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{{Short description|2023 film by Kenneth Branagh}}
{{Short description|2023 film by Kenneth Branagh}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox film
{{Infobox film
| image = A Haunting in Venice (2023) poster.jpg
| image = A Haunting in Venice (2023) poster.jpg
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* [[Tina Fey]]
* [[Tina Fey]]
* [[Jude Hill]]
* [[Jude Hill]]
* Ali Khan
* [[Ali Khan (British actor)|Ali Khan]]
* [[Emma Laird]]
* [[Emma Laird]]
* [[Kelly Reilly]]
* [[Kelly Reilly]]
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<!-- Order per billing block -->
}}
}}
| music = [[Hildur Guðnadóttir]]
| cinematography = [[Haris Zambarloukos]]
| cinematography = [[Haris Zambarloukos]]
| editing = Lucy Donaldson
| editing = Lucy Donaldson
| music = [[Hildur Guðnadóttir]]
| studio = {{Plainlist|
| studio = {{Plainlist|
* [[Kinberg Genre]]
* [[Kinberg Genre]]
* [[The Mark Gordon Company]]
* [[The Mark Gordon Company]]
* [[TSG Entertainment]]
* [[Scott Free Productions]]
* Agatha Christie Limited
* Agatha Christie Limited
* [[TSG Entertainment]]
}}
}}
| distributor = [[20th Century Studios]]
| distributor = [[20th Century Studios]]
| released = {{Film date|2023|9|11|[[Odeon Luxe Leicester Square]]|2023|9|15|United States}}
| released = {{Film date|2023|9|11|[[Odeon Luxe Leicester Square]]|2023|9|15|United States}}
| runtime = 103 minutes<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/a-haunting-in-venice-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdeyotq0|title=''A Haunting in Venice'' (12A)|website=[[British Board of Film Classification|BBFC]]|date=August 15, 2023|access-date=August 15, 2023}}</ref>
| runtime = 103 minutes<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/a-haunting-in-venice-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdeyotq0|title=''A Haunting in Venice'' (12A)|publisher=[[British Board of Film Classification|BBFC]]|date=August 15, 2023|access-date=August 15, 2023|archive-date=November 16, 2023|archive-url=https://archive.today/20231116135449/https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/a-haunting-in-venice-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdeyotq0|url-status=live}}</ref>
| country = United States
| country = United States
| language = English
| language = English
| budget = $60 million<ref name="Budget">{{Cite web|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=2023-09-13|title=''A Haunting In Venice'' Hopes To Scare ''Nun 2'' From Top Spot At Box Office – Preview|url=https://deadline.com/2023/09/box-office-a-haunting-in-venice-projection-1235546099/|access-date=2023-09-13|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref>
| budget = $60 million<ref name="Budget">{{Cite web|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=2023-09-13|title=''A Haunting In Venice'' Hopes To Scare ''Nun 2'' From Top Spot At Box Office – Preview|url=https://deadline.com/2023/09/box-office-a-haunting-in-venice-projection-1235546099/|access-date=2023-09-13|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|archive-date=September 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914005710/https://deadline.com/2023/09/box-office-a-haunting-in-venice-projection-1235546099/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| gross = $38 million<ref name="NUM">{{cite The Numbers |title= A Haunting in Venice Financial Information |id=Haunting-in-Venice-A-(2023) |access-date=September 18, 2023}}</ref><ref name="BOM">{{Cite BOM|title=A Haunting in Venice (2023) |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl216040193/?ref_=bo_da_table_1 |access-date=September 18, 2023}}</ref>
| gross = $122.3 million<ref name="NUM">{{cite The Numbers |title=A Haunting in Venice Financial Information |id=Haunting-in-Venice-A-(2023) |access-date=November 14, 2023 |publisher_hide=yes}}</ref><ref name="BOM">{{Cite Box Office Mojo|title=A Haunting in Venice (2023) |id=22687790 |access-date=November 14, 2023 |publisher_hide=yes}}</ref>
}}
}}
'''''A Haunting in Venice''''' is a 2023 American [[supernatural fiction|supernatural]] [[mystery film|mystery]] [[horror film]] produced and directed by [[Kenneth Branagh]] from a screenplay by [[Michael Green (writer)|Michael Green]], loosely based on the 1969 [[Agatha Christie]] novel ''[[Hallowe'en Party]]''. It serves as a sequel to ''[[Death on the Nile (2022 film)|Death on the Nile]]'' (2022) and is the third film in which Branagh stars as the Belgian detective [[Hercule Poirot]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Vlessing |first=Etan |date=2023-07-19 |title=Kenneth Branagh Battles Supernatural Forces in 'Haunting in Venice' Trailer |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/kenneth-branagh-haunting-in-venice-trailer-1235539800/ |access-date=2023-09-10 |magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |archive-date=September 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230915005604/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/kenneth-branagh-haunting-in-venice-trailer-1235539800/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The ensemble cast includes [[Kyle Allen (actor)|Kyle Allen]], [[Camille Cottin]], [[Jamie Dornan]], [[Tina Fey]], [[Jude Hill]], [[Ali Khan (British actor)|Ali Khan]], [[Emma Laird]], [[Kelly Reilly]], [[Riccardo Scamarcio]], and [[Michelle Yeoh]].


''A Haunting in Venice'' was released in the UK on the 11th of September 2023 (Odeon Luxe Leicester Square) and in the [[United States]] on the 15th of September 2023 by [[20th Century Studios]]. The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed $122.3 million worldwide.
'''''A Haunting in Venice''''' is a 2023 American [[Supernatural film|supernatural]] [[murder mystery film|mystery film]] produced and directed by [[Kenneth Branagh]], who reprises his role from the previous films, from a screenplay by [[Michael Green (writer)|Michael Green]], loosely based on the 1969 novel ''[[Hallowe'en Party]]'' by [[Agatha Christie]]. It serves as a sequel to ''[[Death on the Nile (2022 film)|Death on the Nile]]'' (2022) and is the third film in which Branagh portrays the Belgian detective [[Hercule Poirot]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vlessing |first=Etan |date=2023-07-19 |title=Kenneth Branagh Battles Supernatural Forces in ‘Haunting in Venice’ Trailer |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/kenneth-branagh-haunting-in-venice-trailer-1235539800/ |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> The ensemble cast includes [[Kyle Allen (actor)|Kyle Allen]], [[Camille Cottin]], [[Jamie Dornan]], [[Tina Fey]], [[Jude Hill]], Ali Khan, [[Emma Laird]], [[Kelly Reilly]], [[Riccardo Scamarcio]], and [[Michelle Yeoh]].

''A Haunting in Venice'' was released in the United States on September 15, 2023 by [[20th Century Studios]]. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and has grossed $38 million worldwide.


==Plot==
==Plot==
<!-- Per WP:FILMPLOT, plot summary should be between 400 to 700 words. -->
Having lost faith in God and humanity, Detective Hercule Poirot lives in retirement in post-war [[Venice]], employing ex-police officer Vitale Portfoglio as a bodyguard. On [[Halloween]], novelist Ariadne Oliver convinces Poirot to attend a séance at the [[palazzo]] of opera singer Rowena Drake and help expose medium Joyce Reynolds as a fraud.
In 1947, [[Hercule Poirot]] has retired to [[Venice]], having lost his faith in God and humanity, with ex-police officer Vitale Portfoglio as his bodyguard. Mystery writer [[Ariadne Oliver]] persuades Poirot to attend a [[Halloween]] party and [[séance]] at the [[Palace#Italy|palazzo]] of famed opera singer Rowena Drake, wishing to expose Joyce Reynolds—a [[World War I]] army nurse turned [[Mediumship|medium]]—as a fraud. The palazzo, a former [[orphanage]], is believed to be haunted by the spirits of orphaned children who were locked up and abandoned to die there during a city-wide plague; rumors claim that the spirits torment any nurses and doctors who dare enter.


Rowena has hired Reynolds to help her commune with her daughter Alicia, who committed suicide after her fiancé, chef Maxime Gerard, broke off their engagement. Among those in attendance are Maxime, Rowena's housekeeper Olga Seminoff, Drake family doctor Leslie Ferrier and his son Leopold, and Reynolds' assistant Desdemona Holland.
Rowena has hired Joyce to commune with her daughter Alicia, who committed suicide after Alicia's fiancé, chef Maxime Gerard, ended their engagement. Among the guests are Rowena's housekeeper Olga Seminoff, Drake family doctor Leslie Ferrier and his son Leopold, and Joyce's [[Romani people|Romani]] assistant Desdemona Holland; they are joined by Maxime right before the séance, and during it Poirot reveals Desdemona's half-brother Nicholas—and Joyce's second assistant—hiding in the chimney. Joyce suddenly speaks in Alicia's voice, saying that one of the guests murdered her. Poirot confronts Joyce, who insists he lighten up, gives him her mask and robe, and cryptically says they will not meet again. Seconds later, an unknown assailant nearly drowns Poirot when he is [[apple bobbing]], while Joyce falls from an upper story and is impaled on a courtyard statue.


With a storm cutting off the palazzo, Poirot interviews the guests, during which he witnesses manifestations of Alicia's ghost and hears a young girl humming a tune. The investigation yields perplexing results:
During the séance, Poirot deduces Reynolds has not one assistant but two, revealing Desdemona's half-brother Nicholas hiding in the chimney of Alicia's bedroom. Reynolds then speaks to Rowena in Alicia's voice, reveals Alicia was murdered, and states the killer is one of the guests. Poirot attempts to confront Reynolds, who gives him her mask and cloak, telling him to lighten up. Taking this advice and while attempting to bob for apples, Poirot is nearly drowned by an unknown assailant. Reynolds is then found impaled on a statue in the courtyard.
*Leslie, severely traumatized by his experiences at the [[Bergen-Belsen concentration camp]], is in love with Rowena.
*Maxime, who was not initially invited, ended his and Alicia's engagement because Rowena disapproved of him, and Alicia was obsessed with keeping her mother happy.
*Nicholas and Desdemona have been stealing from Joyce, intending to travel to St. Louis, Missouri, which they became enamoured with after partly seeing ''[[Meet Me in St. Louis]]'' at a [[displaced persons camps in post–World War II Europe|displaced persons camp]].
*Leopold claims to hear the same voice(s) Poirot has been hearing, a claim later also made by Leslie.


