Christie News

Here you'll find updates from film sets, broadcast dates, publishing news and other announcements from the world of Agatha Christie ...

Login or Register to post a comment

Poirot will be back on TV!

14 Nov 11 6:49AM

We've just had confirmation from our friends at ITV that they are commissioning 5 new Poirot films for production in 2012!

"ITV is delighted to announce that David Suchet will return to his role as Hercule Poirot and complete Agatha Christie's canon of stories about the fastidious and brilliant Belgian detective.

The films, based on the remaining Poirot novels and short stories yet to be filmed, have been commissioned from ITV Studios and Agatha Christie Ltd.

The Poirot films which will go into production during 2012 are:

Labours of Hercules; Dead Man's Folly; The Big Four; Elephants Can Remember; Curtain.

The Poirot films have been commissioned for ITV by Drama Commissioning team Laura Mackie and Sally Haynes. "Poirot is without doubt one of fiction's finest detectives and we're thrilled to welcome him back to ITV1 with his refined approach to crime-fighting" said Laura. "We're equally delighted that David has agreed to play him in the final Poirot films for the ITV1 audience and immensely privileged to be producing Curtain."

As we all know, Curtain is Poirot's last case in which an arthritic and immobilised Poirot calls on his old friend Captain Hastings for assistance as they return to the scene of their first case, Styles Court, to try to prevent an imminent murder. Here at www.agathachristie.com we're just as excited about the other films that are going to be made. Will Dead Man's Folly be filmed at Greenway? How will Labours of Hercules translate to the screen?

David Suchet has often spoken about his ambition to film all the Poirot stories and now he will. He has worn the moustachioed Belgian sleuth's polished spats very successfully for 22 years and starred in a total of 65 films including the iconic and best known title Murder on the Orient Express, which broadcast on ITV1 during Christmas 2010.

David Suchet said "I'm more than delighted to be reprising my role as Poirot. It's been my life's ambition to bring this amazing canon of works to completion on ITV. Poirot is a brilliant, yet profoundly complicated character and I've always loved playing him. He's considerate, with a love of elegance and precision, but he is also so maddeningly frustrating to play as he's so vain and pedantic! What endears me to him the most is his endless love of people. And for all his faults he is one of the greatest listeners in literature. I've been so fortunate to play him."

Mathew Prichard, Chairman of Agatha Christie Limited and Agatha Christie's grandson said: "It is tremendous to renew our partnership with ITV and David Suchet as Poirot, and these five films will be a magnificent climax to over 20 years of David's portrayal of Hercule Poirot."

And you won't have to wait that long to see David Suchet as Poirot on TV again: the Clocks, the latest Poirot film from ITV, will broadcast this Christmas and will star David, alongside an exciting cast including Phil Daniels as Inspector Hardcastle, Jaime Winstone, Tom Burke, Lesley Sharp, Geoffrey Palmer and Beatie Edney and the late Anna Massey. Filmed in London and Dover, The Clocks is adapted by Stewart Harcourt, directed by Charles Palmer and the producer is Karen Thrussell.

More news from the production sets coming soon ....

• 43 comments

Comment on this story

Login or Register to post a comment

43 comments

mstrsims2 05 May 12 at 12:51p.m.

i can see how Elephants, Folly, Big 4, and Curtain will translate, but Labors is so diverse.  It would have worked better it they had done them when they were making the short story adaptations.
Although, I could see Poirot could be re-telling the stories to Hastings or Adriane Oliver.   Then in flashback we see abridged versions.  But that's too many stories to carry the plot. I suppose they could do it in a few installments.
I am looking forward to Curtain.  Because in the last few years we've seen Poirot take on a religious slant (Orient Express, Halloween Party) I will be interested to see how they will carry that off.    We'll see  :)

xxchristielover123xx 23 Mar 12 at 9:38p.m.

i really dont want them to film curtian becasue thats the book where poirot dies!!!!! 

kristaroy 24 Feb 12 at 7:17p.m.

