movies based on Agatha Christie's timeline. The omission of World War II in the franchise may be intentional, as the previous installment, Death on the Nile, already dealt with the trauma of war. The future of the Hercule Poirot movies remains uncertain, but potential options include adapting Elephants Can Remember, Curtain: Poirot's Last Case, or exploring new storylines while incorporating elements from the source material.

The time jump used in Kenneth Branagh's A Haunting in Venice makes at least three Hercule Poirot movies impossible now, so long as the director and star plans to follow author Agatha Christie's timeline. Following Branagh's adaptations of Christie's more well-known whodunits Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, the filmmaker tackled a less popular Poirot novel: Hallowe'en Party. In addition to swapping...

Rowena Drake treats her adult daughter, Alicia, like a child, indicating an unhealthy relationship from the start. Rowena's behavior and dedication to being Alicia's sole caretaker hints at her extreme measures, which include poisoning her daughter. The clues of the "M" key on the typewriter and Rowena's close relationship with Alicia's doctor are key indicators of Rowena's guilt as the killer.

Throughout the course of the film, there are many well-plotted clues to A Haunting in Venice's killer's identity. In true whodunit fashion, these well-laid clues are also one of the movie's most satisfying elements, as they allow viewers to piece together the mystery alongside Hercule Poirot, Kenneth Branagh's mustachioed, top-notch detective. The third installment in Branagh's series of Poirot adaptations, A Haunting in Venice deviates from Agatha Christie's Hallowe'en Party. Set in eerie, post-World War II Venice, the film revolves around the tragic death of Alicia Drake...

Warning: This post contains spoilers for A Haunting in Venice

A Haunting in Venice is set in 1947 Italy, with Hercule Poirot settled into retirement after a decade of living detective-free. The 1947 setting adds darkness and a post-World War II atmosphere to the film, creating an eerie look and feel. The events of A Haunting in Venice take place ten years after Death on the Nile, providing sufficient time for Poirot to question his retirement while still staying connected to his job and old friends.

Kenneth Branagh returned for a third Hercule Poirot film, A Haunting in Venice, and it’s set in a new time and location. The famed detective gave up sleuthing after the events of Death on the Nile, which ended with the removal of Poirot’s mustache. A Haunting in Venice finds him settled down in the Italian city after the second film, but of course he...

by Nick Taylor

Disclaimer: This review was originally penned via Oujia board by a nigh-unspeakable entity which used me as the vessel to transcribe its words.

Hello, uglies of The Film Experience! I’m very excited to debut our Halloween series, A Haunting in October. We’ll be devoting extra-special attention to films about ghosts, hauntings, and phenomena from beyond the grave. To kick off the proceedings, I’ll be starting with Paranormal Activity, which premiered in 2009 after two years of festival debuts and studio juggling to become a smash box-office hit, the pandora’s box for the past fifteen years of found footage horror, the origin point of a seven-film franchise (they released one in 2021???), and potentially the most profitable movie ever made. It’s a genuinely astonishing feat for a film shot in seven days with barely a script to its name. The best part? It’s actually scary,...

In its second straight week with a photo finish victory, The Nun II seems to have taken down the Expend4bles with an estimated $8.4 million, representing a 42% decline from last week. Despite this being the lowest grossing weekend of the year, this is great news for the Conjuring spin-off film as remaining atop the charts for three weeks in a row is a rare feat in a front loaded marketplace. With another month and change to go before Halloween, more people will be in the mood for a spooky time in theaters which should help this one remain steady at the box office. Of course in the coming weeks it will have some competition such as Saw X, The Exorcist: Believer and Five Nights at Freddie’s.

Expend4bles absolutely cratered at the box office with just a $8.3 million opening. This is a cataclysmic ending to a franchise that never really seemed...

A Haunting in Venice is Kenneth Branagh's darkest Agatha Christie adaptation yet, featuring shocking and brutal deaths. Hercule Poirot solves the murders using real-world clues, but the film remains ambiguous about whether ghosts are real. Rowena Drake, who accidentally killed her daughter, is revealed to be the real culprit behind the murders, while the true blackmailer is Reynolds' son.