When the guests discover an underground chamber containing children's skeletal remains and bees, Leslie suffers a panic attack and nearly kills Maxime. He is locked inside the music room to recover, Rowena giving Poirot the only key. After examining Maxime's invitation, Poirot deduces Ariadne sent it and is conspiring with Vitale: Vitale, who investigated Alicia's death and resigned from the police as a result of the case, gave Joyce private details, while Ariadne had hoped to use Poirot's inability to explain the supernatural as a plot for her next book. Leslie is then found dead with a knife in his back.
With a storm cutting off the palazzo, Poirot begins interviewing the guests, during which he hallucinates seeing Alicia's ghost. The investigation yields perplexing results:


Gathering the remaining guests, Poirot reveals Rowena caused the deaths of Alicia, Joyce and Leslie, hoping to pass them off as part of the children's curse. Obsessed with keeping Alicia for herself, Rowena poisoned her with small doses of the honey of ''[[Rhododendron ponticum]]'' (see [[Mad honey]]), [[Factitious disorder imposed on another|weakening and then caring for]] a hallucinating Alicia (the same honey seemingly [[hallucinogen|caused Poirot's visions]]) to isolate her from Maxime when they planned to reconcile; the night of Alicia's suicide, Olga unknowingly gave Alicia tea containing a fatal dose and Rowena, fearful of exposure, staged everything. When blackmail threats arrived, Rowena suspected either Joyce or Leslie. She attempted to drown Poirot, realized that she had mistaken him for Joyce, and then pushed Joyce to her death. Later, over the palazzo's internal phone line, she forced Leslie to stab himself by threatening to kill Leopold. When Poirot confronts Rowena on the roof, Alicia's ghost seems to appear to them both, pulling Rowena down off the building and into the canal where she drowns.
*Leslie, who is severely traumatized from his experiences at the liberation of [[Bergen-Belsen concentration camp|Bergen-Belsen]], is in love with Rowena.
*Leopold claims to hear voices from the spirits of children who were left to die back when the palazzo was a plague hospital.
*Maxime, who was not initially invited to the séance, broke off his engagement because he felt Rowena did not approve of him and that Alicia was obsessed with keeping her happy.
*Nicholas and Desdemona, both Romani refugees, have been stealing from Reynolds and intend to use the money to travel to [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]], which they fell in love with after seeing half of the film ''[[Meet Me in St. Louis]]'' at a [[displaced persons camps in post–World War II Europe|displaced persons camp]].


As dawn breaks, Poirot parts ways with Ariadne and Vitale, but chooses not to report the latter's fraud. Later, Poirot privately confronts young Leopold, the true blackmailer who needed to support himself and his father: Leopold had identified the poisoning signs that his physician father missed and realized Rowena's first starring role was in [[Mitridate, re di Ponto]], an opera, whose lead character, [[Mithridates VI Eupator]], is the "king of poisons". Poirot suggests Leopold and Olga clear their consciences by financially helping the Hollands begin anew in St. Louis. His faith mostly restored, Poirot returns home to accept new cases.
When the guests come across an underground chamber containing the skeletal remains of the dead children, Leslie suffers a panic attack and nearly kills Maxime. He is locked inside the music room to recover, Rowena [[Locked-room mystery|giving Poirot the only key]].

After examining Maxime's invitation, Poirot deduces Oliver sent it and that she and Vitale conspired to bring him to the palazzo. Vitale explains he investigated Alicia's death while Oliver admits she hoped to use Poirot's incapability of explaining the séance as a plot for her next book. Leslie is then found stabbed to death.

Gathering the other guests together, Poirot exposes Rowena as the murderer. She was obsessed with keeping Alicia to herself and, after learning she planned to reconcile with Maxime, used honey extracted from the rhododendrons in her rooftop garden to weaken her. When Olga unknowingly gave Alicia tea containing a fatal dose, Rowena staged Alicia's suicide to prevent exposure.

When she began receiving blackmail threats, Rowena suspected either Reynolds or Leslie. She pushed Reynolds to her death after mistakenly attempting to drown Poirot and forced Leslie into stabbing himself via the palazzo's internal phone line, threatening to kill Leopold if he refused.

Rowena flees to the roof in an attempt to escape. Alicia's ghost seemingly appears and pulls Rowena down, causing her to fall to her death.

At dawn, Poirot ends his friendship with Oliver, elects not to unmask Vitale's involvement in the séance, and privately exposes Leopold as the blackmailer.
Leopold explains that he understood the poisoning signs his father missed and made the connection after realizing Rowena's first starring role was in an [[Mitridate, re di Ponto|opera]] whose [[Mithridates VI Eupator|lead character]] was known as the "king of poisons." Poirot, his faith somewhat restored, suggests Leopold and Olga clear their consciences by using the money to help the Hollands start a new life in America before returning home to accept a new case.


==Cast==
==Cast==
<!-- ORDER PER BILLING BLOCK -->
<!-- ORDER PER BILLING BLOCK -->
{{castlist|
* [[Kyle Allen (actor)|Kyle Allen]] as Maxime Gerard, Alicia Drake's ex-fiancé
* [[Kyle Allen (actor)|Kyle Allen]] as Maxime Gerard, Alicia Drake's ex-fiancé
* [[Kenneth Branagh]] as [[Hercule Poirot]], a world-renowned Belgian detective
* [[Kenneth Branagh]] as [[Hercule Poirot]], a retired world-renowned Belgian detective
* [[Camille Cottin]] as Olga Seminoff, Rowena's housekeeper
* [[Camille Cottin]] as Olga Seminoff, Rowena's housekeeper
* [[Jamie Dornan]] as Dr. Leslie Ferrier, a doctor suffering from psychological trauma
* [[Jamie Dornan]] as Dr. Leslie Ferrier, a doctor suffering from [[psychological trauma]]
* [[Tina Fey]] as [[Ariadne Oliver]], Poirot's friend and a crime novelist
* [[Tina Fey]] as [[Ariadne Oliver]], Poirot's friend and a crime novelist
* [[Jude Hill]] as Leopold Ferrier, Dr. Ferrier's precocious son
* [[Jude Hill]] as Leopold Ferrier, Dr. Ferrier's precocious son
* Ali Khan as Nicholas Holland, Reynolds' assistant and Desdemona's half-brother
* [[Ali Khan (British actor)|Ali Khan]] as Nicholas Holland, Reynolds' assistant and Desdemona's half-brother
* [[Emma Laird]] as Desdemona Holland, Reynolds' assistant and Nicholas' half-sister
* [[Emma Laird]] as Desdemona Holland, Reynolds' assistant and Nicholas' half-sister
* [[Kelly Reilly]] as Rowena Drake, a retired opera singer and Alicia's mother
* [[Kelly Reilly]] as Rowena Drake, a retired opera singer and Alicia's mother
* [[Riccardo Scamarcio]] as Vitale Portfoglio, Poirot's bodyguard and a former police officer
* [[Riccardo Scamarcio]] as Vitale Portfoglio, Poirot's bodyguard and a former police officer
* [[Michelle Yeoh]] as Joyce Reynolds, a supposed psychic medium
* [[Michelle Yeoh]] as Joyce Reynolds, a supposed psychic medium
* Rowan Robinson as Alicia Drake, Rowena's deceased daughter
* [[Amir El-Masry]] as Alessandro Longo, a young man seeking Poirot's help
}}
<!-- ORDER PER BILLING BLOCK -->
<!-- ORDER PER BILLING BLOCK -->

Additionally, [[Rowan Robinson]] stars as Alicia Drake, Rowena's deceased daughter, while [[Amir El-Masry]] portrays Alessandro Longo, a young man seeking Poirot's help, and [[Vanessa Ifediora]] plays Sister Maria Felicitas, a nun.


