‘A Haunting in Venice’ cast and characters, explained

Hold onto your mustaches! Sir Kenneth Branagh is back as Hercule Poirot for another mystery-solving adventure, and this one has all of the spine-tingling and unnerving requirements to ensure it becomes not just a step in his journey, but the most terrifying case he’s ever taken on.

A Haunting in Venice invites audiences to a one-of-a-kind Halloween party, and while we’re spooky season lovers at heart, it doesn’t take long to recognize that this is one gathering we’ll wish we’d skipped RSVP-ing to. Halloween is a window of time when the masses release themselves from the routine they exist in and don masks and costumes portraying someone else entirely, but A Haunting in Venice is based on a different kind of horror: The kind no temporary facade can help you escape from.

With a storyline that multifaceted, what kind of cast will carry it to fruition? One that’s not afraid to dig into the darkest parts of themselves, comprised of some of the most talented and brilliant names in entertainment, and the characters they’ll soon breathe life into are among the most complex, deeply pained, and skillfully sarcastic we’ve seen yet.

Who stars in A Haunting in Venice?

Carrying the story of A Haunting in Venice are some of the greatest names in entertainment, and we’ll be seeing a few of them embracing a mysterious and chaotic role for the first time. Inviting us to discover a new piece of their talent, we’ll soon be privy to exciting versions of actors and actresses we already love.

Kenneth Branagh leads the charge as Hercule Poirot, a retired detective who can’t turn his cheek when an old friend brings him in for the chance to debunk claims of a supernatural haunting; one line from the work that inspired the film describes Poirot best:

“There was only one thing about his own appearance which really pleased Hercule Poirot, and that was the profusion of his mustaches, and the way they responded to grooming and treatment and trimming. They were magnificent. He knew of nobody else who had any mustache half as good.”

In addition to Branagh, the cast boasts brilliance in the form of Kelly Reilly as Rowena Drake, a grieving mother and famed opera singer who hopes to use this veil of a Halloween party for the real dream of contacting her daughter once more. Michelle Yeoh breathes life into Joyce Reynolds, a psychic who the iconic Poirot will butt heads with often as he tries to discredit her gift (or curse, depending on who you’re asking). Reynolds is assertive and confident, and she’s also one of the most vulnerable characters in the storyline.

Tina Fey joins the ranks as Ariadne Oliver, the old friend who entices Poirot to come to this Halloween party in the first place. In addition to being convincing enough to get him in the door, she’s billed as a struggling author and a rather “sharp-witted” woman. Kyle Allen plays Maxime Gerard, a chef who was set to be married to Rowena Drake’s daughter, Alicia, but left in hopes of finding riches instead; Rowena has blamed him for her passing ever since.

The talented Jamie Dornan plays Dr. Leslie Ferrier, a character who will take on a different role in the film than he does in the books; as CBR shares, he might actually be a blend of two characters, likely due to the talent Dornan brings to the screen.

Jude Hill plays Leopold Ferrier, a new character to the project and a boy who can best be described as solemn and somewhat rigid, not what you’d expect or hope to see in a child his age. The son of Dr. Ferrier, has he been forced to grow up too quickly, losing that boyish charm and sense of wonder?

Camille Cottin plays Olga Seminoff, a woman who worked closely with the Drake family and has taken on a sense of pain and guilt regarding Alicia’s passing; or does she fear being blamed and losing a stable job? Poirot’s bodyguard, Vitale Portfolio, is played by Riccardo Scamarcio, and while we can assume he’s only here to protect the detective, there’s something there beneath the surface that we’re keeping a close eye on.

What is the plot of A Haunting in Venice?

Based upon Agatha Christie’s Hallowe’en Party, the film is a whodunnit mixed with a paranormal fright-fest, and audiences can’t wait to see it. A Haunting in Venice will give a well-known story a new platform as it soon graces the big screen, and it’s quite a story to behold.

The synopsis for Christie’s Hallowe’en Party reads as follows:

“At a Hallowe’en party, Joyce – a hostile thirteen-year-old – boasts that she once witnessed a murder. When no one believes her, she storms off home. But within hours, her body is found, still in the house, drowned in an apple-bobbing tub. That night, Hercule Poirot is called in to find the ‘evil presence.’ But first, he must establish whether he is looking for a murderer or a double-murderer.”

Murder, evil presences, accidental (or not so) deaths, and people pointing fingers in all directions; for as much as this project will be a murder mystery — and a great one at that — we’re more excited about the way that storyline plays out alongside something supernatural and spooky; landing in the most frightful season of them all.

A Haunting in Venice will creep into theaters on Sept. 15, and we have a feeling many spooks, scares, and spirits await us all.