Spoilers for A Haunting in VeniceKenneth Brannagh's third Agatha Christie adaption, A Haunting in Venice, is the darkest one yet, as its horror aesthetic leads to some pretty shocking and brutal deaths. When Hercule Poirot is invited to a Halloween party and séance, things turn for the worse when a dead body is discovered, and Poirot is forced out of retirement to solve the case. There are four deaths in A Haunting in Venice, three of which are murders.

Through his incredible detective skills, Poirot solves the murders, and while...

A Haunting in Venice successfully revived the franchise with its gothic horror aesthetic and should repeat this trick with another Agatha Christie story. The Halloween theme in A Haunting in Venice makes a Christmas-themed sequel possible, with Hercule Poirot's Christmas being the perfect choice for the next book adaptation. Hercule Poirot's Christmas, like A Haunting in Venice, is themed around the holidays, takes place in one room, and contains the twists and turns characteristic of Poirot stories, making it a perfect follow-up to the previous film.

A Haunting in Venice is the most recent entry in Kenneth Branagh's Hercule Poirot movie series, but the next film could repeat a genius move from this Halloween-themed murder mystery. A Haunting in Venice puts a unique spin on the formula of Agatha Christie's classic mystery stories, with the film actually delving into the world of horror. Due to A Haunting in Venice's critical success,...

Warning: This article contains Spoilers for A Haunting in Venice.

The majority of the movie "A Haunting in Venice" was filmed in Pinewood Studios in the UK, with the interiors of a Venetian palazzo recreated to maintain the eerie atmosphere. Various locations in Venice, such as Campo Santa Maria Nova and San Giorgio Maggiore Island, were used to set the scenes at the beginning and end of the movie. Multiple canals, including the famous Grand Canal, were featured in the film, showcasing Venice's unique structure and emphasizing the importance of boats as a means of transportation.

A Haunting in Venice borrows much from the mysterious locations in Venice where it is set, but not a lot of the crime drama was actually filmed in the picturesque Italian town. Based on the more obscure Agatha Christie detective novel Hallowe’en Party, Kenneth Branagh’s movie adaptation of the story moves the...

Monday Am: It wasn’t a tie as many had Nun 2 and A Haunting in Venice far apart at the box office yesterday, but the New Line horror pic’s second weekend really did win in the end with a $14.5M take, -56%, to the Kenneth Branagh pic’s opening of $14.3M.

Nun 2‘s domestic stands at $56.3M, putting the Conjuring universe of movies’ global box office at $742M stateside, $2.17 billion global.

Nun 2 ‘s Sunday was higher than Haunting‘s $3.95M to $3.4M.

Comscore called this past weekend at $62.4M, which is the second worst Ytd. Don’t expect any great miracles this weekend with Lionsgate/Millenium’s long-in-the-tooth, Expand4bles opening. The third film back in 2014 opened to $15.8M and finaled at $39.3M domestic.

Sunday Am: It looks like Hercule Poirot doesn’t have a prayer at winning the box office this weekend, with Kenneth Branagh’s A Haunting in Venice losing No.

The verdict is in.

In its second weekend, supernatural horror pic The Nun II narrowly prevailed over Kenneth Branagh’s new entry A Haunting in Venice, the third installment in his Agatha Christie-inspired movie series.

The Nun sequel took in $14.5 million, compared to $14.3 million for A Haunting in Venice, according to Monday actuals.

The race was too close to call on Sunday, when estimates from New Line/Warner Bros. showed the Nun sequel grossing $14.7 million for the weekend, while 20th Century Studios/Disney had Haunting in Venice earning $14.5 million. When Sunday projections are this close — only $200,000 separate the two films — the industry generally considers it a tie until final numbers are tallied.

A Haunting in Venice had hoped to top the chart in its debut. While the threequel opened in line with expectations, it’s still a muted start for the film, which will need strong legs to come out ahead.

’Oppenheimer’ crosses $900m, whilst ’Expend4bles’ leads the way in China.

