If you go to the multiplex, it’s not surprising that some sort of sequel to a previous film will be playing. Now, studios consider IP (Intellectual Property) as the big selling point rather than well-crafted storylines or impressive visuals. This alone will pull people into the theater. If the movie happens to have the other two things, then great. This wasn’t always the case.

There was a time when making a sequel was looked at as a hack idea, and most studios passed on the idea. That’s a shame, as there are a lot of great classic movies that deserve a sequel. Even some films that have come out when sequels were popular still missed getting another chance at the big screen. Which movies deserved a sequel?

After Stallone delivered a live-action Judge Dredd film back in the mid-90s, fans of the comics hopped to see a closer adaptation of the violent hero. One that wouldn’t take his helmet off. We finally got one in 2012, and fans greatly enjoyed Karl Urban’s take on the character. Hope for a sequel quickly fell off when the film didn’t earn back its production budget. Despite this, Urban has continued to push for a sequel to the film. Talks have been ongoing about possibly making a sequel series for Netflix or Amazon. With the popularity of Urban’s Amazon series The Boys, this would seem like a no-brainer.

This film showed that the film equation of Arnold Schwarzenegger plus James Cameron creates on-screen gold. A simple computer salesman (who looks like Schwarzenegger, yeah right) is actually a spy. His family has no idea, but when his wife, played by Jamie Lee Curtis finds out, she gets pulled into a world of intrigue and secrets. The film did well at the box office, and audiences enjoyed the fun romp through the world of spies. It seems like getting a sequel together would be easy.

Everyone was interested, but Cameron was working on a little film called Titanic. Once that was over, he was ready to return to the world of True Lies. A script was ordered, and Jeff Eastin was brought on to write it. All the major players liked what had been put together, but the process began to drag on. Once the September 11th attacks happened in 2001, Cameron said he didn’t think he could make the movie. There were a lot of set pieces that involved planes and terrorism, and he felt all that would have to be re-written.

Schwarzenegger then ran for Governor of California in 2003, putting the project on hold. He was still interested in doing the movie once he was out of office, but it never came together. A TV series was created for CBS that was a reboot of the film, but it was canceled after one season.

The quintessential teenager film from the 1980s had viewers deciding if they were an athlete, a princess, a criminal, a basket case, or a brain. By modern standards, the film has a lot of problems, but as a time capsule, it works to show a typical teen comedy/drama from the time period. Five high schoolers get stuck in Saturday detention and discover they may have more in common than they thought.

There were rumblings at one time that a sequel might be in the works. The idea would have seen all the characters reconnect at a high school reunion. Once they started to get to know each other again, they would quickly learn they had become everything they had hated about adults when they were teenagers. It would be hard to capture the lightning in a bottle that the John Hughes films did in the 80s, but it might have been nice to revisit these characters again.

This Halloween anthology was supposed to have a wide theatrical release in 2007 but ended up sitting on the shelf until 2009. It went straight to home video but quickly earned a cult following. Sam is the spirit of Halloween and seems to show up as ghoulish things happen. Five interconnected stories play out as we learn about zombie children, vampires, werewolves, and the importance of giving out candy on Halloween night.

Creator Michael Dougherty has pushed for a sequel to be made as soon as it was released. In 2013, it was officially announced that a sequel was moving forward, but quickly afterward, the management at Legendary Pictures changed. It has been put on hold ever since, but Dougherty says he is still in active development on getting a sequel made. Sam even appeared in new short films on the now-defunct horror channel FearNet, showing him celebrating other holidays.

The good news is, just about everyone involved with this film wants to do a sequel. Why it’s taken this long is anyone’s guess. Emily Blunt has assured everyone it’s not her. A cowardly army officer is put on the front lines of a war with aliens. He kills one of them but is drenched in its blood. Now he keeps jumping back to the exact moment in time any time he dies. He finds someone else who has had the same experience, and together, they try to figure out what is happening and how to win the war.

This movie seems perfect for a follow-up. Even before the film starts, this type of thing has happened before. It’s no stretch to think that it could happen again. Putting our characters in a new situation or location could freshen it up. Emily Blunt has stated there is a script that exists for a sequel. It may just be waiting for everyone’s schedules to line up.

the two finally go toe to toe Everyone’s favorite big-screen maniacs finally faced off in 2003. With a rabid fanbase and a tidy profit from the release, surely a sequel was coming quickly. Unfortunately, this ended up being a one-off. When everyone in Springwood forgets who Freddy Kruger is, he resurrects Jason to begin a killing spree to make everyone think Freddy is back. Jason gets out of hand, and when Freddy is pulled into the real world they finally go toe-to-toe.

