Unveiling the Sinister Truth: The Ominous Conclusion of the $579M Haunting in Venice Franchise

Summary

A Haunting in Venice's box office has now surpassed $100 million, but the film has fallen short of the previous two entries in the franchise.

The future of the Agatha Christie franchise is now uncertain as the third Hercule Poirot movie is projected to have the lowest earnings. Although it received positive reviews, the change to a horror theme may have caused a disconnect with the older audience that enjoyed the previous films.

A new box office update for A Haunting in Venice has arrived, potentially indicating a negative outcome for future movies in the Hercule Poirot franchise. Kenneth Branagh, the director and star, reprises his role as the brilliant detective in the third installment titled A Haunting in Venice. This movie follows the previous two films, Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, and is based on Agatha Christie's Hallowe'en Party. In this film, Poirot finds himself investigating multiple murders while participating in a séance in Venice. Unfortunately, your browser does not support the video tag.

Now, according to Collider, the box office earnings for A Haunting in Venice have surpassed $100 million, with a domestic gross of $2 million in its fifth weekend. However, the film falls significantly short of the domestic total of $102.8 million achieved by Murder on the Orient Express, and it is just slightly below the domestic earnings of Death on the Nile, which amounted to $45.6 million. Nevertheless, there remains a possibility that the new sequel may reach or even surpass this latter figure in the upcoming weeks. Currently, it appears that A Haunting in Venice is on track to become the lowest-grossing installment in the franchise, raising concerns about the future of Poirot.

A Haunting In Venice's Box Office Performance Explained

The reviews for A Haunting in Venice have been exceptionally positive, making it the highest-rated installment in the franchise. Critics have particularly lauded its eerie ambiance, stellar acting, and impressive production design. Despite the overwhelming acclaim, the film has unfortunately failed to perform well at the box office. There are several potential explanations for this discrepancy.

The film's lackluster performance may be attributed to a shift in tone. Branagh's previous Poirot movies were well-received by an older demographic, who showed great support for Murder on the Orient Express. However, the latest installment, A Haunting in Venice, veered into horror territory, which could have contributed to the franchise's recent disappointment. It's possible that audiences who enjoyed the previous movies prefer predictable, straightforward, and non-scary murder mysteries, which was not the case this time, as the trailers indicated.

Additionally, changing audience behaviors may have played a role in the disappointing performance of A Haunting in Venice. Viewers are now more selective when it comes to choosing which films to see in theaters. The negative reception to Death on the Nile could also have impacted the franchise's popularity. The future of another Poirot movie is uncertain at this point, but the success of the film on video-on-demand (VOD) platforms could determine whether the franchise continues.

Source: Collider