Love Poirot. I own all his shows and will buy the last 5 on DVD for certain. I watch my DVD's of his mysteries anytime there is nothing on tv. I said it once any Poirot repeat beats anything on cable or standard television these days. David Suchet plays the greates poirot. He is funny, witty, smart and engaging. When I was sick last year, I watched Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot on PBS. I grew to love both of them and now own all of their shows on DVDs. I am so excited he is finishing off the books. 

TheLastWord 31 Dec 11 at 5:55a.m.

Re 'The Clocks' on UK TV:

1.Hi LadyMary. Re your comment: "We have already seen The Clocks on TV; it aired on 6/26/11":
Out of interest, was that TV broadcast of 26 June 2011 on terrestrial or satellite? We only have FreeView so cannot see pay-per-view channels such as Sky. And we did not notice this ep being 'trailed' in the summer on any of the umpteen Freeview channels (e.g. ITV1 or ITV3).

The 'Radio Times' Xmas-viewing website states: "The long-delayed new Poirot episode, The Clocks, will be broadcast on ITV1 at 9pm on Boxing Day." (www.radiotimes.com/news/2011-11-29/christmas-tv-scheduling-confirmed-for-doctor-who,-strictly-and-downton). This reference to the ep being "long-delayed" seems to state that it has not been on before. Hmmm, someone at RT clearly did not research their subject matter correctly!! ;-D

Would be interesting to know which channel you saw it on, in case we can see see future eps ASAP, on a friend's TV!!

2. IMHO, having now - finally! - viewed 'The Clocks' on Boxing Day, it wasn't half bad!!

P.S. Do NOT want to have to ever view 'Curtain', BTW!! :-(

librarygirl85 21 Dec 11 at 8:01p.m.

I am sooooo excited! I simply cannot wait!!! 

carlotta_adams 20 Dec 11 at 5:20a.m.

Have been trying to find the big 4 movie on youtube for a while and am glad they re making it. GO POIROT!!!

GusHastings 13 Dec 11 at 10:15p.m.

Excelente, Gracias por la informacion y saludos a Todos. Se esperaba una noticia asi !!!

Excellent, thanks for the information and greetings to all. So the news was expected!

judyb 13 Dec 11 at 6:43p.m.

Really good news to see another 5 stories being filmed. But what of the last to short stories - The LeMesurier Inheritance and The Market Basing Mystery - will these be filmed too!

SH4Kinder 13 Dec 11 at 12:48a.m.

That is great news. However, I would like to see that the producers stick better to the original stories by Agatha Christie. The adaptations are often a disaster for the genuine lover of these wonderfully written books.
I totally agree with the above comment and do hope with marvelous David Suchet making the last few Poirot shows, they will STICK TO THE STORY!
I hate it when they completely change the story. Agatha wrote the books so easily to be made into scripts!  Just take her dialog and add scenery and you have a splendid film!
So want Tommy and Tuppance back in Postern of Fate and the other one M or N? with the real actors....Franchesca Anis  and Warwick. They were fabulous and enough years have passed for them to be the middle aged, and elderly Tommy and Tuppance. 
Please DO NOT THOW A MISS MARPLE INTO STORIES SHE HAS NO BUSINESS IN!!!!!! TOTALLY RUINED THE PALE HORSE!  and SECRET AT CHIMNEYS.
WHY do the new shows have to include such wierd stuff that has no business in the plot. Agatha's stories are so good...like Shakespeare...they dont' need to be changed!!!!!!!!

Jane_Doe77 12 Dec 11 at 10:37p.m.

WOW!!! This is the Bomb!! To have the one & only David Suchet complete the set of Hercule Poirot, stories on Film. This is definitely a great Christmas Present.

rosie_b 12 Dec 11 at 10:36p.m.

At last the rest of the films, David Suchet has often said that he wished to film the last remaining books. Well done ITV

Lifesaver 12 Dec 11 at 3:25p.m.

These splendid Agatha Christie series on ITV nowadays come to me sometimes somehow as a real life-saver. They are the best - forget the rest!

jjsum 12 Dec 11 at 1:24p.m.