I guess it shouldn’t be a big surprise as it took over a decade just to get this film on the big screen. A proposed sequel that would bring Evil Dead‘s Ash into the fold looked like it might happen at one point, but cross-company deals can be hard to hammer out. That went on to become a comic book series, so we at least got to see how the story would have played out. This movie still deserved a sequel.

The most famous day off in cinema could surely use a follow-up. Ferris is one of the most well-known kids in his school. He decides to take a day off from school and goes on an epic adventure with his best friend, Cameron, and his girlfriend, Sloane. Ferris is determined to make his friend Cameron have fun. The school principal is trying to catch Ferris playing hooky but can never catch up to him.

According to Broderick, he and John Hughes discussed what a sequel would look like. They couldn’t find anything that didn’t feel like it was just a copy of the original. After Hughes passed away, there were some ideas of maybe seeing an older Ferris, who was now a high school principal, trying to catch students skipping school, but it never happened. A spin-off film following the valets that take the group’s car for a joy ride in the movie has been discussed but has yet to move forward.

The Goonies end up on a wild adventure that involves bank robbers, pirate ships, and lots of rich stuff. They hope to find the treasure of the pirate One-Eyed Willy. With it, they can stop the town real estate developer from tearing down their homes and keep their friends together. This film was a big hit in cinemas and only seemed to get bigger once it landed on home video.

The idea of a sequel had been thrown around since the early 2000s. Some cast members had been passionate about it happening, while others seemed to think the idea was better left alone. Ideas were about the adult Goonies coming back together to help their kids solve a new dilemma. Richard Donner kept pushing for a sequel to move forward, and Steven Spielberg was open to the idea but said they could never find an idea worthy of the Goonies title. This movie deserved a sequel but does it really need one?

While we got a few Roger Rabbit shorts in front of some Disney properties, we never did get a full-on sequel. The original was set in a film noir-inspired world where toons and humans live together. When Roger is framed for murder, he turns to Eddie Valiant to help find the real killer and clear his name. The film was an instant smash and set the industry on fire with its innovative live-action/animation techniques.

There were talks right away of doing a sequel, but a story couldn’t be settled on. One idea saw a prequel where we would get Roger’s origin as he set out from his midwest home to find his mother in Hollywood. He would meet Jessica and fall in love. While he was drafted into the army to fight during World War II, Jessica would get kidnapped and forced to make Nazi propaganda films. After Spielberg made Schindler’s List, he decided he couldn’t do anything that satirized Nazis and stepped down. Other ideas have popped up now and again of a buddy cop film starring Roger and Mickey Mouse as a loose remake of the film The Stooge.

Bob Hoskins would sign on to do a sequel as late as 2010, but he would sadly pass away before movement on the film could happen. When asked about it, Robert Zemeckis has stated that a script does exist. He doubts it would ever get made as the current corporate structure wouldn’t allow some of the more adult content of the film and wouldn’t allow Jessica Rabbit to be used in just about any form. The time of Roger Rabbit seems to have passed, but he did make a small cameo in the recent Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers.

One of the biggest films of all time doesn’t have a sequel. When an alien is left stranded on Earth, he befriends a young boy named Elliot. Together, they learn about each other and work to get the alien back home to his planet. This film was a monster at the box office and had numerous re-releases in theaters. A sequel could have easily cashed in and made the studio a lot of money. Surprisingly, it wasn’t pushed into production right away.

While the film was crushing in theaters, Spielberg did come up with a treatment for a sequel. It was titled E.T. II: Nocturnal Fears. Elliot and the other kids from the first film are kidnapped by evil aliens. They try to communicate with E.T. to get him to help them. Once everything was written out, Spielberg decided against going forward with it. He felt it betrayed the first film and didn’t want to just cash in. However, Universal didn’t feel as adverse when Elliot and E.T. reunited in a Comcast commercial in 2019.

What are some movie sequels you would like to see? Let us know in the comments.

Pauly Shore is calling on fans to help him land his next big role: that of flamboyant fitness icon Richard Simmons.

