Pardon me… Are you Aaron Burr, sir? And will you be joining the cast of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, sir?
The answers to that are a resounding yes if you're talking about Tony Award-winner Leslie Odom Jr., who made his mark as Alexander Hamilton's rival Aaron Burr in the Broadway sensation HAMILTON, being in talks to board Kenneth Branagh's remake of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. With Odom's schedule now a bit more open after departing the stage musical, this take on the Agatha Christie novel – which was originally adapted in 1974 by Sidney Lumet and was nominated for six Oscars – appears to be the actor's attempt to capitalize on his recent success and make his mark on Hollywood.
The Christie novel revolves around the murder of an American businessman on the famous train in the title, as several suspects emerged and an investigation took place on the rails. There's no word yet on what character Odom himself would play, but, given how integral he was in HAMILTON's initial success with his incredible performance as Burr, this is a solid addition for Branagh's film. I look forward to seeing what he can do on the big screen next.