==Production==
==Production==
{{Expand section|date=September 2023}}
===Development===
===Development===
[[20th Century Studios]] president Steve Asbell revealed in March 2022 that a script for a third [[Hercule Poirot]] film had been written by [[Michael Green (writer)|Michael Green]], with [[Kenneth Branagh]] set to return as director and star. The film will see a lesser-known Poirot story be the basis for the plot.<ref name="Future_THR">{{Cite web |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=March 3, 2022 |title=10-Plus Movies a Year for Hulu, 'Avatar' (For Real!), More 'Free Guy': 20th Century Studios President on Company's Future |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/avatar-death-on-the-nile-sequel-and-free-guy-future-1235103538/ |access-date=March 4, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Massoto |first=Erick |date=March 3, 2022 |title=A Third Hercule Poirot Film Has Been Written, Says 20th Century Studios President |url=https://collider.com/hercule-poirot-third-sequel-film-written-script-kenneth-branagh/ |access-date=March 4, 2022 |website=Collider}}</ref> The film was confirmed in October 2022, with [[Jamie Dornan]], [[Tina Fey]], [[Jude Hill]], [[Kelly Reilly]] and [[Michelle Yeoh]] among the cast.<ref name=":0" /> Branagh described the film as a "supernatural thriller" rather than a full-fledged horror film.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Davids |first=Brian |date=April 26, 2023 |title=Kenneth Branagh Talks 'A Haunting in Venice' and How His Murder Mystery Franchise Overcame; Death on the Nile' Misfortune |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/haunting-in-venice-kenneth-branagh-1235403275/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426225723/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/haunting-in-venice-kenneth-branagh-1235403275/ |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |access-date=April 28, 2023 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref>
The president of [[20th Century Studios]], Steve Asbell, revealed in March 2022 that a script for a third [[Hercule Poirot]] film had been written by [[Michael Green (writer)|Michael Green]], with [[Kenneth Branagh]] set to return as director and star.<ref name="Future_THR">{{Cite magazine |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=March 3, 2022 |title=10-Plus Movies a Year for Hulu, 'Avatar' (For Real!), More 'Free Guy': 20th Century Studios President on Company's Future |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/avatar-death-on-the-nile-sequel-and-free-guy-future-1235103538/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313012459/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/avatar-death-on-the-nile-sequel-and-free-guy-future-1235103538/ |archive-date=March 13, 2022 |access-date=March 4, 2022 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Massoto |first=Erick |date=March 3, 2022 |title=A Third Hercule Poirot Film Has Been Written, Says 20th Century Studios President |url=https://collider.com/hercule-poirot-third-sequel-film-written-script-kenneth-branagh/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220602002705/https://collider.com/hercule-poirot-third-sequel-film-written-script-kenneth-branagh/ |archive-date=June 2, 2022 |access-date=March 4, 2022 |website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]}}</ref> The film was loosely based on ''[[Hallowe'en Party]]'', a lesser-known Poirot novel, for the plot.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dubiel |first=Bill |date=2023-09-15 |title=A Haunting In Venice Book Changes: 10 Biggest Differences To Agatha Christie's Hallowe'en Party |url=https://screenrant.com/haunting-in-venice-book-changes-agatha-christie-halloween-party/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=ScreenRant |language=en |archive-date=November 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106175358/https://screenrant.com/haunting-in-venice-book-changes-agatha-christie-halloween-party/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The film was confirmed in October 2022, with [[Jamie Dornan]], [[Tina Fey]], [[Jude Hill]], [[Kelly Reilly]] and [[Michelle Yeoh]] among the cast.<ref name=":0" /> Branagh described the film as a "supernatural thriller" rather than a full-fledged horror film.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Davids |first=Brian |date=April 26, 2023 |title=Kenneth Branagh Talks 'A Haunting in Venice' and How His Murder Mystery Franchise Overcame; Death on the Nile' Misfortune |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/haunting-in-venice-kenneth-branagh-1235403275/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426225723/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/haunting-in-venice-kenneth-branagh-1235403275/ |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |access-date=April 28, 2023 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref>


===Filming===
===Filming===
Filming began on October 31, 2022,<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last1=Kit |first1=Borys |title=Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Michelle Yeoh, Jude Hill Join Kenneth Branagh in Agatha Christie Mystery ''A Haunting in Venice'' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/a-haunting-in-venice-cast-revealed-kenneth-branagh-1235238310/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=10 October 2022 |date=October 10, 2022 |archive-date=10 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221010210529/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/a-haunting-in-venice-cast-revealed-kenneth-branagh-1235238310/ |url-status=live}}</ref> with production occurring between [[Pinewood Studios]] and Venice.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Panaligan |first1=EJ |title=Kenneth Branagh's Third Hercule Poirot Film ''A Haunting in Venice'' Casts Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh and More |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/a-haunting-in-venice-kenneth-branagh-poirot-1235398277/ |website=Variety |access-date=10 October 2022 |date=October 10, 2022}}</ref>
Filming began on October 31, 2022,<ref name=":0">{{cite magazine |last=Kit |first=Borys |title=Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Michelle Yeoh, Jude Hill Join Kenneth Branagh in Agatha Christie Mystery ''A Haunting in Venice'' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/a-haunting-in-venice-cast-revealed-kenneth-branagh-1235238310/ |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=10 October 2022 |date=October 10, 2022 |archive-date=10 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221010210529/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/a-haunting-in-venice-cast-revealed-kenneth-branagh-1235238310/ |url-status=live}}</ref> with production occurring between [[Pinewood Studios]], on D Stage and Q Stage, and Venice.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Panaligan |first1=EJ |title=Kenneth Branagh's Third Hercule Poirot Film ''A Haunting in Venice'' Casts Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh and More |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/a-haunting-in-venice-kenneth-branagh-poirot-1235398277/ |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=10 October 2022 |date=October 10, 2022}}</ref><ref name=findthatlocation />


===Locations and sets===
==Music==
[[File:Rio s boldo fine ovest.JPG|right|thumb|The real Campo San Boldo]]
[[Hildur Guðnadóttir]] composed the score for the film in April 2023, marking the first in the series not to be composed by Branagh's frequent collaborator [[Patrick Doyle]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 26, 2023 |title=Hildur Guđnadóttir to Score Kenneth Branagh's 'A Haunting in Venice' |url=https://filmmusicreporter.com/2023/04/26/hildur-gudnadottir-to-score-kenneth-branaghs-a-haunting-in-venice/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426211411/https://filmmusicreporter.com/2023/04/26/hildur-gudnadottir-to-score-kenneth-branaghs-a-haunting-in-venice/ |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |access-date=April 28, 2023 |website=Film Music Reporter}}</ref> The film's soundtrack album was released by [[Hollywood Records]] on September 15, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=DeVore |first=Britta |date=2023-09-13 |title=''A Haunting in Venice'' Unveils a Three-Song Sample of Hildur Guðnadóttir's Score [Exclusive] |url=https://collider.com/a-haunting-in-venice-score-sneak-peek/ |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]}}</ref>
For the haunted palazzo, a film set was built in Pinewood Studios, of the immediate surroundings of the palazzo, as well as all the interiors. For inspiration a number of real palaces was used, like the [[Doge's Palace]], the [[Ca' Sagredo]] Hotel and the [[Palazzo Pisani Gritti]], also a hotel.<ref name=cntraveler>[https://www.cntraveler.com/story/where-was-a-haunting-in-venice-filmed On Location: Venice Takes On a Sinister Air in ‘A Haunting in Venice’] by Emily Zemler, retrieved 22 July 2024</ref><ref name=motionpictures>[https://www.motionpictures.org/2023/09/how-a-haunting-in-venice-production-designer-john-paul-kelly-built-a-possessed-venice-palazzo/ How “A Haunting in Venice” Production Designer John Paul Kelly Built a Possessed Venetian Palazzo] by Daron James, 13 September 2023, retrieved 29 July 2024</ref> The [[piano nobile]] (or bel étage) of the building has a fresco inspired by "The Wedding of Psyche", a painting by the [[Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood|Pre-Raphaelite]] artist [[Edward Burne-Jones]].<ref>[https://filmandfurniture.com/2023/09/behind-the-scenes-of-a-haunting-in-venice-with-production-designer-john-paul-kelly/ Behind the scenes of A Haunting in Venice with production designer John Paul Kelly] by Paula Benson, 27 September 2023, retrieved 22 July 2024</ref> The set of the exterior of the palace was based on the Venetian square Campo San Boldo. Some nighttime scenes were actually shot at that location.<ref name=people>[https://people.com/where-was-a-haunting-in-venice-filmed-new-agatha-christie-movie-location-exclusive-7964997 Where Was 'A Haunting in Venice' Filmed? All About the New Agatha Christie Movie's Eerie Backdrop (Exclusive)] by Erin Clements, retrieved 22 July 2024</ref>

[[File:Jardin sur le grand canal (Venise) (6180099983).jpg|left|thumb|Garden of the Palazzo Malipiero, looking towards the [[Grand Canal (Venice)|Grand Canal]]]]
[[File:Ponte Consafelzi (Venice).jpg|left|thumb|Ponte dei Conzafelzi]]
Another set of the palazzo was built in the English town of [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]]. This was a one third [[scale model]], to be used for scenes of water splashing against the palace.<ref name=outdoors>[https://outdoors.com/where-was-a-haunting-in-venice-filmed/ Where Was a Haunting in Venice Filmed?] by Keira Ezzo, retrieved 22 July 2024</ref>

The home of Poirot consisted of several locations. The roof terrace, which can be seen at the beginning and the end of the film, is part of the [[Conservatorio di Musica Benedetto Marcello di Venezia|Venice Conservatory]]. The garden belongs to the [[Palazzo Malipiero]].<ref name=cntraveler /> The Palazzo Malipiero is in the [[San Samuele, Venice|Campo San Samuele]]. Apart from the garden of the palace other exteriors can be seen in the film, for instance in the scene where Poirot tries to escape the crowd of potential clients waiting at his front door.<ref name=findthatlocation>[https://findthatlocation.com/blog/a-haunting-in-venice-filming-locations-poirots-palazzos-and-canals A Haunting in Venice Filming Locations: Poirot's Palazzos and Canals] by Jane, 15 September 2023, retrieved 22 July 2024</ref>

[[San Giorgio Maggiore]] Island was used for a market scene.<ref name=cntraveler /> The [[Santa Maria dei Miracoli, Venice|Campiello dei Miracoli and Campo Santa Maria Nova]] were used for the scene where Ariadne Oliver tries to entice Poirot to participate in a séance.<ref name=thewest>[https://thewest.com.au/travel/locations-of-a-haunting-in-venice-c-12215926 Locations of A Haunting in Venice] by Stephen Scourfield, The West Australian, 21 October 2023, retrieved 22 July 2024</ref><ref name=screenrant1 /> The [[Piazza San Marco]] can be seen early in the film, just like the top bell and the figures of [[St Mark's Clocktower]], also on the square.<ref name=findthatlocation />