Worldwide box office September 15-17, 2023 Rank Film (distributor) 3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l) Cume (int’l) Territories 1. The Nun II (Warner Bros) $44.8m $158.8m $30.1m $102.3m 73 2. A Haunting In Venice (Disney/Fox) $37.2m $37.2m $22.7m $22.7m 52 3. Jawan (Yash Raj) $17.7m $101.3m $15.2m $89.1m 79 4. The Equalizer 3 (Sony) $15.5m $132.4m $8.3m $58.7m 55 5. Oppenheimer (Universal) $12.9m $912.7m $10.8m $594.1m 84 6. Expend4bles (Millennium Media) $10.9m $10.9m $10.9m $10.9m 1 7. Dust To Dust (Hgse) $10.7m $43.6m $10.7m $43.6m 1 8. Barbie (Warner Bros) $7.4m $1.42bn $3.4m $790.6m 74 9. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (Universal) $6.3m...

It was a hard fought battle, but it appears The Nun II has won her fight against the famed detective Hercule Poirot with an estimated $14.7 million which represents a 55% slide from its opening weekend. With a running domestic total of $56.5 million and a worldwide total of nearly $160 million, I think it is safe to say that this $38.5 million budgeted continuation of The Conjuring Universe is a success.

Kenneth Branagh’s third go round as the mustachioed sleuth in A Haunting in Venice sadly could not hit the number one spot the way the previous film did, however it did come in higher than Nile with a reported $14.5 million opening against that films $12.8 million. Of course that film had a troubled road to get to the big screen, such as a global pandemic that people were still weary of and a lead star that people were also a bit weary of.

Kenneth Branagh made $2.5 million for Death on the Nile and A Haunting in Venice, totaling $5 million for both films. Despite the success of Murder on the Orient Express, Branagh's salary for that film was never revealed, but it's possible he was paid $2.5 million or less. Kenneth Branagh's current net worth is approximately $60 million, which is on par with Helena Bonham Carter, but not as high as actors like Tom Cruise.

Kenneth Branagh has directed and starred in three Hercule Poirot movies, but how much has he been paid to do the franchise? The director has played the Belgian detective from Agatha Christie’s mystery novels since 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express, which was followed by Death on the Nile, and this year’s A Haunting in Venice, which is loosely based on Christie’s Hallowe’en Party. Branagh pulls double duty for the films, which have star-studded ensemble casts...

The cinematographer for A Haunting in Venice talked about the differences between the third Kenneth Branagh Hercule Poirot movie and the two that came before.

Branagh’s first outing as Agatha Christie’s famous detective was in the 2017 film Murder on the Orient Express. Five years later, its sequel, Death on the Nile, was released. Thankfully, for fans, the wait for the next entry is much shorter.

A year and a half later, Hercule Poirot is already on his next case. This time, he’s in Venice and might have his hands full with a supernatural killer on the loose.

Read full article on The Direct.

20th Century Studios’ new entry A Haunting in Venice — the third installment in Kenneth Branagh’s Agatha Christie-inspired movie series — is in a close race with New Line Cinema’s holdover The Nun II for the box office weekend crown.

Based on Friday business, both films are looking at a gross in the $13.5 million to $14.5 million range. Most rival studios show A Haunting prevailing.

While A Haunting in Venice is opening in line with expectations, it’s still a muted start for the movie and isn’t far ahead of the last film in the series, Death on the Nile, which opened to $12.8 million in February 2022, when the box office was still in recovery mode. The sequel was among the many films delayed because of Covid-19; it also had to contend with negative publicity surrounding star Armie Hammer (he doesn’t appear in the new film). That film’s...

A Halloween feast awaits in Kenneth Branagh’s A Haunting in Venice, seamlessly blending the otherworldly allure of the supernatural with the enduring charm of Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries. Guided by the impeccable Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, we journey into the enigmatic depths of Venice’s canals to solve a murder mystery of paranormal proportions. The film promises a tantalizing séance of suspense, offering spectral surprises alongside a nostalgic ode to vintage Halloween that’s positively bewitching.

“…positively bewitching.”

A Haunting in Venice takes us back to 1947, where a disillusioned Poirot (Branagh) finds himself retired in the enchanting city of Venice, a far cry from the exotic locales of his previous adventures. He’s reluctantly pulled back into the world of detection by his ever-persistent friend, Ariadne Oliver, portrayed by comedienne Tina Fey. Oliver persuades Poirot to attend a Halloween party hosted by enigmatic former opera singer Rowena Drake,...