What’s up, buuuuuddddyyy? Ready to wheeze the juice and burn some calories? It seems as though Pauly Shore may be gearing up to play reclusive fitness guru, pop culture personality and David Letterman foil Richard Simmons in an upcoming biopic. Feel free to let that sink in before proceeding…

OK, rested up? Paul Shore took to social media to confirm that he has indeed spoken to Richard Simmons about the potential for a biopic, further urging his fans to do their part to make sure it gets greenlit. “I’ve noticed all the reactions to me playing Richard Simmons in a new biopic. So I reached out to him. I heard he’s living deep in Big Bear. We’ve been playing phone tag (yes, he still has a phone). I’m trying to make it happen for you guys. Be optimistic. In the meantime, hit up Hulu, Amazon, Disney, HBO and all the big producers. I definitely can morph into this guy. I’ll see you at the Academy Awards 2025.” Hey, it beats a Bio-Dome sequel!

So let’s unpack this. The guy from Son in Law and the voice of the strangest Pinocchio in cinema history would like to star as the razzle dazzle staple of your aunt’s workout VHS collection. Hey, you know what? The more I write about this the more I think we need Pauly Shore as Richard Simmons. This is officially an all-hands-on-deck mission, people!

Richard Simmons has long been out of the spotlight, so much so that investigations and podcasts have been launched over his well-being. Fortunately, the Sweatin’ to the Oldies icon — who turned 75 over the summer — is apparently doing just fine. Last year, a rep for Richard Simmons was essentially forced into telling the media that he was in good spirits. “Richard is eternally grateful for the continuous outpouring of love and gratitude he has received from across the Globe…He is happy, healthy and living the life he has chosen to live.”

How do you feel about the initiative to get Pauly Shore to play Richard Simmons? Could it work? Let us know below!

Jake Gyllenhaal was considered for Batman in Christopher Nolan’s trilogy while WB wanted Leonardo DiCaprio for The Dark Knight Rises.

Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy could have looked a whole lot different if writer David S. Goyer and the studio had gotten their respective ways. As it turns out, Goyer wanted Jake Gyllenhaal as Batman and Warner Bros. pushed for Leonardo DiCaprio to play The Riddler.

While Goyer admitted on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he actively pushed for Jake Gyllenhaal to play the Caped Crusader, he’s far from being against Christian Bale’s interpretation of Batman; it actually comes across more that he wonders what the trilogy would have been with his choice behind the cowl. “I mean, Gyllenhaal’s amazing, Christian Bale’s amazing, so who knows what.”

And if you think Gyllenhaal as Batman is a huge “What if…?”, consider that the studio thought it would be a good idea to work in one of Hollywood’s biggest stars to step in as The Riddler for The Dark Knight Rises. As Goyer explained, “After ‘The Dark Knight,’ the head of Warner Bros. at the premiere said, ‘You got to do the Riddler. Leo as the Riddler. You got to tell Chris, Leo as The Riddler.’ And that’s not the way we work.”

Jake Gyllenhaal has been tied to Batman before, with rumors floating back in 2017 that director Matt Reeves wanted him as the replacement for Ben Affleck, who himself admits he didn’t exactly “jive” with the idea of developing the character further than he had to. Affleck’s Batman had a cameo in The Flash.

The same year that The Dark Knight Rises hit theaters, DiCaprio instead starred in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, which is undoubtedly one of his strongest performances. Gyllenhaal, meanwhile, led actioner End of Watch. The main villain role went to Tom Hardy, who thankfully wasn’t forced to play The Riddler…

David S. Goyer has a co-writer credit on Batman Begins and story credits on both The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises.

How do you think the casting would have turned out? Could Jake Gyllenhaal have made a good Batman? Is The Riddler the sort of character Leonardo DiCaprio could pull off? Give us your take in the comments section below!

Netflix and creator Eiichiro Oda have announced that cultural phenomenon One Piece has been renewed for a second season.

As if there was ever any doubt, Netflix and One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda have announced that the series has been renewed, which means that the Straw Hats will be back for another season of adventure.

Here’s a message from Eiichiro Oda regarding the renewal of One Piece:

To the Straw Hat Grand Fleet: What did you think of Season 1 of the live-action ONE PIECE? I spent a long time working on it with Netflix and Tomorrow Studios. It seems people around the world have been enjoying the show, which makes the hard work from the production team truly worth it.  

To everyone who’s been a fan of ONE PIECE for years, and to those who experienced ONE PIECE for the first time, thank you so much.