The Grand Canal was used in the film as well as some of the smaller canals, like Rio dei Mendicanti and Rio del Pestrin. Poirot crosses the iron bridge, Ponte dei Conzafelzi, on this latter canal.<ref name=screenrant1>[https://screenrant.com/a-haunting-in-venice-movie-filming-locations/ A Haunting In Venice Filming Locations: How Much Was Filmed In Venice] by Antonella Gugliersi, 18 September 2023, retrieved 23 July 2024</ref>

===Music===
{{Main| A Haunting in Venice (soundtrack){{!}}A Haunting in Venice (soundtrack)}}
[[Hildur Guðnadóttir]] composed the score for the film in April 2023, marking the first in the series not to be composed by Branagh's frequent collaborator [[Patrick Doyle]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 26, 2023 |title=Hildur Guđnadóttir to Score Kenneth Branagh's 'A Haunting in Venice' |url=https://filmmusicreporter.com/2023/04/26/hildur-gudnadottir-to-score-kenneth-branaghs-a-haunting-in-venice/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426211411/https://filmmusicreporter.com/2023/04/26/hildur-gudnadottir-to-score-kenneth-branaghs-a-haunting-in-venice/ |archive-date=April 26, 2023 |access-date=April 28, 2023 |website=Film Music Reporter}}</ref> The film's soundtrack album was released by [[Hollywood Records]] on September 15, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=DeVore |first=Britta |date=2023-09-13 |title=''A Haunting in Venice'' Unveils a Three-Song Sample of Hildur Guðnadóttir's Score [Exclusive] |url=https://collider.com/a-haunting-in-venice-score-sneak-peek/ |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=Collider |archive-date=September 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914054406/https://collider.com/a-haunting-in-venice-score-sneak-peek/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


==Release==
==Release==
''A Haunting in Venice'' was released in the United States on September 15, 2023, by 20th Century Studios.<ref name="Release">{{cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=October 11, 2022 |title=Marvel Shifts Release Dates For 'Blade', 'Fantastic Four', 'Avengers: Secret Wars', Next 'Deadpool' Among Disney Moves |url=https://deadline.com/2022/10/blade-fantastic-four-avengers-secret-wars-release-dates-shift-1235141388/}}</ref> The film had its red carpet premiere at the [[Odeon Luxe Leicester Square]] at the [[West End of London|West End London]] on September 11.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/imogen-thomas-attends-a-special-screening-of-a-haunting-in-news-photo/1659526128 |title = "A Haunting In Venice" - Special Screening - VIP Arrivals |access-date = September 15, 2023 |date = September 11, 2023 |website = GettyImages}}</ref>
''A Haunting in Venice'' was released in the United States on September 15, 2023, by 20th Century Studios.<ref name="Release">{{cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=October 11, 2022 |title=Marvel Shifts Release Dates For 'Blade', 'Fantastic Four', 'Avengers: Secret Wars', Next 'Deadpool' Among Disney Moves |url=https://deadline.com/2022/10/blade-fantastic-four-avengers-secret-wars-release-dates-shift-1235141388/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=October 11, 2022 |archive-date=March 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316223754/https://deadline.com/2022/10/blade-fantastic-four-avengers-secret-wars-release-dates-shift-1235141388/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The film had its red carpet premiere at the [[Odeon Luxe Leicester Square]] at the [[West End of London|West End London]] on September 11 with none of the cast members in attendance due to the [[2023 SAG-AFTRA strike]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/imogen-thomas-attends-a-special-screening-of-a-haunting-in-news-photo/1659526128 |title = "A Haunting In Venice" Special Screening VIP Arrivals |access-date = September 15, 2023 |date = September 11, 2023 |website = [[Getty Images]] |archive-date = September 18, 2023 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230918011954/https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/imogen-thomas-attends-a-special-screening-of-a-haunting-in-news-photo/1659526128 |url-status = live }}</ref>

The film was released on digital platforms on October 31, followed by a [[Blu-ray]] and [[DVD]] release on November 28.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dvdsreleasedates.com/movies/11347/a-haunting-in-venice|title=A Haunting in Venice (2023)|website=www.dvdsreleasedates.com|access-date=December 20, 2023|archive-date=December 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220151606/https://www.dvdsreleasedates.com/movies/11347/a-haunting-in-venice|url-status=live}}</ref>


==Reception==
==Reception==
===Box office===
===Box office===
{{As of|2023|09|17|df=US}}, ''A Haunting in Venice'' has grossed $14.3&nbsp;million in the United States and Canada, and $22.7&nbsp;million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $38&nbsp;million.<ref name=BOM/><ref name="NUM" />
''A Haunting in Venice'' grossed $42.5&nbsp;million in the United States and Canada, and $79.8&nbsp;million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $122.3&nbsp;million.<ref name=BOM/><ref name="NUM" />

In the United States and Canada, ''A Haunting in Venice'' was projected to gross around $12 million from 3,305 theaters in its opening weekend.<ref name="Budget"/> The film made $5.5 million on its first day, including $1.2 million from Thursday night previews (up from ''Nile''{{'}}s $1.1 million). It went on to debut to $14.3 million, an improvement from ''Nile''{{'s}} $12.9 million opening, and finished second behind holdover ''[[The Nun II]]''.<ref name=opening>{{cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |url=https://deadline.com/2023/09/box-office-a-haunting-in-venice-1235547819/amp/ |title='Nun 2' Scares Off Poirot To Become Mother Superior Of Box Office With $14.7M Second Weekend |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=September 17, 2023 |archive-date=September 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230917043734/https://deadline.com/2023/09/box-office-a-haunting-in-venice-1235547819/amp/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The film made $6.3 million in its second weekend, finishing in third.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://deadline.com/2023/09/box-office-expendables-4-1235553682/ |title= The Nun 2' Puts 'The Expendables' In Detention At Box Office In What's Shaping Up To Be A Low Weekend For 2023 At $52M |last= D'Alessandro |first= Anthony |website= Deadline Hollywood |date= September 24, 2023 |access-date= September 24, 2023 |archive-date= September 23, 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230923220923/https://deadline.com/2023/09/box-office-expendables-4-1235553682/ |url-status= live }}</ref>


In the United Kingdom, it became the second highest-grossing [[horror film]] of 2023, grossing approximately $12.5 million.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Falk |first=Graham |date=22 December 2023 |title=Highest grossing horror films of 2023 in the UK |newspaper=[[The Scotsman]] |url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/film-and-tv/horror-films-2023-highest-grossing-horror-movies-of-the-year-4455511 |access-date=22 December 2023 |archive-date=December 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231222135334/https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/film-and-tv/horror-films-2023-highest-grossing-horror-movies-of-the-year-4455511 |url-status=live}}</ref>
In the United States and Canada, ''A Haunting in Venice'' was projected to gross around $12 million from 3,305 theaters in its opening weekend.<ref name="Budget"/> The film made $5.5 million on its first day, including $1.2 million from Thursday night previews (up from ''Nile''{{'}}s $1.1 million). It went on to debut to $14.2 million, an improvement from ''Nile''{{'s}} $12.9 million opening, and finished second behind holdover ''[[The Nun II]]''.<ref name=opening>{{cite web|url= https://deadline.com/2023/09/box-office-a-haunting-in-venice-1235547819/amp/ |title= ‘Nun 2’ Scares Off Poirot To Become Mother Superior Of Box Office With $14.7M Second Weekend
|website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]]|access-date=September 17, 2023}}</ref>


===Critical response===
===Critical response===
{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|77|6.5|222|consensus=A darker and spookier spin on Branagh's Poirot, ''A Haunting in Venice'' is a decent Halloween snack whose undemanding mystery gets a lift from nifty visuals and an all-star cast.|access-date=September 17, 2023|ref=y}} {{Metacritic film prose|63|47|ref=yes|access-date=September 16, 2023}} Audiences surveyed by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale, same as the first two installments, while those polled at [[PostTrak]] gave it a 73% overall positive score, with 48% saying they would definitely recommend the film.<ref name=opening/>
{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|75|6.5|293|consensus=A darker and spookier spin on Branagh's Poirot, ''A Haunting in Venice'' is a decent Halloween snack whose undemanding mystery gets a lift from nifty visuals and an all-star cast.|access-date=November 5, 2023|ref=y}} {{Metacritic film prose|63|52|ref=yes|access-date=September 20, 2023}} Audiences surveyed by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale, same as the first two installments, while those polled at [[PostTrak]] gave it a 73% overall positive score, with 48% saying they would definitely recommend the film.<ref name=opening/>