For audiences looking to see a compressive list of the cast and characters of A Haunting in Venice, this is the perfect place.

Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot has already solved two big cases in theaters: Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile. This time around, the famous detective is set to ruin another killer’s day—maybe.

After a séance in the middle of Venice, someone is murdered, leading many to think it is the work of evil spirits residing in the Palazzo. Or maybe it’s a good old-fashioned ghost? Hopefully, Poirot can solve the case.

Read full article on The Direct.

James Prichard, Agatha Christie's great-grandson, reveals that there are 33 total Hercule Poirot stories to choose from for future movies. The adaptability of Christie's Poirot novels allows for an unpredictable series, with multiple mysteries that can be told in any order. The success of A Haunting in Venice and Kenneth Branagh's interest in making more Poirot movies could lead to future films, though there is a finite limit due to time constraints.

Agatha Christie's great-grandson, James Prichard, has opened up about how many more Hercule Poirot movies there might be following A Haunting in Venice. The new Poirot film sees Kenneth Branagh return as the classic detective for a third time, following his portrayal in Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile. Christie penned many Poirot books, with Branaugh's films barely scratching the surface of his mystery adventures.

Speaking with Inverse, Prichard opened up about how...

Director Kenneth Branagh’s A Haunting in Venice has started off its North American box office run with $1.2 million in previews, just ahead of the last film in the Agatha Christie-inspired movie series and other adult-skewing titles including Ticket to Paradise. The latter two films both started off with $1.1 million in previews on their way to opening to $13 million and $16.5 million, respectively.

Haunting in Venice, from 20th Century Studios and Disney, is likewise tracking for a $13 million to $15 million domestic launch.

That’s not far ahead of the last film in the series, Death on the Nile, which opened to $12.8 million in February 2022, when the box office was still in recovery mode. The sequel was among the many films delayed because of Covid-19; it also had to contend with negative publicity surrounding star Armie Hammer (he doesn’t appear in the new film). That film’s ensemble cast also...

Poirot's story isn't over after solving the murders in A Haunting in Venice. There are more Agatha Christie books that can be adapted for future films in the franchise. A Haunting in Venice does not have a post-credits scene, continuing the franchise's tradition of avoiding them. However, audiences should still watch the credits out of respect for the hard-working crew. Including a post-credits scene would be unnecessary and potentially too much, as any potential sequel teases are already done before the credits begin. It's wiser to ensure all viewers see the tease by placing it before the credits.

Kenneth Branagh's Hercule Poirot returns for a third time in the franchise, but does A Haunting in Venice have a post-credits scene teasing another murder mystery? The third entry in the series adapts Agatha Christie's book Hallowe'en Party as a means to pull Hercule Poirot out of retirement. The...

A Haunting in Venice is an adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel and the dark tone of the film makes Hildur Guðnadóttir's experimental and unsettling music a perfect fit. Guðnadóttir's intentional approach and research into the film's time period showcases her commitment to crafting a score that matches the eerie nature of the movie. With Grammy and Academy Awards for her work on Chernobyl and Joker, Guðnadóttir's appearance on The Big Score gives a glimpse into the operations of one of the most exciting and interesting modern film composers.

Hollywood Records’ composer-centric docuseries The Big Score is back with a new episode diving into the music of A Haunting in Venice. The Big Score sheds a light on the often-overlooked world of film scoring, featuring interviews with top-tier composers tied to exciting new releases. Other projects and composers featured on the docuseries include Flamin’ Hot’s Marcelo Zarvos and...

One of my favorite aspects of Kenneth Branagh’s latest, A Haunting in Venice, is the terrific score. As impressive as Branagh’s acting and directing skills, the atmospheric score gives the story a beating heart. And you can credit that to the brilliant composer Hildur Guðnadóttir. Responsible for the gorgeous sounds of Women Talking, Tar, and the mini-series Chernobyl, she is a wonderfully talented musician and artist. Not only can you hear this in her inspired score for A Haunting in Venice, but you can also add her excellent work in Joker.

I recently had the joy of speaking to Hildur about her latest. She opened up about working with Kenneth Branagh and the music of the time period in which the film takes place. Next up, I asked her about connecting the score to characters like Joker and Hercule Poirot. She discussed creating the iconic shot from Joker...

