Agatha Christie is known as the Queen of Crime for good reason—her contributions to the mystery and thriller genres are unparalleled, and her work continues to influence writers and fans of detective stories and crime fiction alike. During the course of her long career, she wrote 66 novels and 14 short story collections as well as several plays. She's best known for creating two of the world's favorite detectives, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, both of whom continue to charm, delight, and amuse listeners to this day.
Over the 100-plus years since the debut of her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Christie has truly never gone out of style—her books remain beloved by so many. And her masterful use of suspense, wit, adventure, and cunning plot twists paired with her deep understanding of human nature keeps audiences coming back for more. Her work is also some of the most widely adapted of the 20th century. Her stories have been made into Agatha Christie movies and TV shows, radio dramas and stage plays, graphic novels, and even video games.
A brand-new film adaptation is coming out this fall, the third in actor and director Kenneth Branagh's Christie film universe. A Haunting in Venice, based on Hallowe’en Party, hits theaters on September 15. In the meantime, there's a whole world of Christie adaptations to explore. From the classic BBC television series and radio dramas and the critically acclaimed films of the 1940s and 1950s to several newer miniseries and movies, here are 20 of the very best Agatha Christie adaptations.
The Best Agatha Christie Movie Adaptations
And Then There Were None released October 30, 1945, directed by René Clair and written by Dudley Nichols
And Then There Were None is one of Christie's most beloved and popular stories, and as such, it's been adapted many, many times. It's a chilling tale of ten strangers, all invited to a mansion on a remote island, and their growing fear, paranoia, and confusion, as, one by one, they're murdered. It's set the standard for isolated and locked-room mysteries since its publication in 1939. While there are other And Then There Were None adaptations worth checking out (including the 1965 film directed by George Pollock and the 1974 color movie from Peter Collinson), René Clair's 1945 version remains a favorite among many Christie fans.
Witness for the Prosecution released December 17, 1957, directed by Billy Wilder and written by Larry Marcus, Billy Wilder, and Harry Kurnitz
Filmmaker Billy Wilder’s 1957 adaptation of Christie's 1953 stage play received six Academy Award nominations. It's a legal thriller, set mostly in a British courtroom, about Leonard Vole, a man who's accused of murdering the elderly woman who left him all of her worldly possessions. Tyrone Power stars as Leonard and silver screen legend Marlene Dietrich gives a lively performance as his wife, Christine.
Two trainsSide by side for a brief momentIn that moment, a murder
Elspeth McGillicuddy is positive she witnessed a man strangling a woman to death.
But it was only the merest glimpse through a carriage window as the trains drew parallel.
She is the only witness, there are no suspects, and, most importantly, there is no corpse.
Who, apart from her friend Jane Marple, would take her seriously?
Never underestimate Miss Marple
‘All crime writers around the globe owe Agatha Christie a massive debt.’
Peter James
‘Never a dull moment.’
The Times
Following the new-look of Hercule Poirot books for the 21st century.
Mrs McGinty died from a brutal blow to the back of her head. Suspicion fell immediately on her shifty lodger, James Bentley, whose clothes revealed traces of the victim’s blood and hair. Yet something was amiss: Bentley just didn’t look like a murderer.
Poirot believed he could save the man from the gallows – what he didn’t realise was that his own life was now in great danger…
Endless Night released October 5, 1972, directed and written by Sidney Gilliat
With Endless Night, Christie ventured into new and unusual terrain. It has a distinctly eerie and gothic tone different from much of her other work. The story follows a young couple looking forward to a life of bliss in their newly built dream home. But the land they've built the house on is cursed—and it causes them a lot of unexpected strife. Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett star as the doomed couple in this 1972 adaptation, which has the tone of a dark psychological thriller.
