Murder on the Orient Express is one of the most famous mystery tales of the 20th century, making it ripe for a cinematic adaptation back in 1974 that starred Albert Finney, Sean Connery and Vanessa Redgrave among others. Over 40 years after that movie's release, Hollywood is gearing up to remake the story for release in 2017. The new Murder on the Orient Express already has an immense cast assembled, and the lineup just grew bigger with the addition of Academy Award-winning actress Penelope Cruz.
Cruz is the latest actor to join Murder on the Orient Express, although Deadline didn't provide any information about who she will play. This will be her latest high profile movie, with her more recent appearances on the big screen including Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, The Brothers Grimsby and Zoolander No. 2. Cruz joins a cast that includes Kenneth Branagh (who is also directing the movie), Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dame Judi Dench, Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad and Michael Pena, to name a few.
Although the report didn't say which character Penelope Cruz will play in Murder on the Orient Express, there are two major candidates left over who haven't been accounted for in the cast, and like the majority of the story's players, they're both murder suspects. The first is Hildegarde Schmidt, the maid to the wealthy Princess Dragomiroff. The second character is Greta Ohlsson, a Swedish missionary. Since the remake is making changes with some of the characters' ethnicities and backgrounds, it stands to reason that one of the women mentioned could be adjusted to fit Cruz. That said, since Michael Pena has been cast as Marquez, a character who didn't appear in the original story, there's always the possibility that Cruz is also playing someone brand new.
Based on the Agatha Christie-penned novel released in 1934, Murder on the Orient Express will follow the detective Hercule Poirot, arguably Christie's greatest creation. While stuck on a train that's been delayed due to unfortunate weather, Poirot must solve the murder of one of his fellow passengers. Accomplishing this is easier said then done, though, as not only is he without certain resources because of being on a stranded train, but all of his fellow passengers in the coach are suspects. Using his intellect and deductive reasoning, he'll soon pieces together the real identity of the deceased and how the other passengers are connected to the man. Although this remake is only the second time Murder on the Orient Express is being told on the big screen, it's not the most recent adaptation of the story, as the TV series Agatha Christie's Poirot tackled the tale in 2010.
Murder on the Orient Express is expected to hit theaters on November 22, 2017.