[[Jason Zinoman]], writing for the ''[[The New York Times]]'', called the film a "whodunit with a splash of horror" and wrote: "In straddling genres, ''Haunting'' can get stuck in the middle. But there's fun to be had there. What's consistent is the elegant visuals striking cinematography by Haris Zambarloukos which mark this movie's real genre as lavish old-fashioned Hollywood entertainment."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Zinoman |first=Jason |date=2023-09-13 |title=‘A Haunting in Venice’ Review: A Whodunit With a Splash of Horror |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/13/movies/a-haunting-in-venice-review.html |access-date=2023-09-14 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> [[Justin Chang]] of ''[[Los Angeles Times|The Los Angeles Times]]'' said: "What lingers from this movie isn’t the usual assemblage of clues and red herrings [..] but a free-floating air of grief, much of it rooted in the characters’ turbulent memories of the war just a few years earlier".<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Chang |first=Justin |last2= |last3= |last4= |date=2023-09-14 |title=Review: With ‘A Haunting in Venice, Kenneth Branagh’s Agatha Christie series hits its stride |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-09-14/a-haunting-in-venice-review-kenneth-branagh-tina-fey-agatha-christie |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Similar sentiment was echoed by [[Ann Hornaday]] of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' who described the film as "moody", they both praised the cast's performances.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hornaday |first=Ann |date=2023-09-08 |title=Review {{!}} ‘A Haunting in Venice’: Branagh’s Poirot returns in moody mystery |language=en-US |work=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/movies/2023/09/11/a-haunting-in-venice-movie-review/ |access-date=2023-09-15 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref name=":1" />
[[Jason Zinoman]], writing for ''[[The New York Times]]'', called the film a "whodunit with a splash of horror" and wrote: "In straddling genres, ''Haunting'' can get stuck in the middle. But there's fun to be had there. What's consistent is the elegant visuals striking cinematography by Haris Zambarloukos which mark this movie's real genre as lavish old-fashioned Hollywood entertainment."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Zinoman |first=Jason |author-link=Jason Zinoman |date=2023-09-13 |title='A Haunting in Venice' Review: A Whodunit With a Splash of Horror |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/13/movies/a-haunting-in-venice-review.html |access-date=2023-09-14 |archive-date=September 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914224639/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/13/movies/a-haunting-in-venice-review.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Justin Chang]] of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' said: "What lingers from this movie isn't the usual assemblage of clues and red herrings [..] but a free-floating air of grief, much of it rooted in the characters' turbulent memories of the war just a few years earlier".<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Chang |first=Justin |author-link=Justin Chang |date=2023-09-14 |title=Review: With 'A Haunting in Venice,' Kenneth Branagh's Agatha Christie series hits its stride |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-09-14/a-haunting-in-venice-review-kenneth-branagh-tina-fey-agatha-christie |access-date=2023-09-15 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |archive-date=September 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230915020919/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-09-14/a-haunting-in-venice-review-kenneth-branagh-tina-fey-agatha-christie |url-status=live }}</ref> Similar sentiment was echoed by [[Ann Hornaday]] of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' who described the film as "moody", they both praised the cast's performances.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hornaday |first=Ann |author-link=Ann Hornaday |date=2023-09-08 |title=Review {{!}} 'A Haunting in Venice': Branagh's Poirot returns in moody mystery |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/movies/2023/09/11/a-haunting-in-venice-movie-review/ |access-date=2023-09-15 |archive-date=September 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230917183804/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/movies/2023/09/11/a-haunting-in-venice-movie-review/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":1" /> [[Saibal Chatterjee]] wrote for [[NDTV]]: "''A Haunting In Venice'', a couple of jump scares notwithstanding, may not chill you to the bones but as a story focused on the emotional and psychological fallout of a devastating war, it works brilliantly".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chatterjee |first=Saibal |author-link=Saibal Chatterjee |date=September 16, 2023 |title=A Haunting In Venice Review: Kenneth Branagh's Classic Whodunit Breaks Genre Norms |url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/a-haunting-in-venice-review-kenneth-branaghs-classic-whodunit-breaks-genre-norms-3-stars-4395214 |access-date=2023-09-20 |publisher=[[NDTV]] |archive-date=September 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230920071744/https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/a-haunting-in-venice-review-kenneth-branaghs-classic-whodunit-breaks-genre-norms-3-stars-4395214 |url-status=live }}</ref>


[[Matt Zoller Seitz]] acclaimed the screenplay, direction and production values and said: "Movies are rarely directed in this style anymore".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Seitz |first=Matt Zoller |title=A Haunting in Venice movie review (2023|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-haunting-in-venice-movie-review-2023 |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=[[Roger Ebert.com]] |language=en}}</ref> He added that it was an "empathetic portrayal of the death-haunted mentality of people from Branagh's parents' generation". Seitz and critic [[Michael Phillips (critic)|Michael Phillips]] (''[[Chicago Tribune|The Chicago Tribune]]'') named the film best of Branagh's Agatha Christie adaptations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Michael |date=2023-09-14 |title="A Haunting in Venice" is best of Kenneth Branagh's mysteries so far |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/sc-ent-haunting-venice-review-0912-20230914-jyhrthyvmfe3xludng3ettdldu-story.html |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> The latter found the cast's acting "pretty crafty". About the performances [[Mark Kermode]] said: " [...] everyone is given a 110 percent but not in a completely scenery chewing fashion, in a way that mixes old-fashioned and newfangled".<ref>{{Citation |title=Mark Kermode reviews A Haunting in Venice - Kermode and Mayo's Take |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAVo9sMDCAs |access-date=2023-09-16 |language=en}}</ref>
[[Matt Zoller Seitz]] acclaimed the screenplay, direction and production values and said: "Movies are rarely directed in this style anymore".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Seitz |first=Matt Zoller |author-link=Matt Zoller Seitz |date=September 15, 2023 |title=A Haunting in Venice movie review (2023) |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-haunting-in-venice-movie-review-2023 |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=[[RogerEbert.com]] |archive-date=September 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914115753/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-haunting-in-venice-movie-review-2023 |url-status=live }}</ref> He added that it was an "empathetic portrayal of the death-haunted mentality of people from Branagh's parents' generation". Seitz and critic [[Michael Phillips (critic)|Michael Phillips]] (the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'') named it best of Branagh's Hercule Poirot films.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Michael |date=2023-09-14 |title="A Haunting in Venice" is best of Kenneth Branagh's mysteries so far |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/sc-ent-haunting-venice-review-0912-20230914-jyhrthyvmfe3xludng3ettdldu-story.html |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=Chicago Tribune |archive-date=September 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230915025757/https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/sc-ent-haunting-venice-review-0912-20230914-jyhrthyvmfe3xludng3ettdldu-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The latter found the cast's acting "pretty crafty". About the performances, [[Mark Kermode]] said: " [...] everyone is given a 110 percent but not in a completely scenery chewing fashion, in a way that mixes old-fashioned and newfangled".<ref>{{cite AV media |title=Mark Kermode reviews A Haunting in Venice Kermode and Mayo's Take |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAVo9sMDCAs |access-date=2023-09-16 |via=[[YouTube]] |archive-date=September 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230915070111/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAVo9sMDCAs&gl=US&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref>


Some critics pointed out that the film struggled in its character development. Kristen Lopez, writing for ''[[TheWrap]]'', felt that almost all the characters were underdeveloped due to the attention given to the production values, but praised the performances, singling out Reilly, Dornan and Yeoh.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lopez |first=Kristen |date=2023-09-09 |title='A Haunting in Venice' Review: Poirot's Best Adventure Yet |url=https://www.thewrap.com/a-haunting-in-venice-movie-review-kenneth-branagh/ |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US}}</ref> ''[[The Guardian|The Guardian]]'''s chief film critic [[Peter Bradshaw]] also thought the film wasted its cast. He awarded it 2/5 stars.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bradshaw |first=Peter |date=2023-09-09 |title=A Haunting in Venice review – Branagh’s Agatha Christie whodunnit given horror makeover |language=en-GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/sep/10/a-haunting-in-venice-review-branaghs-agatha-christie-whodunnit-given-horror-makeover |access-date=2023-09-15 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
Some critics pointed out that the film struggled in its character development. Kristen Lopez, writing for ''[[TheWrap]]'', felt that almost all the characters were underdeveloped due to the attention given to the production values, but praised the performances, singling out Reilly, Dornan and Yeoh.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lopez |first=Kristen |date=2023-09-09 |title='A Haunting in Venice' Review: Poirot's Best Adventure Yet |url=https://www.thewrap.com/a-haunting-in-venice-movie-review-kenneth-branagh/ |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=[[TheWrap]] |archive-date=September 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230913050004/https://www.thewrap.com/a-haunting-in-venice-movie-review-kenneth-branagh/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[The Guardian]]''{{'s}} chief film critic [[Peter Bradshaw]] also thought the film wasted its cast, awarding it two out of five stars.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bradshaw |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Bradshaw |date=2023-09-09 |title=A Haunting in Venice review – Branagh's Agatha Christie whodunnit given horror makeover |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/sep/10/a-haunting-in-venice-review-branaghs-agatha-christie-whodunnit-given-horror-makeover |access-date=2023-09-15 |archive-date=September 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914220842/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/sep/10/a-haunting-in-venice-review-branaghs-agatha-christie-whodunnit-given-horror-makeover |url-status=live }}</ref>