What do I know being just a Danish person, but for me Joan Hickson was Miss Marple, no one else comes even close. Wasn't she Ms Agatha Christie much preferred actress for the part?
The worst was Geraldine McEwan. McKenzie a little better, and Rutherford - well, she wasn't exactly the timid person I always imagined Miss Marple to be.
As for Poirot - it's like with Joan Hickson - there's only one Poirot: David Suchet.
Hope all the ITV programmes will be shown on TV in my country. 

Bytheway 12 Dec 11 at 12:58p.m.

I agree with GYLAND, I was very disappointed with Orient, since when has Poirot been a religious maniac, I've never read that in a Christie book. Perhaps I was hoping  for too much, I had been waiting and dreaming for the Orient with David for years. Come back Bentley productions all is forgiven!!!! What a waste of Davids incredible talent, and I never thought I say that about a Christie film, unless you count the US one done by Mr Medina. Oh Dear, 'nough said.

bdbrownell 12 Dec 11 at 12:41p.m.

Wonderful News!!! Who do I thank?

MrsOliver 12 Dec 11 at 11:45a.m.

Mr Suchet is the definitive Poirot and I am thrilled that he is going to be able to "complete the set" 
These films are true classics and about the only thing that I enjoy watching again and again as TV repeats!
Thank goodness that the TV execs saw sense at last!

Ladybug1951 12 Dec 11 at 11:25a.m.

Wonderful! I love Suchet as Poirot and am looking forward to some NEW Christie movies.

hp2075 04 Dec 11 at 10:57p.m.

This is exciting news. David Suchet is Hercule Poirot. No one else can play the famous Belgian Detective like Suchet!!!

Kerr52 04 Dec 11 at 8:44p.m.

EXCELLENT!!!
david is perfect and i love the filming with its aura of time, moment and mystery.
how fantastic for him to complete the poirot roles. what a way to go out.
oh yes, if it is the complete set then where are we to go from here?
maybe The Man in the Brown Suit type of story without poirot, marple or tommy and tuppence.
cheeeeeers! 

ErkutSoyer 04 Dec 11 at 5:25p.m.

I wanna film of The Big Four.With action scenes...

abhilasha 03 Dec 11 at 10:22a.m.

Dat is simply osmmmm!!! Was waiting for the good news!!!

GKCfan 02 Dec 11 at 9:35p.m.

It's wonderful to hear that Hugh Fraser will be back.  I hope that Philip Jackson and Pauline Moran return, too.

jakat 29 Nov 11 at 3:39a.m.

im so happy david didnt quit like gereldine mcewan

coffeegirl 27 Nov 11 at 6:17p.m.

We are so excited they are producing more!  I'm especially happy they've chosen new works not already done before.

kitten2011 25 Nov 11 at 10:43p.m.

Hurray, Hurray. I really like Poirot films. I hope they will be shown on BBCA.

earthmist 21 Nov 11 at 7:57a.m.

I am absolutely thrilled to hear this news. David Suchet IS Poirot, and how fantastic that Capt Hastings is back too..... I recently travelled to Torquay (from Australia) and visited the Torquay Museum and walked 'the Christie Mile' I read my first Agatha Christie book when I was 14 years old and now I am a grandmother so..... you could say I have been a fan for many many years.

poison_orange_peak 19 Nov 11 at 11:21p.m.

It's absolutely BRILLIANT that ITV's commissioned the last five stories! The Big Four is still my favourite story so I can't wait to see how that one will be played out on screen. I'm terrified for Curtain, but of course I can't wait for that one either, and The Labours of Hercules.

According to David Suchet's Twitter (yes, he has Twitter!), Hugh Fraser will be back to play Captain Hastings like the good old times! That's the second best news after hearing they'll actually be doing the last five! Can't wait. :D

LadyMary 19 Nov 11 at 10:05p.m.

We have already seen The Clocks on TV; it aired on 6/26/11, and we recorded it.  It was very good.  Glad it's coming on again.

Bastian 19 Nov 11 at 11:33a.m.