Murder on the Orient Express released November 21, 1974, directed by Sidney Lumet and written by Paul Dehn
If you've seen Kenneth Branagh's 2017 adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express but not the original 1974 film, you're in a for a treat! While the newer film is absolutely worth a watch (the production is simply gorgeous), the 1974 version is a classic of British cinema. The all-star cast includes some of the 20th century's most beloved actors, including Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, and Vanessa Redgrave, among others. Albert Finney plays Poirot, who's tasked with investigating the murder of a high-profile businessman on the Orient Express train. The film received five Academy Award nominations; Bergman won for Best Supporting Actress.
Death on the Nile released September 29, 1978, directed by John Guillermin and written by Anthony Shaffer
It's no surprise that Death on the Nile, one of Christie's most famous Poirot mysteries, has also been adapted several times. It's the second Christie movie that actor and director Kenneth Branagh tackled in a recent adaptation released just last year. But like the 1974 version of Murder on the Orient Express, the 1978 Death on the Nile is a must-watch for film and Christie lovers alike. It marks the first on-screen appearance of Peter Ustinov as Poirot, and the star-studded cast of passengers on a luxury cruise along the Nile includes Maggie Smith, Angela Lansbury, and Bette Davis.
The Mirror Crack'd released December 19, 1980, directed by Guy Hamilton and written by Jonathan Hales and Barry Sandler
In this classic Miss Marple story, an avid fan accidentally drinks a poisoned cocktail intended for the movie star she admires so fervently. With the police fumbling the case (as usual), it's up to Miss Marple to figure out who wanted the actress dead—and why. While the film's plot veers away from the original, it captures the inherent tension between the glamorous movie production company and the small, quiet village where they're filming. Angela Lansbury positively shines as Miss Marple.
Shubho Mahurat released 2003, directed and written by Rituparno Ghosh
There have been dozens and dozens of non-English adaptions of Agatha Christie books, made in countries all over the world, from Russia to India to the Philippines. If you're wondering where to start with the many wonderful international Christie films out there, definitely check out Shubho Mahurat. It's a Bengali film directed by Rituparno Ghosh, loosely based on The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side, about an actor who returns to India for the first time in years and gets mixed up in some serious trouble, resulting in the death of another performer.
Evil Under the Sun released March 5, 1982, directed by Guy Hamilton and written by Anthony Shaffer
British actor Peter Ustinov stars once again as Hercule Poirot in this mystery set on the Yorkshire moors. But Ustinov isn't the only name Christie fans will recognize—the movie was directed by Guy Hamilton, who also helmed The Mirror Crack'd in 1980. The story features many classic elements of Christie's work, including a remote setting and various interlocking plots.
Crooked House released October 31, 2017, directed by Gilles Paquet-Brenner and written by Julian Fellowes, Tim Rose Price, and Gilles Paquet-Brenner
If you're looking to brush up on 21st-century Christie films in preparation for the release of A Haunting in Venice this fall, make sure Crooked House is in your viewing queue! It's a mystery and family drama set in one of Christie's favorite places—an old, crumbling estate. When the patriarch is murdered, everyone in the house is implicated, but no one more than his much younger wife. With an all-star cast including Glenn Close, Terence Stamp, and Gillian Anderson, the adaptation has as much intrigue as its source material.
The Best Agatha Christie TV Adaptations
Miss Marple, aired from 1984 to 1992 on BBC
This classic BBC series, starring Joan Hickson as Miss Marple, aired from 1984 to 1992 and was responsible for introducing a new generation of fans to Agatha Christie. Over the course of its run, the show adapted all of the Miss Marple novels, and is known for sticking relatively close to the plots of the original books. If you want to sample the flavor of the series before watching it, Hickson has lent her voice to several Christie audiobooks, including Midsummer Mysteries and Three Blind Mice.