In a negative review, critic [[Caryn James]] found the film "uninvolving" and said: "The new film is much pokier in its pacing, with duller characters".<ref>{{Cite web |last=James |first=Caryn |date=2023-09-09 |title=‘A Haunting in Venice’ Review: Michelle Yeoh and Tina Fey Join Kenneth Branagh in His Snoozy Agatha Christie Adaptation |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/a-haunting-in-venice-review-michelle-yeoh-tina-fey-kenneth-branagh-agatha-christie-1235575689/ |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> She commended Branagh and Cottin's performances, while stating that so many actors in the cast were "sleepwalking". In an equally negative review, David Fear of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' called the film "anemic and sluggish" and said audiences would be "bored to death."<ref>{{cite web|last=Fear|first=David|title=‘A Haunting in Venice’ Will Bore You to Death|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/a-haunting-in-venice-review-kenneth-branagh-agatha-christie-michelle-yeoh-tina-fey-1234822220/|work=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=16 September 2023|access-date=16 September 2023}}</ref>
In a negative review, critic [[Caryn James]] found the film "uninvolving" and said: "The new film is much pokier in its pacing, with duller characters".<ref>{{Cite web |last=James |first=Caryn |date=2023-09-09 |title='A Haunting in Venice' Review: Michelle Yeoh and Tina Fey Join Kenneth Branagh in His Snoozy Agatha Christie Adaptation |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/a-haunting-in-venice-review-michelle-yeoh-tina-fey-kenneth-branagh-agatha-christie-1235575689/ |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |archive-date=September 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230913050002/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/a-haunting-in-venice-review-michelle-yeoh-tina-fey-kenneth-branagh-agatha-christie-1235575689/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She commended Branagh, Fey and Cottin's performances, while stating that so many actors in the cast were "sleepwalking". In an equally negative review, David Fear of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' called the film "anemic and sluggish" and said audiences would be "bored to death."<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Fear|first=David|title='A Haunting in Venice' Will Bore You to Death|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/a-haunting-in-venice-review-kenneth-branagh-agatha-christie-michelle-yeoh-tina-fey-1234822220/|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=16 September 2023|access-date=16 September 2023|archive-date=September 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230916132914/https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/a-haunting-in-venice-review-kenneth-branagh-agatha-christie-michelle-yeoh-tina-fey-1234822220/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Accolades ===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col"| Award
! scope="col"| Date of ceremony
! scope="col"| Category
! scope="col"| Recipient(s)
! scope="col"| Result
! scope="col" class="unsortable"| {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference(s)}}
|-
! scope="row"|[[British Film Designers Guild|British Film Designers Guild Awards]]
|February 25, 2024
|Best Production Design – Major Motion Picture – Period
|John Paul Kelly, Peter Russell and Celia Bobak
|{{won}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frost |first=Caroline |date=2024-02-25 |title='Saltburn', 'Poor Things', 'Black Mirror', 'Silo' Among British Film Designers Guild Awards Winners – Complete List |url=https://deadline.com/2024/02/saltburn-poor-things-black-mirror-silo-british-film-designers-guild-awards-winners-complete-list-1235836466/ |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| [[Hollywood Music in Media Awards]]
|[[14th Hollywood Music in Media Awards|November 15, 2023]]
|[[Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Original Score in a Horror Film|Original Score — Horror/Thriller Film]]
| rowspan="2"|[[Hildur Guðnadóttir]]
|{{Won}}
| style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=2023-11-02 |title=Songs From 'Barbie' Pace 2023 Hollywood Music in Media Awards Nominations (Full List) |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/2023-hollywood-music-and-media-awards-nominations-full-list-1235461801/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103012430/https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/2023-hollywood-music-and-media-awards-nominations-full-list-1235461801/ |archive-date=November 3, 2023 |access-date=2023-11-07 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"|[[International Film Music Critics Association|International Film Music Critics Association Awards]]
|February 22, 2024
|Best Original Score For a Horror/Thriller Film
|{{nom}}
|<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-08 |title=IFMCA Award Nominations 2023 |url=http://filmmusiccritics.org/2024/02/ifmca-award-nominations-2023/ |access-date=2024-03-06 |website=IFMCA: International Film Music Critics Association |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| [[:fr:Las Vegas Film Critics Society|Las Vegas Film Critics Society]]
|December 13, 2023
|Youth in Film (Male)
|[[Jude Hill]]
|{{Won}}
| style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-13 |title=AwardsWatch - Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards: 'Oppenheimer,' Bradley Cooper, 'Godzilla Minus One' Top Winners |url=https://awardswatch.com/las-vegas-film-critics-society-awards-oppenheimer-bradley-cooper-godzilla-minus-one-top-winners/ |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=AwardsWatch |language=en-US |archive-date=December 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213203518/https://awardswatch.com/las-vegas-film-critics-society-awards-oppenheimer-bradley-cooper-godzilla-minus-one-top-winners/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
! rowspan="2" scope="row" | [[San Diego Film Critics Society]]
| rowspan="2" |December 19, 2023
|[[San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Performance by an Ensemble|Best Performance by an Ensemble]]
| The cast of ''A Haunting in Venice''
|{{Runner-up}}
| rowspan="2" |<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2023-12-15 |title=AwardsWatch - San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Nominations |url=https://awardswatch.com/san-diego-film-critics-society-sdfcs-nominations/ |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=AwardsWatch |language=en-US |archive-date=December 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215172434/https://awardswatch.com/san-diego-film-critics-society-sdfcs-nominations/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-20 |title=AwardsWatch - San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Awards: Kelly Fremon Craig's 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.' Named Best Picture |url=https://awardswatch.com/san-diego-film-critics-society-sdfcs-awards-kelly-fremon-craigs-are-you-there-god-its-me-margaret-named-best-picture/ |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=AwardsWatch |language=en-US |archive-date=December 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220014455/https://awardswatch.com/san-diego-film-critics-society-sdfcs-awards-kelly-fremon-craigs-are-you-there-god-its-me-margaret-named-best-picture/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|Best Youth Performance (for a performer under the age of 18)
|Jude Hill
|{{nom}}
|-
! scope="row"|[[IFTA Film & Drama Awards|Irish Film and Television Awards]]
|[[20th Irish Film & Television Awards|April 20, 2024]]
|Best Production Design
|John Paul Kelly
|{{won}}
|<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2024-04-20 |title=The IFTA Awards 2024: The complete list of winners |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2024/0420/1444742-the-ifta-awards-2024-the-complete-list-of-winners/|journal=RTÉ|language=en}}</ref>
|}

==Future==
In October 2024, executive producer James Prichard hinted at possible future installments, stating that much like ''A Haunting in Venice'', future films could potentially break from the norm and add other elements besides the supernatural. "If Ken [Branagh] wants to do more, and Michael [Green] wants to write more, we'll certainly do another. There's a lot of material still to go, so we're not going to run out of inspiration."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/a-haunting-in-venice-poirot-paranormal-james-prichard-interview/|title=A Haunting in Venice producer on why the franchise is leaning into the supernatural: "We can't do the same thing over and over"|website=Games Radar|last=Smith|first=Neil|date=August 15, 2023|access-date=October 24, 2024}}</ref>

That same month, 20th Century Studios boss Steve Asbell confirmed that other Agatha Christie stories will be adapted including ''[[And Then There Were None]]'', ''[[The Witness for the Prosecution]]'', and a ''[[Miss Marple]]'' film.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Borys |last=Kit |date=October 24, 2024 |title=A Secret 'Predator' Movie, An 'Alien' Sequel and 'Speed 3' on the Table: A Chat with 20th Century Studios Boss Steve Asbell |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/predator-movie-an-alien-sequel-speed-3-1236042464/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241024183312/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/predator-movie-an-alien-sequel-speed-3-1236042464/ |archive-date=October 24, 2024 |access-date=October 24, 2024 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
Line 133: Line 200:


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category|A Haunting in Venice (2023 film)}}
* {{Official website|https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/a-haunting-in-venice}}
* {{Official website|https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/a-haunting-in-venice}}
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{allMovie title|12683146087}}
* ''[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/a_haunting_in_venice A Haunting in Venice]'' at [[Rotten Tomatoes]]


{{Hercule Poirot}}
{{Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot|state=collapsed}}
{{Kenneth Branagh}}
{{Kenneth Branagh}}
{{Hercule Poirot}}
{{Michael Green}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Film|United States|Speculative fiction}}
{{Portal bar|Film|United States|Speculative fiction|2020s}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Haunting in Venice, A}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haunting in Venice, A}}
[[Category:20th Century Studios films]]
[[Category:2023 thriller films]]
[[Category:2020s American films]]
[[Category:2020s American films]]
[[Category:2020s English-language films]]
[[Category:2020s English-language films]]
[[Category:2020s mystery thriller films]]
[[Category:2020s mystery thriller films]]
[[Category:2020s supernatural thriller films]]
[[Category:2020s supernatural thriller films]]
[[Category:20th Century Studios films]]
[[Category:American detective films]]
[[Category:American detective films]]
[[Category:American films about Halloween]]
[[Category:American haunted house films]]
[[Category:American mystery thriller films]]
[[Category:American mystery thriller films]]
[[Category:American sequel films]]
[[Category:American sequel films]]
[[Category:American supernatural thriller films]]
[[Category:American supernatural thriller films]]
[[Category:Films about filicide]]
[[Category:Films about poisonings]]
[[Category:Films about post-traumatic stress disorder]]
[[Category:Films about suicide]]
[[Category:Films affected by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike]]
[[Category:Films based on British novels]]
[[Category:Films based on British novels]]
[[Category:Films based on crime novels]]
[[Category:Films based on crime novels]]
[[Category:Films based on Hercule Poirot books]]
[[Category:Films based on Hercule Poirot books]]
[[Category:Films directed by Kenneth Branagh]]
[[Category:Films directed by Kenneth Branagh]]
[[Category:Films produced by Kenneth Branagh]]
[[Category:Films produced by Ridley Scott]]
[[Category:Films produced by Ridley Scott]]
[[Category:Films scored by Hildur Guðnadóttir]]
[[Category:Films scored by Hildur Guðnadóttir]]
[[Category:Films set in 1947]]
[[Category:Films set in palaces]]
[[Category:Films set in Venice]]
[[Category:Films set in Venice]]
[[Category:Films shot at Pinewood Studios]]
[[Category:Films shot at Pinewood Studios]]
[[Category:Films shot in Venice]]
[[Category:Films shot in Venice]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Michael Green (writer)]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Michael Green (writer)]]
[[Category:Murder mystery films]]
[[Category:American murder mystery films]]
[[Category:Scott Free Productions films]]
[[Category:Scott Free Productions films]]
[[Category:TSG Entertainment films]]
[[Category:TSG Entertainment films]]
[[Category:Films set in 1947]]
[[Category:Films set in the 1940s]]
[[Category:Films set in the 20th century]]
[[Category:Films set in Italy]]
[[Category:English-language mystery thriller films]]

Latest revision as of 18:02, 10 December 2024

A Haunting in Venice
Theatrical release poster
Directed byKenneth Branagh
Screenplay byMichael Green
Based onHallowe'en Party
by Agatha Christie
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyHaris Zambarloukos
Edited byLucy Donaldson
Music byHildur Guðnadóttir
Production
companies
Distributed by20th Century Studios
Release dates
Running time
103 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$60 million[2]
Box office$122.3 million[3][4]

A Haunting in Venice is a 2023 American supernatural mystery horror film produced and directed by Kenneth Branagh from a screenplay by Michael Green, loosely based on the 1969 Agatha Christie novel Hallowe'en Party. It serves as a sequel to Death on the Nile (2022) and is the third film in which Branagh stars as the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot.[5] The ensemble cast includes Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Michelle Yeoh.

