A slew of stars are on board for the upcoming adaptation of Agatha Christie’s 1934 mystery Murder on the Orient Express.
20th Century Fox revealed the film’s ensemble cast Thursday, which includes Johnny Depp, Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer, Judi Dench, Michael Pena, Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr., Lucy Boynton, Tom Bateman, and Derek Jacobi. Kenneth Branagh will direct the film and also star as detective Hercule Poirot.
Murder on the Orient Express focuses on Hercule Poirot as he tries to solve the mystery of the murder of a man named Ratchett, who will be played by Depp, on the Orient Express. Pfeiffer and Ridley will play Mrs. Hubbard and Mary Debenham, respectively. Dench will be Princess Dragomiroff and Boynton will be Countess Andrenyi. Bateman has been cast as Bouc, Jacobi as Masterman, Peņa as Marquez, and Odom Jr. as Doctor Arbuthnot. A few roles have yet to be cast.
Angelina Jolie was previously in talks to star in the film as Mrs. Hubbard over the summer, but bowed out of the project.
“Christie’s Murder is mysterious, compelling and unsettling,” Branagh told the Hollywood Reporter. “I’m honored to have this fantastic group of actors bring these dark materials to life for a new audience.”
Michael Green, who penned the upcoming Blade Runner sequel, is writing the script. Branagh, Ridley Scott, Simon Kinberg, and Mark Gordon are producing. James Prichard and Hilary Strong from Agatha Christie Limited will executive produce.
Production for the film begins in London in November.