Two weeks after the launch, I just received some great news. Netflix has decided to renew the show! The adventures of Iñaki and the live-action Straw Hats will continue onward!

It’ll still take a while to get the scripts ready, so please be patient.

From here on, it seems to me the Straw Hats will need a great doctor… We will see!”

It was expected that One Piece would be renewed as Tomorrow Studios CEO Marty Adelstein said last week that scripts for the second season are already complete.

“Based on Japan’s highest-selling manga series in history by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is a legendary high-seas adventure unlike any other,” reads the official synopsis. “Monkey D. Luffy is a young adventurer who has longed for a life of freedom since he can remember. Luffy sets off from his small village on a perilous journey to find the legendary fabled treasure, ONE PIECE, to become King of the Pirates! But in order to find the ultimate prize, Luffy will need to assemble the crew he’s always wanted before finding a ship to sail, searching every inch of the vast blue seas, outpacing the Marines, and outwitting dangerous rivals at every turn.“

One Piece stars Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji. Additional cast includes Vincent Regan, Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, Morgan Davies, Aidan Scott, Langley Kirkwood, Jeff Ward, Celeste Loots, Alexander Maniatis, McKinley Belcher III, Craig Fairbrass, Steven Ward, Chioma Umeala and Michael Dorman. The first season of One Piece is now streaming on Netflix, so be sure to check out a review from our own Alex Maidy.

Anna Kendrick’s Woman of the Hour is a solid, true-crime debut for the talented actress. It should play well now that Netflix acquired it.

PLOT: The true story of an actress (Anna Kendrick) who, in the seventies, went on The Dating Game and was matched with Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto), who was later revealed to be a serial killer that may have murdered up to 130 women.

REVIEW: The story behind Woman of the Hour is pretty wild, even as far as true crime goes. While the movie takes several significant liberties with her story, a young actress named Cheryl Bradshaw really did go on The Dating Game in 1978 and chose serial killer Rodney Alcala as her match. While the premise is thin, as there wasn’t much to Bradshaw’s interactions with Alcala beyond the show, Anna Kendrick, who makes her directorial debut from a Black List script by Ian MacAllister McDonald, has put together a chilling film.

Much of the film enters around Alcala’s murder spree, focusing on the young women he won over with his considerable charm (which is why he did well on The Dating Game) and eventually killed. It’s a similar technique to the one Ryan Murphy used in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace in that it humanizes the victims and gives them a voice. It also never glamorizes Alcala or lingers on his crimes, tastefully cutting away before the killings happen (it’s not that kind of movie).

It’s a pretty assured debut for Kendrick, who also keeps herself merely part of the ensemble rather than the focus. Cheryl’s story is essential, but much of the film is centered around Zovatto’s Alcala, with his warm smile and good looks hiding the monster underneath. While certain aspects stretch the premise a little, such as Cheryl’s brother’s girlfriend in the Dating Game audience being someone whose friend was murdered by Alcala, it’s a well-paced and thought-out film.

Much of the plot revolves around a common truth found in many other true crime stories of the era, mainly that people’s concerns weren’t always taken seriously by the police. Kendrick does a good job depicting the casual sexism of the period, with Tony Hale wearing a hideous wig, making his seventies game show host a real sleaze. Kendrick portrays Cheryl as a woman desperate to please, as being an actress, she doesn’t want to be labeled difficult. However, she comes into her own during a fictionalized bit where she goes on a date with Alcala. The men aren’t all two-dimensional either, with the sleaziest contestant on the show trying to warn Cheryl about the bad vibes he’s picking up from Alcala at one point.

Despite working with a limited budget, Kendrick’s done an excellent job evoking the era with its hideous fashions and decor. Despite Alcala’s crimes making for pretty grim fare, Kendrick never makes the film too dour and isn’t afraid to have a little fun depicting the cheesiness of The Dating Game. She also does some interesting stuff visually, with the movie shot in scope by DP Zach Kuperstein and having a nicely atmospheric score by Dan Romer. One thing worth noting is that TIFF had several films by actors turned directors this year. As Michael Keaton’s terrific Knox Goes Away, the supporting cast is given a chance to shine here, with Zovato crafting a nuanced portrayal of Alcala that, while never shying away from the fact that he was a monster, makes us understand how he could seduce women.

Woman of the Hour was the first big sale of TIFF this year, with it snapped up by Netflix. Given their success with true crime, it was a wise purchase, especially if they can pair it with some of their non-fiction programming. I expect it to be a big hit for the streamer when it eventually comes out.

