John Malkovich to play Hercule Poirot in Agatha Christie’s The ABC Murders

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Several actors have played the role of Hercule Poirot over the decades, the most recent being Kenneth Branagh in last year's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, and now it seems that John Malkovich will be joining them. The actor is set to play the role of the famed Belgian detective in THE ABC MURDERS, a three-part BBC series which is set to kick off production next month.

Rupert Grint (HARRY POTTER) is also set to star in THE ABC MURDERS as Inspector Crome, with the rest of the cast consisting of Andrew Buchan (Broadchurch), Eamon Farren (Twin Peaks), Tara Fitzgerald (Game of Thrones), Bronwyn James (Harlots), and Freya Mavor (The Sense of an Ending). Based upon the 1936 Agatha Christie novel, THE ABC MURDERS will follow "Poirot as he faces a serial killer known only as A.B.C. First the killer strikes in Andover, then Bexhill, then Churston. As the murder count rises, the only clue is the copy of The ABC Railway Guide at each crime scene." Alex Gabassi (The Frankenstein Chronicles) will direct with Sarah Phelps (The Casual Vacancy) set to pen the mini-series. In a statement, Phelps said, "'The ABC Murders’ is a brutal story of violence and lies, the long shadow of the past and the slaughter to come. At its center [is] one of the most familiar, famous characters in crime fiction. We may all think we know Poirot, but do we really know Hercule?" James Prichard, executive producer and CEO of Agatha Christie Limited, added:

'The ABC Murders’ is one of my great-grandmother’s most unsettling and intense stories and Hercule Poirot one of her most intriguing characters. I am most excited to experience the unique approach John Malkovich will bring to the role in this thrilling one-off television adaptation.

In addition to THE ABC MURDERS, we'll also be seeing Hercule Poirot back on the big-screen played by Kenneth Branagh in DEATH ON THE NILE. The sequel will once again be directed by Branagh and will find the famed Belgian detective on vacation in Egypt when he becomes involved in a love-triangle gone murderously wrong. As with MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, much of the sequel will take place in one location, this time on the Karnak, a paddle steamer touring Egypt along the Nile River, so get ready for another all-star cast and a few twists and turns as Poirot endeavors to crack the case. DEATH ON THE NILE is already slated for a November 8, 2019 release.