Murder on the Orient Express is on the track...
So, did you read the ITV press release for the upcoming TV version of Murder on the Orient Express? Very exciting, isn’t it, that the time has come where they are actually making this long awaited episode and amazing story...
Also, it turned out that somebody on Wikipedia played tricks on us, rumouring a role for Joely Richardson, but she's not in it. Would have been awesome, though, had it been true.
Well, let me sum things up a bit...
The production team started filming earlier this week in London and has already made some of the scenes where the train is stuck in the snow
(according to Mihai Arsene, an actor who has a minor role in the story as part of staff of Serbian police). The entire episode will film on location in London and Malta (so we’re not going to get a true ice-cold winter landscape with real snow, white all over, I guess... what a pity, I had really hoped for that).
Photo on Flickr - from the documentary on the Orient Express' history, filmed earlier this year. Copyright © All rights reserved. Thanks Pascale!
The Story short (the long version is in the press release):
“The globe-trotting tale follows the detective's fateful journey from Istanbul to Belgrade, where he is called upon to solve the murder of ruthless American businessman Samuel Ratchett. With the train stranded by a snow drift and a dozen international suspects, including English Colonel John Arbuthnot, Hungarian diplomat Count Andrenyi and Princess Dragomiroff, Poirot has to unravel the motives in one of his most puzzling cases.” Press Association
The cast is spiced up with international actors coming from all places - England, France, Germany, Russia, USA, Canada... – and includes:
David Suchet as Belgian sleuth Poirot (er, what a surprise...)
Serge Hazanavicius as Xavier Bouc, Poirot’s old friend and director of the Orient Express.
Dame Eileen Atkins as the Russian Princess Dragomiroff
Susanne Lothar as Hildegaard Smith, Dragomiroff’s nervous maid
Barbara Hershey as the pushy American Mrs Hubbard
Toby Jones as the American businessman Samuel Ratchett
Samuel West as Doctor Constantine, amateur sleuth
Jessica Chastain as the English governess Mary Debenham
Marie-Josée Croze as the Swedish missionary Greta Ohlsson
David Morrissey as the English Colonel John Arbuthnot
Stanley Weber as the Hungarian diplomat Count Andrenyi
Elena Satine as Countess Andrenyi, wife of the Count
Brian J. Smith as Ratchett’s personal assistant Hector MacQueen
Hugh Bonneville as Ratchett’s manservant Edward Masterman
Denis Ménochet as the conductor Pierre Michel
Joseph Mawle as the Italian Antonio Foscarelli
Sam Crane as ?
The episode is directed by Emmy and BAFTA Award winner Philip Martin, adapted by Stewart Harcourt, produced by Karen Thrussell, and with Suchet as associated producer.
Karen Thrussell says: "We're all incredibly delighted that 21 years after David Suchet first played Hercule Poirot he is now starring in arguably the most ingenious and best loved Agatha Christie title of all time." – ITV press release
David Suchet says: “It's an honour to have such a wonderful international cast on board for this world famous murder mystery. Writer, Stewart Harcourt, has created an exquisite script. His attention to detail is impeccable.” – ITV press release
ITV hasn't revealed when it will air, but guess sometime next year would be plausible.
A little You Tube intro to the episode
According to 
Suchet has been nominated with a Gemini Award by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television for his role in 
Wanamaker is playing Joe Keller’s wife, Kate, who hides her knowledge of her husband’s shady activities on selling faulty aircraft parts during WWII. When their son decides to marry the former fiancée of his brother missed in action, things start to fall apart and truth is revealed.