One of the biggest ensemble dramas of the year has aired its first trailer. Agatha Christie’s famous ‘whodunnit’ Murder On The Orient Express is being revamped and released in cinemas in November. While I normally stay far far away from endless remakes, this Kenneth Branagh production seems promising. He does have a knack for being able to draw the most out of a text.
The trailer opens with a snow-tipped train, travelling through blanket-white mountains, the gentle hum of the whistle and wheels creating a soothing atmosphere. The thick Belgian accent of the voiceover declares: “You know there is something about the tangle of strangers, pressed together with nothing in common but the need to go from one place to another and never see each other again.” The pleasant atmosphere is shattered as the screech of the train on the tracks barely masks a horrific scream.
In this re-imagining, it is Johnny Depp who plays the caddish murder victim (perhaps the most likely of his recent films to actually make money) in amongst a host of top Hollywood talent including Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz and Willem Defoe.
The super moustachioed Branagh has cast himself as the little Belgian – “quite possibly the greatest detective in the world.”
The camera then pans through the train, as each of the suspects/travellers rattle off their excuses, their labelled roles lighting up the screen like playing cards in a game of Cluedo.
The tagline reads “Everyone is a suspect” and it will be really interesting to see what Branagh brings to this adaptation.
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