It took nearly 20 years to make "The Conjuring," a "based on a true story" film about the supposed hauntings of the Perron family in Harrisville, Rhode Island. For over 14 years, producer Tony DeRosa-Grund went from studio to studio trying to make the film happen, but it wasn't until writers Chad and Carey W. Hayes updated the script and shifted the perspective from the Perron family to paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren that there was movement on the picture. The duo interviewed Lorraine Warren to ensure authenticity, and the new script sparked a massive bidding war. The Hayes brothers had cracked the code — the secret of what would become a massive franchise lay with the Warrens.

Before the era of televised paranormal investigators like Zak Bagans of "Ghost Adventures" or "Kindred Spirits" stars Amy Bruni and Adam Berry, there were Ed and Lorraine Warren. Ed was a professed demonologist, while...

A Haunting in Venice has a moderate budget, setting a high bar for its box office run in the Hercule Poirot franchise. The movie is estimated to have cost $70 million to make thanks to its recognizable cast, location filming, and pandemic production. A Haunting in Venice needs to make at least $140 million worldwide to be considered a hit and increase the chances of a fourth Hercule Poirot movie.

A Haunting in Venice has another moderate budget for the Hercule Poirot franchise, setting a high bar for its box office run. Kenneth Branagh and 20th Century found immediate success when it came to bringing Agatha Christie's novels to audiences again. Murder on the Orient Express was a sizable box office hit on a rather small budget compared to many other franchises. After some decline in performance with Death on the Nile and Disney's acquisition of 20th Century, the cost to...

[Editor's Note: This article was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the film being discussed here wouldn't exist.]

Color me surprised to find A Haunting in Venice is a better horror movie than a nefarious whodunit. Maybe that’s unfair because Kenneth Branagh helmed 1994’s Frankenstein starring Robert De Niro and 1991’s Dead Again — he’s no genre novice, nor does his third Agatha Christie adaptation convey as much. Christie’s lesser-discussed Hercule Poirot novel “Hallowe’en Party” becomes a chilling Italian ghost story worth more as a supernatural investigation than a private detective caper. That’s not to say Branagh challenges The Exorcist or Poltergeist in terms of scare factors — atmospheric Halloween mysticism outshines a more predictable tale of masterful deduction.

Writer Michael Green’s adapted screenplay does a splendid job of tweaking Poirot’s mission for Branagh’s second sequel. The famous Belgian investigator has retired in Venice, beckoned to a séance by his mystery novelist friend Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey). Poirot is a man of factual reason and clear explanations,...

An executive producer behind A Haunting in Venice spoke about why the upcoming Agatha Christie adaptation has so many changes from its source material.

Following Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, the next Hercule Poirot storyline with Kenneth Branagh turns Christie’s 1969 Hallowe’en Party novel into a film.

The story behind Venice follows Poirot coming out of his self-imposed exile to help an old friend potentially expose a fraud hosting a séance. One thing leads to another, and the detective finds himself tangled in a murder mystery with possible supernatural implications.

Read full article on The Direct.

Composer Hildur Guðnadóttir found inspiration for the music in A Haunting in Venice by diving into the history of music during the pre and post-war era, exploring questions of identity and belief. The movie is a standalone film, separate from the previous two Hercule Poirot movies, and the score reflects this with a smaller, claustrophobic, and experimental sound. The incorporation of horror elements into the film stays true to the world of Agatha Christie, as both genres share a sense of mystery and otherworldliness. The horror tension and murder mystery tension weave together well in the story.

A Haunting In Venice is based on Agatha Christie's novel Hallowe'en Party. Hercule Poirot has retired from detective work and is living as a recluse in Venice, Italy. However, old associate Ariadne Oliver pulls him back into the world of mysteries when she invites him to a séance with a medium who claims...

Online movie ticket retailer Fandango dropped their Most Anticipated Fall & Horror Movie Survey this Am with Disney’s The Marvels and Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes leading the list. Both respectively hit cinemas on Nov. 10 and 17. With Dune: Part Two out of the way on Nov. 4, you’d think someone would move up their blockbuster and take advantage of another week of Imax.