A Haunting in Venice was released in the UK on the 11th of September 2023 (Odeon Luxe Leicester Square) and in the United States on the 15th of September 2023 by 20th Century Studios. The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed $122.3 million worldwide.

Plot

[edit]

In 1947, Hercule Poirot has retired to Venice, having lost his faith in God and humanity, with ex-police officer Vitale Portfoglio as his bodyguard. Mystery writer Ariadne Oliver persuades Poirot to attend a Halloween party and séance at the palazzo of famed opera singer Rowena Drake, wishing to expose Joyce Reynolds—a World War I army nurse turned medium—as a fraud. The palazzo, a former orphanage, is believed to be haunted by the spirits of orphaned children who were locked up and abandoned to die there during a city-wide plague; rumors claim that the spirits torment any nurses and doctors who dare enter.

Rowena has hired Joyce to commune with her daughter Alicia, who committed suicide after Alicia's fiancé, chef Maxime Gerard, ended their engagement. Among the guests are Rowena's housekeeper Olga Seminoff, Drake family doctor Leslie Ferrier and his son Leopold, and Joyce's Romani assistant Desdemona Holland; they are joined by Maxime right before the séance, and during it Poirot reveals Desdemona's half-brother Nicholas—and Joyce's second assistant—hiding in the chimney. Joyce suddenly speaks in Alicia's voice, saying that one of the guests murdered her. Poirot confronts Joyce, who insists he lighten up, gives him her mask and robe, and cryptically says they will not meet again. Seconds later, an unknown assailant nearly drowns Poirot when he is apple bobbing, while Joyce falls from an upper story and is impaled on a courtyard statue.

With a storm cutting off the palazzo, Poirot interviews the guests, during which he witnesses manifestations of Alicia's ghost and hears a young girl humming a tune. The investigation yields perplexing results:

  • Leslie, severely traumatized by his experiences at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, is in love with Rowena.
  • Maxime, who was not initially invited, ended his and Alicia's engagement because Rowena disapproved of him, and Alicia was obsessed with keeping her mother happy.
  • Nicholas and Desdemona have been stealing from Joyce, intending to travel to St. Louis, Missouri, which they became enamoured with after partly seeing Meet Me in St. Louis at a displaced persons camp.
  • Leopold claims to hear the same voice(s) Poirot has been hearing, a claim later also made by Leslie.

When the guests discover an underground chamber containing children's skeletal remains and bees, Leslie suffers a panic attack and nearly kills Maxime. He is locked inside the music room to recover, Rowena giving Poirot the only key. After examining Maxime's invitation, Poirot deduces Ariadne sent it and is conspiring with Vitale: Vitale, who investigated Alicia's death and resigned from the police as a result of the case, gave Joyce private details, while Ariadne had hoped to use Poirot's inability to explain the supernatural as a plot for her next book. Leslie is then found dead with a knife in his back.

Gathering the remaining guests, Poirot reveals Rowena caused the deaths of Alicia, Joyce and Leslie, hoping to pass them off as part of the children's curse. Obsessed with keeping Alicia for herself, Rowena poisoned her with small doses of the honey of Rhododendron ponticum (see Mad honey), weakening and then caring for a hallucinating Alicia (the same honey seemingly caused Poirot's visions) to isolate her from Maxime when they planned to reconcile; the night of Alicia's suicide, Olga unknowingly gave Alicia tea containing a fatal dose and Rowena, fearful of exposure, staged everything. When blackmail threats arrived, Rowena suspected either Joyce or Leslie. She attempted to drown Poirot, realized that she had mistaken him for Joyce, and then pushed Joyce to her death. Later, over the palazzo's internal phone line, she forced Leslie to stab himself by threatening to kill Leopold. When Poirot confronts Rowena on the roof, Alicia's ghost seems to appear to them both, pulling Rowena down off the building and into the canal where she drowns.

As dawn breaks, Poirot parts ways with Ariadne and Vitale, but chooses not to report the latter's fraud. Later, Poirot privately confronts young Leopold, the true blackmailer who needed to support himself and his father: Leopold had identified the poisoning signs that his physician father missed and realized Rowena's first starring role was in Mitridate, re di Ponto, an opera, whose lead character, Mithridates VI Eupator, is the "king of poisons". Poirot suggests Leopold and Olga clear their consciences by financially helping the Hollands begin anew in St. Louis. His faith mostly restored, Poirot returns home to accept new cases.

Cast

[edit]

Additionally, Rowan Robinson stars as Alicia Drake, Rowena's deceased daughter, while Amir El-Masry portrays Alessandro Longo, a young man seeking Poirot's help, and Vanessa Ifediora plays Sister Maria Felicitas, a nun.

Production

[edit]

Development

[edit]

The president of 20th Century Studios, Steve Asbell, revealed in March 2022 that a script for a third Hercule Poirot film had been written by Michael Green, with Kenneth Branagh set to return as director and star.[6][7] The film was loosely based on Hallowe'en Party, a lesser-known Poirot novel, for the plot.[7][8] The film was confirmed in October 2022, with Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Kelly Reilly and Michelle Yeoh among the cast.[9] Branagh described the film as a "supernatural thriller" rather than a full-fledged horror film.[10]

Filming

[edit]

Filming began on October 31, 2022,[9] with production occurring between Pinewood Studios, on D Stage and Q Stage, and Venice.[11][12]

Locations and sets

[edit]
The real Campo San Boldo

For the haunted palazzo, a film set was built in Pinewood Studios, of the immediate surroundings of the palazzo, as well as all the interiors. For inspiration a number of real palaces was used, like the Doge's Palace, the Ca' Sagredo Hotel and the Palazzo Pisani Gritti, also a hotel.[13][14] The piano nobile (or bel étage) of the building has a fresco inspired by "The Wedding of Psyche", a painting by the Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones.[15] The set of the exterior of the palace was based on the Venetian square Campo San Boldo. Some nighttime scenes were actually shot at that location.[16]

Garden of the Palazzo Malipiero, looking towards the Grand Canal
Ponte dei Conzafelzi

Another set of the palazzo was built in the English town of Reading. This was a one third scale model, to be used for scenes of water splashing against the palace.[17]

The home of Poirot consisted of several locations. The roof terrace, which can be seen at the beginning and the end of the film, is part of the Venice Conservatory. The garden belongs to the Palazzo Malipiero.[13] The Palazzo Malipiero is in the Campo San Samuele. Apart from the garden of the palace other exteriors can be seen in the film, for instance in the scene where Poirot tries to escape the crowd of potential clients waiting at his front door.[12]

San Giorgio Maggiore Island was used for a market scene.[13] The Campiello dei Miracoli and Campo Santa Maria Nova were used for the scene where Ariadne Oliver tries to entice Poirot to participate in a séance.[18][19] The Piazza San Marco can be seen early in the film, just like the top bell and the figures of St Mark's Clocktower, also on the square.[12]

The Grand Canal was used in the film as well as some of the smaller canals, like Rio dei Mendicanti and Rio del Pestrin. Poirot crosses the iron bridge, Ponte dei Conzafelzi, on this latter canal.[19]

Music

[edit]

Hildur Guðnadóttir composed the score for the film in April 2023, marking the first in the series not to be composed by Branagh's frequent collaborator Patrick Doyle.[20] The film's soundtrack album was released by Hollywood Records on September 15, 2023.[21]

Release

[edit]

A Haunting in Venice was released in the United States on September 15, 2023, by 20th Century Studios.[22] The film had its red carpet premiere at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square at the West End London on September 11 with none of the cast members in attendance due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[23]

The film was released on digital platforms on October 31, followed by a Blu-ray and DVD release on November 28.[24]

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

A Haunting in Venice grossed $42.5 million in the United States and Canada, and $79.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $122.3 million.[4][3]

In the United States and Canada, A Haunting in Venice was projected to gross around $12 million from 3,305 theaters in its opening weekend.[2] The film made $5.5 million on its first day, including $1.2 million from Thursday night previews (up from Nile's $1.1 million). It went on to debut to $14.3 million, an improvement from Nile's $12.9 million opening, and finished second behind holdover The Nun II.[25] The film made $6.3 million in its second weekend, finishing in third.[26]

In the United Kingdom, it became the second highest-grossing horror film of 2023, grossing approximately $12.5 million.[27]

Critical response

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 75% of 293 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "A darker and spookier spin on Branagh's Poirot, A Haunting in Venice is a decent Halloween snack whose undemanding mystery gets a lift from nifty visuals and an all-star cast."[28] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 63 out of 100, based on 52 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[29] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale, same as the first two installments, while those polled at PostTrak gave it a 73% overall positive score, with 48% saying they would definitely recommend the film.[25]

Jason Zinoman, writing for The New York Times, called the film a "whodunit with a splash of horror" and wrote: "In straddling genres, Haunting can get stuck in the middle. But there's fun to be had there. What's consistent is the elegant visuals – striking cinematography by Haris Zambarloukos – which mark this movie's real genre as lavish old-fashioned Hollywood entertainment."[30] Justin Chang of the Los Angeles Times said: "What lingers from this movie isn't the usual assemblage of clues and red herrings [..] but a free-floating air of grief, much of it rooted in the characters' turbulent memories of the war just a few years earlier".[31] Similar sentiment was echoed by Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post who described the film as "moody", they both praised the cast's performances.[32][31] Saibal Chatterjee wrote for NDTV: "A Haunting In Venice, a couple of jump scares notwithstanding, may not chill you to the bones but as a story focused on the emotional and psychological fallout of a devastating war, it works brilliantly".[33]

