Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage is stepping into the little gray cells of one of the world’s most iconic detectives, as he lends his voice to Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot in a new Audible production. Dinklage will lead a huge cast for the dramatized version of Christie’s classic novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, in the latest iteration of the character. The synopsis provided by the official Agatha Christie website reads:
“The upcoming adaptation will tell “the story of an injured and traumatized Captain Hastings (Himesh Patel), who has been invited to a large country estate (Styles Court) to recover after serving in World War I. With tensions tearing the family apart, what seems like a perfect haven soon turns into a nightmare, as the matriarch of the family Emily Inglethorp (Harriet Walter) is brutally murdered.
“With a full ensemble of characters with motives for the murder, nobody is above suspicion. As Hastings is desperate to solve the mystery and protect the family from fervent media speculation, he knows there is only one man who can help. With his impeccable suit and exceptional insight, Hastings calls on the brilliant detective he once knew — Hercule Poirot (Peter Dinklage).”
Agatha Christie’s Poirot Gets the All-Star Treatment on Audible
Dinklage joins a long list of actors to have portrayed the fussy Belgian on screen, stage, and in audio dramas, which includes such icons of the industry as Charles Laughton, Albert Finney, Peter Ustinov, David Suchet, and, the latest big screen Poirot, Kenneth Branagh. While he will not be “seen” as the character, Dinklage will bring a new version of the detective to life through his voice, and will be aided by the more than able cast joining the production.
Poirot’s frequent professional companion, Captain Hastings, will be played by Tenet’s Himesh Patel, while Netflix’s Baby Reindeer breakout star Jessica Gunning takes on the role of Evie Howard, the antagonist who Poirot comes up against in this particular case. Meanwhile, others joining the drama include Succession’s Harriet Walter, Rob Delaney, Phil Dunster, Patry Ferran, John Bradley, and Vivian Oparah.
Of course, the world of Christie has often drawn some high-profile stars in all of its iterations. British actor David Suchet is the only actor to have starred in adaptations of all of Christie’s Poirot stories, and his long-running TV series that ran for 70 episodes since debuting in 1989 featured some memorable guest stars including Sean Pertwee (Gotham), Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who), Damian Lewis (Homeland), Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), Tim Curry (The Rocky Horror Picture Show), and many more.
Similarly, Kenneth Branagh’s recent lavish big screen adaptations of three of Christie’s best-known novels – Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express, and 2023’s A Haunting in Venice – attracted some of Hollywood’s finest, such as Michelle Pfeiffer, Johnny Depp, Gal Gadot, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, and Michelle Yeoh. While last year’s outing for Branagh failed to stir up a strong box office, it is likely that we will see Poirot return to screens at some point in the future – even if it is with another actor playing him.
For now, fans can hear Peter Dinklage’s take on the sleuth when
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
is released on Audible on November 14.