Fandango surveyed 2,000 participants. Here’s their lists:

Most Anticipated Fall Movies:

The Marvels (Nov. 10) The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (Nov. 17) The Equalizer 3 (Sept. 1) A Haunting in Venice (Sept. 15) Killers of the Flower Moon (Oct. 20) My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (Sept 8) The Expendables 4 (Sept. 22) The Exorcist: Believer (Oct. 6) Saw X (Sept. 29) Five Nights at Freddy’s (Oct. 27)

Most Anticipated Movies from Returning Franchises:

Hercule Poirot Movies The Equalizer (that pic already opened to $42M over the...

Kenneth Branagh returns as Hercule Poirot in the third movie of the series, A Haunting in Venice, where Poirot is living in exile and must solve a murder after attending a séance. The star-studded cast of A Haunting in Venice includes Michelle Yeoh, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, and Kelly Reilly, adding to the movie's intrigue and appeal. A Haunting in Venice introduces new characters and changes elements from the original novel, demonstrating Kenneth Branagh's ability to reinvent the story while staying true to Agatha Christie's legacy.

The third movie in Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot series is on its way with the A Haunting in Venice cast continuing the trend of a star-studded murder mystery ensemble based on Agatha Christie's 1969 novel Hallowe'en Party. Following Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, Branagh returns as director for this third adaptation of Agatha Christie’s work...

The full-length trailer for A Haunting in Venice has now been released, teasing an Agatha Christie murder mystery that delves fully into horror. After first playing famed detective Hercule Poirot in 2017's Murder on the Orient Express, Branagh returned last year in Death on the Nile. Now with a new cast of characters and a new murder to solve in Italy, Poirot's next case sees him tackling the supernatural, with Branagh once again also on directing duties.

Ahead of the A Haunting in Venice release date, 20th Century Studios has released the full-length trailer for the film, teasing just how far into horror territory the upcoming sequel will go. Check out the trailer below:

The trailer shows off the film's impressive supporting cast and teases that it won't shy away from including some actual jump-scares, which is something not featured in the franchise before.

What The A Haunting in...

Oscar winner Kenneth Branagh is especially grateful that he got to don Hercule Poirot’s famed mustache once more in A Haunting in Venice.

The previous murder mystery in Branagh’s now three-film series, Death on the Nile, was plagued by misfortune long after filming had concluded. It was not only delayed several times during the Covid-19 pandemic, but it was also marred by one of its stars’ sexual misconduct allegations. Ultimately, the film received a quiet theatrical release in February 2022, grossing a respectable $130 million worldwide despite minimal marketing and promotion.

Fortunately, the film still received generally positive reviews, and the performance of Emma Mackey, in particular, was considered a highlight among the star-studded ensemble. So Branagh credits word of mouth, above-average streaming numbers and his long-standing relationship with Disney and 20th Century for A Haunting in Venice’s eventual green light.

“[Death on the Nile’s] theatrical release was challenged for various reasons,...

Directors Joseph and Vanessa Winter made something special with "Deadstream," a thrilling and hilarious Pov horror film about a disgraced YouTuber desperately attempting to win back his audience by pulling the most ridiculous stunt imaginable. Joseph Winter stars as the fictional Shawn Ruddy, an insufferable online personality armed with all of the hot new technological gadgets viewers assume (and often demand) all creators utilize, who breaks into a notorious haunted house called Death Manor to livestream his overnight stay.

As this is a film starring a YouTuber-turned-streamer, Ruddy does just about everything a horror movie has taught us not to do in a haunted house, including destroying sacred items, performing a seance, reading Latin out loud, and talking wicked smack about the ghostly inhabitants as a means to keep his viewers interested. The comparisons to "The Evil Dead" and "Hell House LLC" are easy to make and not inaccurate, but...

Wavelength Productions and The Black TV & Film Collective (Btfc) has revealed their jury selection of six fellows for the inaugural year for The Black Producers Fellowship.

The fellowship, which kicked off in October 2020, awards a $25K production grant to each of the six emerging producers so that they can develop, produce and deliver short narrative films inspired by the Black experience of education in America. In addition to the grant, each participant will receive in-kind support and career mentorship as they pursue their projects with programming and operational support provided by Cinereach.