Matt Zoller Seitz acclaimed the screenplay, direction and production values and said: "Movies are rarely directed in this style anymore".[34] He added that it was an "empathetic portrayal of the death-haunted mentality of people from Branagh's parents' generation". Seitz and critic Michael Phillips (the Chicago Tribune) named it best of Branagh's Hercule Poirot films.[35] The latter found the cast's acting "pretty crafty". About the performances, Mark Kermode said: " [...] everyone is given a 110 percent but not in a completely scenery chewing fashion, in a way that mixes old-fashioned and newfangled".[36]

Some critics pointed out that the film struggled in its character development. Kristen Lopez, writing for TheWrap, felt that almost all the characters were underdeveloped due to the attention given to the production values, but praised the performances, singling out Reilly, Dornan and Yeoh.[37] The Guardian's chief film critic Peter Bradshaw also thought the film wasted its cast, awarding it two out of five stars.[38]

In a negative review, critic Caryn James found the film "uninvolving" and said: "The new film is much pokier in its pacing, with duller characters".[39] She commended Branagh, Fey and Cottin's performances, while stating that so many actors in the cast were "sleepwalking". In an equally negative review, David Fear of Rolling Stone called the film "anemic and sluggish" and said audiences would be "bored to death."[40]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
British Film Designers Guild Awards February 25, 2024 Best Production Design – Major Motion Picture – Period John Paul Kelly, Peter Russell and Celia Bobak Won [41]
Hollywood Music in Media Awards November 15, 2023 Original Score — Horror/Thriller Film Hildur Guðnadóttir Won [42]
International Film Music Critics Association Awards February 22, 2024 Best Original Score For a Horror/Thriller Film Nominated [43]
Las Vegas Film Critics Society December 13, 2023 Youth in Film (Male) Jude Hill Won [44]
San Diego Film Critics Society December 19, 2023 Best Performance by an Ensemble The cast of A Haunting in Venice Runner-up [45][46]
Best Youth Performance (for a performer under the age of 18) Jude Hill Nominated
Irish Film and Television Awards April 20, 2024 Best Production Design John Paul Kelly Won [47]

Future

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In October 2024, executive producer James Prichard hinted at possible future installments, stating that much like A Haunting in Venice, future films could potentially break from the norm and add other elements besides the supernatural. "If Ken [Branagh] wants to do more, and Michael [Green] wants to write more, we'll certainly do another. There's a lot of material still to go, so we're not going to run out of inspiration."[48]

That same month, 20th Century Studios boss Steve Asbell confirmed that other Agatha Christie stories will be adapted including And Then There Were None, The Witness for the Prosecution, and a Miss Marple film.[49]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "A Haunting in Venice (12A)". BBFC. August 15, 2023. Archived from the original on November 16, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  2. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 13, 2023). "A Haunting In Venice Hopes To Scare Nun 2 From Top Spot At Box Office – Preview". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "A Haunting in Venice – Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "A Haunting in Venice (2023)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  5. ^ Vlessing, Etan (July 19, 2023). "Kenneth Branagh Battles Supernatural Forces in 'Haunting in Venice' Trailer". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  6. ^ Kit, Borys (March 3, 2022). "10-Plus Movies a Year for Hulu, 'Avatar' (For Real!), More 'Free Guy': 20th Century Studios President on Company's Future". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Massoto, Erick (March 3, 2022). "A Third Hercule Poirot Film Has Been Written, Says 20th Century Studios President". Collider. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  8. ^ Dubiel, Bill (September 15, 2023). "A Haunting In Venice Book Changes: 10 Biggest Differences To Agatha Christie's Hallowe'en Party". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Kit, Borys (October 10, 2022). "Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Michelle Yeoh, Jude Hill Join Kenneth Branagh in Agatha Christie Mystery A Haunting in Venice". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  10. ^ Davids, Brian (April 26, 2023). "Kenneth Branagh Talks 'A Haunting in Venice' and How His Murder Mystery Franchise Overcame; Death on the Nile' Misfortune". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  11. ^ Panaligan, EJ (October 10, 2022). "Kenneth Branagh's Third Hercule Poirot Film A Haunting in Venice Casts Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh and More". Variety. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  12. ^ a b c A Haunting in Venice Filming Locations: Poirot's Palazzos and Canals by Jane, 15 September 2023, retrieved 22 July 2024
  13. ^ a b c On Location: Venice Takes On a Sinister Air in ‘A Haunting in Venice’ by Emily Zemler, retrieved 22 July 2024
  14. ^ How “A Haunting in Venice” Production Designer John Paul Kelly Built a Possessed Venetian Palazzo by Daron James, 13 September 2023, retrieved 29 July 2024
  15. ^ Behind the scenes of A Haunting in Venice with production designer John Paul Kelly by Paula Benson, 27 September 2023, retrieved 22 July 2024
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  17. ^ Where Was a Haunting in Venice Filmed? by Keira Ezzo, retrieved 22 July 2024
  18. ^ Locations of A Haunting in Venice by Stephen Scourfield, The West Australian, 21 October 2023, retrieved 22 July 2024
  19. ^ a b A Haunting In Venice Filming Locations: How Much Was Filmed In Venice by Antonella Gugliersi, 18 September 2023, retrieved 23 July 2024
  20. ^ "Hildur Guđnadóttir to Score Kenneth Branagh's 'A Haunting in Venice'". Film Music Reporter. April 26, 2023. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  21. ^ DeVore, Britta (September 13, 2023). "A Haunting in Venice Unveils a Three-Song Sample of Hildur Guðnadóttir's Score [Exclusive]". Collider. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  22. ^ Grobar, Matt (October 11, 2022). "Marvel Shifts Release Dates For 'Blade', 'Fantastic Four', 'Avengers: Secret Wars', Next 'Deadpool' Among Disney Moves". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
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  24. ^ "A Haunting in Venice (2023)". www.dvdsreleasedates.com. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  25. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony. "'Nun 2' Scares Off Poirot To Become Mother Superior Of Box Office With $14.7M Second Weekend". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 17, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  26. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 24, 2023). "The Nun 2' Puts 'The Expendables' In Detention At Box Office In What's Shaping Up To Be A Low Weekend For 2023 At $52M". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  27. ^ Falk, Graham (December 22, 2023). "Highest grossing horror films of 2023 in the UK". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on December 22, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  28. ^ "A Haunting in Venice". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved November 5, 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  29. ^ "A Haunting in Venice". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  30. ^ Zinoman, Jason (September 13, 2023). "'A Haunting in Venice' Review: A Whodunit With a Splash of Horror". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  31. ^ a b Chang, Justin (September 14, 2023). "Review: With 'A Haunting in Venice,' Kenneth Branagh's Agatha Christie series hits its stride". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  32. ^ Hornaday, Ann (September 8, 2023). "Review | 'A Haunting in Venice': Branagh's Poirot returns in moody mystery". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 17, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  33. ^ Chatterjee, Saibal (September 16, 2023). "A Haunting In Venice Review: Kenneth Branagh's Classic Whodunit Breaks Genre Norms". NDTV. Archived from the original on September 20, 2023. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  34. ^ Seitz, Matt Zoller (September 15, 2023). "A Haunting in Venice movie review (2023)". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  35. ^ Phillips, Michael (September 14, 2023). ""A Haunting in Venice" is best of Kenneth Branagh's mysteries so far". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  36. ^ Mark Kermode reviews A Haunting in Venice – Kermode and Mayo's Take. Archived from the original on September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023 – via YouTube.
  37. ^ Lopez, Kristen (September 9, 2023). "'A Haunting in Venice' Review: Poirot's Best Adventure Yet". TheWrap. Archived from the original on September 13, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  38. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (September 9, 2023). "A Haunting in Venice review – Branagh's Agatha Christie whodunnit given horror makeover". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  39. ^ James, Caryn (September 9, 2023). "'A Haunting in Venice' Review: Michelle Yeoh and Tina Fey Join Kenneth Branagh in His Snoozy Agatha Christie Adaptation". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 13, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  40. ^ Fear, David (September 16, 2023). "'A Haunting in Venice' Will Bore You to Death". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  41. ^ Frost, Caroline (February 25, 2024). "'Saltburn', 'Poor Things', 'Black Mirror', 'Silo' Among British Film Designers Guild Awards Winners – Complete List". Deadline. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  42. ^ Grein, Paul (November 2, 2023). "Songs From 'Barbie' Pace 2023 Hollywood Music in Media Awards Nominations (Full List)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 3, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  43. ^ "IFMCA Award Nominations 2023". IFMCA: International Film Music Critics Association. February 8, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  44. ^ "AwardsWatch - Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards: 'Oppenheimer,' Bradley Cooper, 'Godzilla Minus One' Top Winners". AwardsWatch. December 13, 2023. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  45. ^ "AwardsWatch - San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Nominations". AwardsWatch. December 15, 2023. Archived from the original on December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  46. ^ "AwardsWatch - San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Awards: Kelly Fremon Craig's 'Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.' Named Best Picture". AwardsWatch. December 20, 2023. Archived from the original on December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  47. ^ "The IFTA Awards 2024: The complete list of winners". RTÉ. April 20, 2024.
  48. ^ Smith, Neil (August 15, 2023). "A Haunting in Venice producer on why the franchise is leaning into the supernatural: "We can't do the same thing over and over"". Games Radar. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  49. ^ Kit, Borys (October 24, 2024). "A Secret 'Predator' Movie, An 'Alien' Sequel and 'Speed 3' on the Table: A Chat with 20th Century Studios Boss Steve Asbell". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 24, 2024. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
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