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Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom director James Wan confirms that Willem Dafoe won’t appear in the upcoming sequel.

The first trailer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was finally released this morning, just months before the sequel is slated to hit theaters. Most everyone has returned to reprise their roles, but there is one notable absence: Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko, Aquaman’s mentor.

While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom director James Wan confirmed that Willem Dafoe will not be making an appearance in the sequel. “Willem is not in this one, no,” Wan said. “Part of the reason was because his schedule did not work out for us. But what that allowed me to do was expand on Atlanna’s role. Atlanna in this one ultimately becomes Arthur’s advisor. Because Arthur’s not from this world, she helps him better understand the world and the politics of how things work.” Nuidis Vulko was a definite highlight of the first Aquaman movie for me, so it’s a little disappointing that Willem Dafoe won’t be back for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

“Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all,” reads the official synopsis for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. “This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.“

Jason Momoa stars as Arthur Curry/Aquaman, now balancing his duties as both the King of Atlantis and a new father; Patrick Wilson is Orm, Aquaman’s half-brother and his nemesis, who must now step into a new role as his brother’s reluctant ally; Amber Heard is Mera, Atlantis’ Queen and mother of the heir to the throne; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is Black Manta, committed more than ever to avenge his father’s death by destroying Aquaman, his family and Atlantis; and Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, a fierce leader and mother with the heart of a warrior. Also reprising their roles are Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus and Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will hit theaters on December 20th.

The King’s Man director Matthew Vaughn is rumored to be the top choice to direct the next James Bond movie.

Just as there are many actors said to be in the running to play James Bond, there are just as many directors supposedly being eyed to helm the next installment. Take this with a grain of salt for now, but according to scooper Daniel Richtman, Matthew Vaughn is rumored to be the “top choice” to direct the next James Bond movie.

Matthew Vaughn has come up in regards to directing James Bond before, but he’s previously said that he doesn’t think it would ever happen. “I don’t think the Bond people would touch me with a stick,” Vaughn told ScreenRant in 2021. “I don’t think- They don’t like me. I don’t know. You know, to be blunt. I love Bond. It’s obviously a huge influence on me… You wait till you see Argylle.” He obviously has plenty of experience in the spy genre with the Kingsman franchise, as well as the upcoming Argylle starring Henry Cavill.

Another director who has been in the James Bond rumor mill is Christopher Nolan, and while he’s said that it would be an “amazing privilege” to direct a Bond movie, he would also want total creative control. “You wouldn’t want to take on a film without being fully committed to what you bring to the table creatively,” Nolan said. “So as a writer, casting, everything — it’s a full package. You’d have to be really needed and wanted in terms of bringing the totality of what you bring to a character. Otherwise, I’m very happy to be first in line to see whatever they do.” I doubt Bond producer Barbara Broccoli would want to cede that kind of control to anyone, even Nolan.

Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle stars Henry Cavill as a “world-class spy suffering from amnesia who is tricked into believing he is a best-selling spy novelist. After his memories and lethal skills return, he goes down a path of revenge against the shadowy organization he used to work for, the Division.” The film is set to hit theaters on February 2, 2024 and will be released on Apple TV+ at a later date.

Would you like to see Matthew Vaughn direct the next James Bond movie?

Bad Boys 4 directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah tease “way more comedy” in the upcoming action sequel.

Nearly twenty years after the release of Bad Boys II, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reprised their roles of Detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett in Bad Boys for Life. The film was a big success, and the studio quickly got the ball rolling on a sequel. Bad Boys 4 actually started shooting this spring with Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah returning to direct. Although the production had to pause due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, the directors spoke on The Playlist’s The Discourse podcast to tease what to expect from Bad Boys 4.

Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah didn’t say much, but they did say that Bad Boys 4 will have a lighter tone than its predecessor. “I think that there’s going to be way more comedy,” El Arbi said. “The third one had the dramatic tone. With this one, it’s really our purpose to get people laughing and having a good time in the theater. Martin [Lawrence] is going to a higher level in this one. This is the culmination of the Marcus Burnett arc.“

He also touched upon the possible title of the new movie. “Well, you know, the title that we like – I don’t know that they’re going to go for it yet – would be like ‘Bad Boys Ride or Die’ because ‘Bad Boys 4 Life’ is already taken,” El Arbi said. “We didn’t know there was going to be a fourth one, you know?” Although I normally can’t stand when movies use numbers in the title (I’m looking at you Scre4m), Bad Boys 4 Life would have worked.