This is absolutely wonderful! Does anybody know if Hugh Fraser will come back as Hastings? I sure hope so, it wouldn't be the same without him.

carlotta_adams 18 Nov 11 at 12:20a.m.

YAY Curtain! And bring on The Big Four!!

Tommy_A_Jones 17 Nov 11 at 3:16p.m.

Great News, But Pity there is only 1 Christie over Christmas.

gyland 15 Nov 11 at 10:17p.m.

That is great news. However, I would like to see that the producers stick better to the original stories by Agatha Christie. The adaptations are often a disaster for the genuine lover of these wonderfully written books. I also think that the film version of Murder on the Orient Express with Albert Finney, Ingrid Bergmann, Sean Connery, Loren Bacall, Martin Balsam and others is far better than the new version with David Suchet. Ingrid Bergman got her only Oskar for her role in this superbly casted movie. In the new version the rather annoying Poirot’s prayer scene of Murder on the Orient Express is just too much to digest. My criticism is not against the excellent acting of David Suchet. I prefer his acting many times to that of Albert Finney but it is the script that has changed too much to be congratulated. During the late 1950 and 1960 I happened to make the interesting trip on the Simplon Orient Express several times from Paris to Istanbul. The elegance of the train was without description and the people travelling where as interesting. Poirot always reminds me on my wonderful journeys I did as a young person. I only hope that the new TV series is not too far from the original of the splendid books. Prof. G.Y. Land

MzLemon 15 Nov 11 at 8:53p.m.

I'm really excited about Dead Man's Folly as it's one of my favourites.
I really am looking forward to seeing if they use Richard Hope to reprise his role as Spence in Elephants Can Remember as it's the last story with that character and they left him out of Halloween Story!!!

pauly1138 15 Nov 11 at 1:13p.m.

The Labours of Hercule will be great as mini half-hour episodes every night over a christmas holiday! Dead Man's Folly is a great story, The Big Four is HUGE in scale and requires Poirot to SHAVE!! his moustache off, that will be interesting.
Here is hoping Black Coffee is turned into a stage production so the public can bid a fond farewall to David Suchet and his much-loved alter-ego.

johnwaynefreak 15 Nov 11 at 8:24a.m.

Fingers crossed that Suchet will TAKE TO THE STAGE at some point, touring in "Black Coffee".

hmcovert 14 Nov 11 at 9:58p.m.

This is exciting news, more Poirot and more Miss Maple.  Television at its best.  I hope there will be outtakes from each.  Thanks ITV.

JSnake 14 Nov 11 at 8:10p.m.

Oh no, not Curtain!!!!!!

GKCfan 14 Nov 11 at 6:36p.m.

Hooray!  I also wonder how they'll do Labors.  But what about Black Coffee and "The Lemesurier Inheritance?"

wizcave 14 Nov 11 at 3:43p.m.

Labors of Hercules?  How can that be done as one film?

Agathasmykid 14 Nov 11 at 2:59p.m.

Great news, however the bigger story to come out for me is that "Curtain" has been included in that list.   "The end us upon us."  Sad news, however we all probably knew it was coming.

Simmerings 14 Nov 11 at 2:33p.m.

Best news I've heard in a long time. David Suchet is the perfect Poirot and it's simply delicious to think of the remaining stories being brought to the screen. If the production values are up to the standard of Orient Express, these new episodes will be eternally memorable.

DieKrimis 14 Nov 11 at 2:02p.m.

I am so excited to hear that David Suchet is going to finish the Hercule Poirot stories of Agatha Christie. He is the very best actor for Hercule Poirot and his acting is just amazing. As for the Miss Marple series, it is sad that Margret Rutherford has only done 4 stories and Geraldine McEwan discontinued as well before producing all of the Miss Marple stories. Joan Hickson was also very good. Yet I must say the most recent Miss Marple McKenzie is not my favorite. I am looking forward to enjoy the last episodes of Poirot though.

winterlover 14 Nov 11 at 12:18p.m.

Been waiting for such a long time for my two favorite Christie characters....thank you so much for reviving them,  am looking forward to these shows...cant wait