The world of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot is all at once treacherous and lush, blending beauty and danger into a world you can’t help but want to step into. Actor Tina Fey realized this fact first hand, comparing the set of A Haunting in Venice to a “perfect dark ride at Disneyland” while chatting during the production of Kenneth Branagh’s 2023 new movie release. But would the legendary writer's estate be open to making such a fun-sounding concept a reality?
Well, that’s something I was glad to be able to ask during 20th Century Studios' recent press day for the new movie. Agatha Christie’s great-grandson James Pritchard was on hand to promote this third Poirot mystery. Since learning of the theme park remarks, they had me thinking about what it could be like to have the famed Belgian detective as a presence in any of Disney Parks' locations. So I couldn't help but get Pritchard's take on the matter.
Not everyone would share that sort of excitement but, thankfully, James Pritchard, who also serves as the CEO of the Agatha Christie Estate, didn’t seem to mind it too much. More specifically, he addressed that possibility with CinemaBlend with the following remarks:
I’ll leave that to…I don’t know is the answer. It doesn’t scare me, well it would scare me, probably, to go on it. I probably don’t imagine it, but if someone does have the idea, we’ll cross that bridge.
I’ll admit, this is a bit of an oddball question, as Hercule Poirot isn’t exactly the first name you’d think of when it comes to all things Disney Parks. Then again, after the Destination D23 2023 panel revealed a new Indiana Jones attraction is heading to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, it doesn’t sound like the weirdest stretch.
Though if I’m being completely honest, if this Agatha Christie sleuth was going to pop up at any of the Mouse House’s amusement parks, it’d probably be in EPCOT Center. Unless Monsieur Poirot is somehow the key to saving Dinoland USA from extinction.
In short, Tina Fey’s description of her time on the set of A Haunting in Venice made this amusement park possibility sound so tempting that I had to ask about it. You can judge for yourself after reading those sentiments, which are taken from the production notes for this weekend’s big debut, presented in full, as follows:
I am a big fan of Disneyland’s dark rides, and the sets felt as if you’d gone into the most beautiful, expensive, perfect dark ride at Disneyland and had been allowed to get out of the car. The level of detail in them was incredible, and the fact that the sets were contiguous was so impressive. Most times when you make a movie you are in one set piece and then you go around the door and there’s nothing there, but with this set, you could really walk through the entire house. And it was very dark. I have never been on a set with more candlelight and open flames.
That sort of enthusiasm is infectious, especially when the gorgeously claustrophobic world in A Haunting in Venice is easy to get lost in. It’s the same sort of awe that Death on the Nile’s cast felt when boarding the S.S. Karnak; which was also practically constructed thanks to that film’s production designer, Jim Clay. Considering the third movie in the series shifted those duties off to someone new, and is tonally different from its predecessors, it’s even more exciting to report that a similarly impressive result was achieved.
Whether you’re watching the full film on screen, or if you’re merely encountering the trailer for this spooky Hercule Poirot adaptation, you can't help but marvel at the work that's been put into this fictional universe's construction. Which is probably why Production Designer John Paul Kelly shared my excitement for bringing that world to life for anyone who heads to the happiest place on Earth. Watch the trailer for A Haunting in Venice, and try not to imagine that sort of scenario:
John Paul Kelly expressed well-earned pride, as he discussed crafting the physically present world of Poirot’s Venice. The ingeniously built sets at Pinewood Studios were so well detailed, Kenneth Branagh had hopes that his Haunting in Venice cast just might get lost while trying to navigate their surroundings.
As JP shared with CinemaBlend his agreement with Tina Fey’s description of this constructed reality, he put this further importance on the usage of practical sets:
Oh, it would be great! I’d love to recreate that set in a ride sort of a way. I mean, she’s right. It did feel very like that when you’re in it, and I think really because of Ken’s direction of wanting it to feel complete. It’s very unusual. Obviously, as an audience, you always see a complete world. You imagine every set, in every movie, from Harry Potter to Dark Knight, whatever it is, it’s a 360 set. I don’t know whether they were, but certainly in this case, you were in that world. It felt like you were in it, you’d been whisked back in time. So yeah, it would be a really fun thing to do. I think a fun thing for an audience, certainly anyone who came on the set really had a great time, letting their imagination run away with them.
With the notion of Hercule Poirot showing up at Disney Parks locations in some sort of presence, what could that dream scenario look like? Well, perhaps Disneyland Paris could include an experience that reflects the old school “behind the scenes” experiences that Disney’s Hollywood Studios used to include.
Or maybe Epcot Center could integrate the character as a consulting detective wandering around the park, solving mysteries with guests in various places throughout the World Showcase. Which would be even more fun on days when Poirot pops up in the France section, as he'd undoubtedly be holding court at Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie.
It’s all blissful speculation at this point but, with James Pritchard and John Paul Kelly both seeming to have positive outlooks on the matter, Hercule Poirot could find himself on the radar of Disney Parks decision-makers. Though we’ll have to wait and see if A Haunting in Venice's box office performance warrants a theme park attraction. The movie is set to open in theaters on September 15.