In addition to Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, Bad Boys 4 will feature the return of a number of actors from previous movies, including Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, and Paola Núñez. New additions to the cast include Eric Dane, Ioan Gruffudd, and Rhea Seehorn. Tasha Smith is also onboard to play Marcus Burnett’s wife, replacing Theresa Randle, who played the character in the first three movies in the franchise.

Bad Boys 4 is slated to hit theaters on July 14, 2024.

PLOT: While on an early retirement, famed private detective Hercule Poirot finds himself lured back into the world of mysteries. Specifically one fueled by the occult and invisible haunts that go bump in the night.

REVIEW: Kenneth Branagh’s cinematic career began with the Bard. The director’s debut was his bold take on William Shakespeare’s Henry V. The film garnered massive buzz, leading to an Academy Award nomination for his performance and directorial efforts. The praise was so impressive that Branagh was awarded the BAFTA for Best Director. He followed up his early career with a feature film version of Much Ado About Nothing a few years later. And now, with the recent Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, and the upcoming A Haunting in Venice, the man who reawakened Shakespeare is bringing us the gifts of an Agatha Christie cinematic universe. Let’s see if this flick knows how to haunt.

It is post-World War II in Venice. Famed private detective Hercule Poirot (Branagh) is enjoying an early retirement. However, something has pulled him back in. His dear friend Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey) convinces him to entertain in a mysterious seance conducted by the enigmatic Mrs. Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh), and a small series of murders occur. The suspects – and victims – include a mother who lost her daughter (Kelly Reilly), a troubled doctor (Jamie Dornan) and his son (Jude Hill), and, of course, Mrs. Reynolds, Ms. Oliver, and Mr. Poirot himself. Will the legendary detective finally believe in ghosts after all? Or is someone playing a few spooky tricks to frighten those in attendance?

From the first shot, A Haunting in Venice sets up the mysterious element of this ghostly tale. Once again, Branagh takes a literary classic story and breathes energy and fun into the experience. Having appreciated the charms of Murder on the Orient Express, but less so with the recent Death on the Nile, I found this to be a step up. Venice manages to bring a sense of the paranormal into the equation with a few haunted house tropes that are surprisingly effective at times. That’s not to say this is a full-on horror show, far from it, but it successfully offers a few moments that may give some viewers a slight jolt. While the ghostly elements are kept simple, they work well enough to create something sinister in the story.

Regarding performances, I’ve always admired Branagh and his ability to do so much. It is challenging for a performer to direct himself, especially in a leading role. Thankfully, the actor side of Kenneth is superb. His Poirot remains an engaging take on this famous crime stopper. Unsurprisingly, the terrific Kelly Reilly and Jamie Dornan add so much depth to their roles. Ultimately, the two are especially sympathetic – to a point – and it only adds to the final reveal. The excellent Michelle Yeoh is also enjoying well-deserved success as of late. The actress isn’t required to do much here, but she makes it all work wonders. While it seems light on the star power as opposed to the past couple of films, A Haunting in Venice may be the most satisfying of Branagh’s current love letters to Agatha Christie.

As well-directed and well-cast as it may be, the mystery isn’t all that mysterious. Some viewers just looking for a fun puzzle of a movie will be engaged by the charms of Fey and Branagh. And even if you are desperate to delve into a twisted mystery, you perhaps won’t get something too intricate with an Agatha Christie adaptation. Ultimately, Branagh has continued to bring the author into the modern era in a fun and delightful way. And frankly, I love taking classic works and giving them new life. Branagh’s talent for bringing older stories to modern audiences has always impressed me. And while his journey into Poirot may not be as awe-inspiring as his Henry V, it’s nice to see the classics explored in such an entertaining way.

A Haunting in Venice may not break new ground regarding classic mysteries on the big screen. Yet it certainly offers a fun and impressively shot feature with a near-perfect performance from Branagh. Jamie Dornan, Kelly Reilly, and Michelle Yeoh also add to the spooky tale centered around a haunted house. You’ll happily attend if you’ve found some entertainment in Branagh’s Christie-verse. Who knew classic mysteries could be so cool? Even if you aren’t a believer, this current flick offers a tasty sprinkle of the paranormal. If you are looking for an early Halloween treat, maybe this little ghost story will do the trick.

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