The literary/cinematic mashup you never knew you wanted could be happening if Angelina Jolie joins the Murder on the Orient Express remake set to be directed by Kenneth Branagh. According to Deadline, Jolie is in talks to join the cast of the Agatha Christie classic, and basically, if she commits to the role then this movie will instantly become a must see. Having one of the most acclaimed actresses of today star in one of history's most famed female novelist's stories is a match made in pop culture heaven. Given that Christie was a powerhouse on par with Jolie in her time, I think she would be happy to have Jolie board one of her most famous tales.
While I would love to see Jolie as a genderswapped Hercule Poirot, it seems Branagh will be stepping into the role of the classic detective. But that could leave Jolie with perhaps the meatiest role of them all: Mrs. Harriet Belinda Hubbard. Mrs. Harriet is a former queen of the New York stage, who boards the train along with 13 other passengers who are looking for vengeance in the case of a young girl's death. The murderer of the child who bought his way out of justice is killed swiftly, leaving Poirot with 13 suspects on his hands.
Mrs. Harriet is the grandmother of the deceased child, and, while having Jolie play a grandmother at the age of 41 is a bit of a stretch, it would be a powerful role for the actress to take on. Of course, there are no shortage of powerful female roles in Christie's novels, so Jolie could just as easily step into the role of Countess Helena (the child's aunt), Princess Natalie (the child's godmother), or even Miss Greta (the child's nurse). No matter what role she is in talks for, there is no doubt Jolie will embody whichever one of Christie's characters she chooses with ease.
The best part about Jolie possibly joining Murder on the Orient Express is the movie would bring her back in front of the camera for an ensemble treat of a film. Jolie has spent the last few years primarily working behind the camera as a director on deeply serious projects like By the Sea and First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers. Jolie's work as a director has shined a spotlight on what a diverse talent Jolie is, and hopefully she will continue to direct for many years to come.
She is such a fantastic and layered actress that it always fun to see her in front of the camera as well, and having her star in such a famous story by a brilliant female author would be an absolute joy. There is no word yet on who will fill out the rest of the large cast, but, according to Deadline, Branagh wants an all-star ensemble. Jolie has never truly starred in a sprawling ensemble piece, but watching her rise to the challenge could lead to Murder on the Orient Express becoming one of her most memorable films.
Two powerful women like Christie and Jolie belong together, so here is hoping Jolie's deal goes through and she officially boards the mysterious Orient Express soon.
