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Amazon is about to get a lot more suspenseful. In April, it was announced that IMG had worked out a deal with Agatha Christie Ltd. concerning the international sale of seven new dramas. Today, it was revealed that the first of these seven series, Ordeal By Innocence, will be streaming exclusively on Amazon.
Agatha Christie is known for writing some of the best and most addicting crime novels in modern history. She’s the mind behind Hercule Poirot, who will be returning to theaters with the upcoming release of Murder on the Orient Express. Christie died in 1976, and since then her iconic works have been managed by Agatha Christie Ltd. The company has a partnership with the production company Mammoth Screen, and earlier this year, it was announced that IMG would be responsible for international sale of the company’s adaptations. Agatha Christie Ltd. has found a willing buyer in Amazon.
“We are thrilled to bring to our slate these adaptations from the world’s greatest mystery writer,” Morgan Wandell, Amazon Studios’ head of international series, said according to Variety. “With terrific talent, in front of and behind the camera, they are sure to delight our customers.”
However, the announcement may be a bit confusing for those in the streaming know. After all, Acorn TV, one of the best streaming services for British and international dramas, is connected to a major shareholder of Agatha Christie Ltd. Acorn TV’s parent company, Robert Johnson’s RLJ Entertainment, owns 64 percent of Agatha Christie Ltd. Wouldn’t it make more sense for these seven new series to be added to Acorn TV instead of Amazon?
“As a majority share owner of Agatha Christie Limited, we’re excited about the new Amazon deal. With the new theatrical films in the works and one of the biggest streamers interested in getting in the Agatha Christie business, it shows how powerful and timeless the Agatha Christie brand remains,” Chad Campbell, a spokesperson for Acorn TV, said in a statement to Decider. “Though Acorn TV won’t have these specific shows, the partnership and this deal remain extremely beneficial to the company overall.”
The first title in this new deal, Ordeal by Innocence, was one of Christie’s favorites. It follows the Argyles, who are convinced that the black sheep of the family was responsible for their mother’s murder. However, when they learn that’s not the case, things get terrifying. So far, the cast for Ordeal by Innocence will include Bill Nighy (Love Actually), Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness), Ella Purnell (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children), Matthew Goode (The Good Wife, Downton Abbey), Catherine Keener (Get Out), and Ed Westwick (Gossip Girl) among others.
