In a big win for movies skewing to older audiences, last year’s Murder On the Orient Express remake was a gigantic hit. Kenneth Branagh’s take on the Agatha Christie novel earned over $350M worldwide, and it wasn’t long before Fox jumped on a sequel, an adaptation of Christie’s Death On the Nile. You can guess what that one’s about. Anyway, that project moves forward with the addition of Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot in the lead role.
Deadline reports Gadot will lead Death On the Nile, which Branagh will again direct and likely return as the mustachioed detective Hercule Poirot. Branagh’s return isn’t confirmed just yet, but I find it hard to believe they would move ahead without him. As you probably guessed, the story finds Poirot solving a murder while on a Nile River cruise. He’s like the Liam Neeson of his day. If you see him on any mode of transport it’s probably a good idea to get off at the next stop. Gadot will play socilaite Linnet Doyle, who requests Poirot’s protection from her new husband Simon’s ex, who happens to be her former friend. When a murder occurs, Poirot identifies a number of suspects but it isn’t long before they start dying, as well.
Adapting the script will be Orient Express, Blade Runner 2049, and Logan writer Michael Green. Expect a starry lineup of co-stars to join Gadot in the cast soon. Death On the Nile is schedule to open December 20th 2019.
