The Agatha Christie Mystery That Rewrote the Hercule Poirot Formula Is Now Streaming
Hercule Poirot has spent decades solving murders through logic, observation, and an unwavering belief that every crime has a rational explanation. Kenneth Branagh’s A Haunting in Venice takes that familiar formula and puts it somewhere Poirot has rarely been before: a haunted house.
The 2023 film, Branagh’s third outing as Agatha Christie’s famous detective, still has all the ingredients of a classic Poirot mystery. There is a suspicious group of guests, a murder, hidden motives, and a detective determined to uncover the truth. But A Haunting in Venice changes the atmosphere and, more importantly, challenges Poirot’s fundamental worldview by introducing the possibility that some of what he encounters may not have a rational explanation.
That makes it a particularly unusual entry in Branagh’s Christie adaptations. Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile remain firmly rooted in the traditional murder-mystery format. A Haunting in Venice takes that same foundation and pushes it into gothic horror.
And with Halloween approaching, the setting could hardly be more appropriate.
Poirot Enters a Haunted World
Based on Agatha Christie’s Hallowe’en Party, the film follows a retired Hercule Poirot, played by Kenneth Branagh, who is living in self-imposed exile in Venice.
Poirot reconnects with his old friend, novelist Ariadne Oliver, played by Tina Fey. On Halloween night, Oliver brings him to a séance held inside a decaying palazzo believed to be haunted.
The séance is conducted by medium Joyce Reynolds, portrayed by Michelle Yeoh. The group hopes to communicate with the dead, including the spirit of a young girl whose tragic death has become part of the palazzo’s disturbing history.
Things become considerably more serious when one of the séance’s participants is murdered.
Poirot naturally takes on the investigation. But this case presents a problem that his previous mysteries did not. Along with trying to determine who committed the murder, he must confront the possibility that the strange events surrounding him could have a supernatural explanation.
20th Century Studios describes the film as a mystery set in post-World War II Venice on All Hallows’ Eve, with Poirot reluctantly drawn into a séance at a haunted palazzo after one of the guests is killed. The film was released on September 15, 2023, and has a runtime of 1 hour and 43 minutes.
From Whodunnit to Horror
Branagh’s Poirot films have an inviting quality that makes their elaborate murders surprisingly comfortable to watch. His performance gives the detective a warmth and eccentricity that balances the seriousness of the crimes around him.
A Haunting in Venice keeps much of that familiar appeal, but its third-act setting and visual language are considerably darker.
Once Poirot and the other characters enter the palazzo and night falls, the movie adopts the visual vocabulary of a gothic horror film. Wide shots become distorted. Dutch angles make the architecture feel unstable. The palazzo itself seems to shift between imposing and claustrophobic, creating the sense that there may be nowhere for the characters to escape.
That atmosphere is particularly effective because Branagh had not directed a horror film since Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, nearly two decades earlier. Cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos also did not come to the project with an extensive horror résumé, yet the filmmaking feels remarkably assured.
Disturbing imagery and carefully placed jump scares add to the tension without overwhelming the mystery. More importantly, the horror elements work on a psychological level. As Poirot’s confidence in his own understanding of the world begins to weaken, the audience is encouraged to question what he sees along with him.
The film’s official premise makes that shift clear: this is still a Poirot investigation, but it unfolds amid shadows, secrets, and a potentially supernatural threat.
Poirot’s Greatest Advantage Becomes a Weakness
The previous two Branagh-led Poirot films established an important rule. No matter how complicated a case becomes, there is an explanation.
Poirot approaches murder as a problem that can be solved through reason. There may be false leads, contradictory evidence, and unexpected complications, but he remains confident that someone committed the crime and that he can determine who, how, and why.
A Haunting in Venice puts that certainty under pressure.
By making the supernatural a genuine possibility within the story, the film introduces something that Poirot cannot easily categorize. Ghostly figures appear. Strange sounds seem to come from within the walls. The atmosphere of the palazzo constantly suggests that something beyond the living world may be present.
For a detective whose entire method depends on logic, that uncertainty is deeply unsettling.
It also changes the experience for the audience. In a conventional Poirot mystery, there is an expectation that the clues will eventually lead to a definitive solution. Here, the film deliberately makes that promise feel less secure.
Because viewers have already spent two films with Branagh’s version of Poirot, they understand exactly how unusual this situation is for him. The third film benefits from that familiarity. His reaction to the supernatural carries more weight because we know how firmly he has always trusted reason.
Isolation Makes the Mystery Darker
A Haunting in Venice also makes an interesting change to the relationships established in the earlier films.
The previous entries benefited from the presence of Bouc, played by Tom Bateman. His friendship with Poirot provided much of the emotional warmth in those stories, while Bateman’s charming and energetic performance offered a natural counterbalance to Poirot’s eccentric personality.
Bouc is absent here, and that changes the atmosphere considerably.
At the beginning of the film, Poirot is already isolated from his former life. Once he enters the palazzo, that isolation becomes physical as well as emotional. He is surrounded by people, yet the building’s oppressive atmosphere makes him feel increasingly alone.
That works in the film’s favor. A detective trapped inside what is essentially a haunted house is a clever variation on the traditional whodunnit setup. Instead of simply examining a crime scene from the outside, Poirot has to remain inside the environment that may be responsible for undermining his confidence in what he knows to be true.
The Halloween setting strengthens the effect. The combination of a séance, a decaying palazzo, Venice at night, and the possibility of ghosts gives the mystery an atmosphere that distinguishes it from Branagh’s earlier Christie adaptations.
A Different Kind of Poirot Mystery
A Haunting in Venice remains recognizably a Hercule Poirot story, but its willingness to blend detective fiction with horror gives it a distinct identity within Kenneth Branagh’s trilogy.
The film does not abandon the murder mystery. Instead, it uses the familiar structure to explore what happens when its central detective can no longer be certain that every mystery has a rational answer.
That makes the third entry arguably the most distinctive of Branagh’s Poirot films. The result is a darker, more isolated mystery that uses horror to challenge the character rather than simply decorating the story with spooky imagery.
With Halloween season approaching, A Haunting in Venice makes a natural addition to a seasonal watchlist. The film is currently streaming on Hulu in the United States, while Disney+ carries it in several international markets.