“We are honored to work with the Black TV & Film Collective to bring to the forefront important narratives highlighting the Black experience in American schools. I was deeply moved by both the compelling personal stories submitted for the grant, and the quality of talent associated with them,” said Wavelength’s Founder, CEO, and Executive Producer Jenifer Westphal.

Marc Etkind is out as general manager of Science Channel, a rep for Discovery, which owns Science Channel, confirmed to TheWrap.

His departure marks the end of a 12-year stint at Discovery, having served in his most recent role for four of those years.

He moved into the role of Gm at Science Channel from fellow Discovery-owned network Destination America in 2015.

Also Read: 'Who Killed Jeffrey Epstein?' 3-Part Docuseries Set at Investigation Discovery

He first joined Discovery in 2007 as vice president of development for Animal Planet. There, he was in charge of creating series and stunts aimed at moving the network from a niche animal channel to a broader entertainment destination. At Animal Planet, his series included “Finding Bigfoot,” “Call of the Wildman,” “Gator Boys,” and “Pitbulls and Parolees.”

Before moving to Science Channel, he served as senior vice president of content strategy at Destination America, where he oversaw the development,...

Aaron Sagers Apr 19, 2019

Lorraine Warren, who along with her husband Ed, investigated cases that inspired The Conjuring, Annabelle, and more, had died.

A legend in the world of ghosts, on this plane of existence and perhaps the next, has passed on.

Lorraine Warren, purported medium, ghost hunter, and author involved with cases popularized in paranormal pop culture films The Amityville Horror, The Conjuring, The Haunting in Connecticut, and Annabelle, has died at age 92. According to her son-in-law Tony Spera, Warren passed away in her sleep last night.

Lorraine -- along with her husband Ed, who died in 2006 -- founded the New England Society for Psychic Research, and claim to have investigated more than 10,000 paranormal cases. The duo became celebrities who appeared on talk shows, and gave lectures on the topics of ghosts, and demonology.

Born January 31, 1927, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and raised Roman Catholic, Lorraine stated she could see auras around...

If, like me, you used to spend many hours with a rapt gaze trained on the tube as people recounted their eerie experiences on the TV series A Haunting, then you're in for a treat, because Netflix is bringing their unique style to the spooky reenactment subgenre with Haunted, a new series about the real-life horrors that go bump in the night, told by the people who survived their own worst nightmares.

Haunted premieres on Netflix on October 19th. We have the official trailer, synopsis, and sketches for each episode below, and stay tuned to Daily Dead for more updates on the series!

"From the Executive Producers of The Purge franchise and Lore, Haunted gives a chilling glimpse into the first-person accounts from people who have witnessed horrifying, peculiar, extraordinary supernatural events and other unexplained phenomenons that continue to haunt them.

These nightmares are real and so are their stories.

Urban legends are relived with lethal results in the eerie trailer for Buckout Road, the new film from Matthew Currie Holmes that features a cast including Danny Glover and Jessica Cameron. In today's Horror Highlights, we also have a giveaway for a Funko Dorbz figure based on a character from HBO's Game of Thrones, details on the new murder mystery podcast Deadly Manners, Destination America's "Ghostober" programming, a trailer for Discovering Bigfoot, and info on the 2017 Scare Slam at the London Horror Festival.

Buckout Road Trailer: Press Release: "Matthew Currie Holmes’ directorial debut, Buckout Road, just won its first film festival award and released a full-length trailer. This supernatural thriller, produced by John Gillespie & Brad Clark and stars: Evan Ross (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Lee Daniels’ Star ), Henry Czerny (Mission: Impossible, Quantico), Dominique Provost-Chalkley (Wynona Earp, Avengers: Age Of Ultron), Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon I-iv) and Colm Feore (House of Cards,...

Kim Newman’s new short story collection, Anno Dracula 1899 and Other Stories, comes out today, and Titan Books has provided us with an excerpt from the story “Yokai Town: Anno Dracula 1899” for Daily Dead readers to enjoy. We also have details on Destination America’s new series Terror in the Woods and info on horror author Mylo Carbia’s signing at this year’s Women in Horror Film Festival.