Agatha Christie's Poirot, aired from 1989 to 2013 on BBC
Though it also happens to be very, very good, BBC's Poirot, starring David Suchet as the titular character, deserves recognition simply for the sheer scope of the project. It ran for 13 seasons, for a total of 70 episodes. Every episode draws on a different novel or short story featuring Poirot, and, by the end of its run, the series had adapted every significant novel or short story in which Poirot is the main character. Episodes vary in length between 60 and 90 minutes, and each stands alone. If you're looking to get a sense of classic Christie adaptations but don't know where to start, Poirot is a great choice, starring the inimitable David Suchet and Hugh Fraser from the BBC show.
Agatha Christie's Marple, aired from 2004 to 2010 on ITV
If you enjoy adaptations that play with and expand upon the original material, Marple is the series for you. The show stars Geraldine McEwan as Miss Marple in the first three seasons; in the last three seasons, Julia McKenzie takes the role. Unlike the 1980s BBC series, this more recent ITV series takes many liberties with Christie's books. While the early seasons featured direct adaptations of Miss Marple novels, including The Murder at the Vicarage, The Body in the Library and 4.50 from Paddington, episodes in later seasons insert Miss Marple into the plots of novels in which she never appeared, such as Endless Night and Ordeal by Innocence.
Partners in Crime, premiered July 26, 2015 on BBC One
This six-part British miniseries is an adaptation of two Christie novels starring the husband-and-wife detective team Tommy (played by David Walliams) and Tuppence (played by Jessica Raine). Though the series stays true to the themes of espionage in the original Tommy & Tuppence novels, which are set in 1922 and 1941, the series is set in the 1950s, and focuses on the couple's involvement with British intelligence agencies during the Cold War.
And Then There Were None premiered December 26, 2016 on BBC One
Not surprisingly, there's also a TV adaptation of And Then There Were None—it's one of Christie's most frequently adapted books, after all. This three-part series from 2015 sticks closely to the original plot. Fans and critics alike have praised its high production value and the way it captures the spirit of Christie's work.
The ABC Murders premiered December 26, 2018 on BBC One
This three-part miniseries is an adaptation of Christie's well-known Poirot mystery, The ABC Murders. John Malkovich stars as Poirot, who has the unenviable task of catching a serial killer committing murders in alphabetical order—his first victim's name beginning with A, and 25 more to follow. What's worse, he's toying with Poirot by sending him cryptic clues about his upcoming victims. Malkovich gives a stellar performance, adding his name to the many actors who've given their own unique spin to Poirot's character over the years.
An unabridged Agatha Christie mystery, featuring the young adventurers Lady ‘Frankie’ Derwent and Bobby Jones.
While playing an erratic round of golf, Bobby Jones slices his ball over the edge of a cliff. His ball is lost, but on the rocks below he finds the crumpled body of a dying man. With his final breath the man opens his eyes and says, ‘Why didn’t they ask Evans?’
Haunted by these words, Bobby and his vivacious companion, Frankie, set out to solve a mystery that will bring them into mortal danger…
The Best Agatha Christie Radio Plays
Hercule Poirot, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 1985 to 2007
Two of the most beloved adaptations of Agatha Christie's work aren't movies or TV series but BBC radio dramas. Poirot ran for 22 years, from 1985 to 2007. The series consists of 27 adaptations of Hercule Poirot novels and stories, with each dramatization ranging from one to six episodes. With the exception of the first two adaptations, British actor John Moffatt played Poirot, and became known for his voice in the role. Over its long run, the series adapted most of the stories in the Poirot universe, from the most well-known (Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express) to lesser-known gems (Peril at End House, and Death in the Clouds).
Miss Marple, broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 1993 to 2001, 2015
Like Poirot, the BBC radio dramatizations of Miss Marple ran for many years and were also directed by Enyd Williams. June Whitfield is exquisitely cast as Miss Marple in this long-running radio series. The series adapted all 12 Miss Marple novels between 1993 and 2001, as well as three Miss Marple short stories with 2015's Miss Marple's Final Cases. If you're looking for the perfect audio entry into Miss Marple, many of the original BBC radio dramas are available as audiobooks, including A Moving Finger, Sleeping Murder, and They Do It With Mirrors.