Read an Excerpt from Anno Dracula 1899 and Other Stories: “A collection of horror short stories by acclaimed author, journalist, and movie critic Kim Newman. This volume contains twenty-one stories featuring famous figures from Jack the Ripper to Frankenstein’s monster, and includes a brand-new, exclusive Anno Dracula story ‘Yokai Town: Anno Dracula 1899’.”

“Kim Newman is a well known and respected author and movie critic. He writes regularly for Empire Magazine and contributes to The Guardian, The Times, Time Out and others.

Oh, boy, Mick is gonna get it now! The Wolf Creek series is coming to Pop TV, Daily Deaders, and we have a clip from the first episode. Also: Trash Fire's at Screamfest 2016, the DVD release autograph signing for Clowntown, and Destination America's October programming.

Wolf Creek Series Clip: "About Wolf Creek: Pop’s limited series event--inspired by one of the "25 best horror movies since 2000" (Av Squad), one of the "100 Best Horror films" (Time Out) and one of the "25 Best Horror Movies Since The Shining" (Vulture)--is an intense psychological thriller premiering Friday, October 14, at 10/9c. It stars John Jarratt as killer Mick Taylor, wreaking havoc in the Australian Outback except, this time, things are different. The series turns an entire genre on its head when a 19-year-old American college student, played by rising star Lucy Fry, survives Taylor’s massacre of her family and sets out for revenge.

Fans of Destination America's Ghost Brothers will be pleased to know that the network has renewed the series for a second season that is expected to premiere early next year.

Press Release: (Silver Spring, Md.)- TV's Ghost Brothers are back! Production of the hit series that brings humor and good manners to ghost hunting is currently underway with Pilgrim Media Group, scheduled to premiere on Destination America in early 2017. Ghost Brothers follows budding paranormal enthusiasts Dalen Spratt, Juwan Mass and Marcus Harvey, three best friends on a mission to uncover whether some legendary haunted houses are the real deal. Raised in religious households, Dalen, Juwan and Marcus were taught that "messing" with the dead is dangerous business, but unexplained experiences of their own piqued their fascination, driving them to find out firsthand just how spooky the supernatural can be. Blending natural curiosity with comedic flair, these charismatic characters offer a fresh,...

Con season has well and truly slid into gear now; with Awesome Con kicking things off a few weeks ago and Sdcc and NerdHQ fast approaching. Of course, con season is really year-round these days; but for me, it starts with Awesome Con and ends with New York Comic Con.

This year’s Awesome Con was, as usual, a great start to the season for me. What I like about the con is that despite only being four years old, it’s managed to integrate various fun aspects of different flavors of cons into a fairly seamless whole – meaning that if you aren’t there for one particular facet of the offerings, there are plenty of others to experience. Here were some of the highlights for me:

The media guests:

Awesome Con has consistently done well in getting big names to a young con. This year’s lineup included everyone...

Two men who were reportedly hunting hogs for a reality TV show were injured this weekend when a helicopter crashed in Texas, according to news reports. The chopper was one of two that were filming Saturday when a gust of wind spun one aircraft out of control, the Texas Dept of Public Safety said.

The Associated Press reported the men were filming an episode of A Haunting for Destination America, a Discovery Communications network that also broadcasts Mountain Monsters and Paranormal Survivor. The helicopter struck a tree and landed on its right side in a wooded area.

The men were transported to Bryan St. Joseph Regional Hospital. One was airlifted with leg injuries and another man was sent by ambulance with minor injuries. Both are in stable condition and expected to survive. Two passengers on the other chopper were not injured and landed their plane safely. Their identities have not been released.

Marc Etkind has been promoted to General Manager of the network effective immediately and will report to Henry Schleiff, Group President, Investigation Discover, Destination America and Military Channel. In his newly expanded role, Etkind will lead all business strategy, programming, development, production and cross-platform promotion for the network. Year to date, Destination America ranks among the top five fastest-growing networks in all of cable for P25-54, M25-54 and M18-49 in total day and is the #1 network for M25-54 out of all cable networks with 60M or less subscribers. Previously, Etkind was Svp, Content Strategy, Destination America, where he spearheaded the development, production and launch of such shows as BBQ Pitmasters, Hillbilly Blood, Epic, Buying Alaska, A Haunting, Monsters & Mysteries in America, United States Of Bacon and the upcoming King Of Thrones.