Murder is easy! Amazon signs multi-year Agatha Christie deal
Amazon has signed a multi-year deal with Agatha Christie Limited for rights to seven new adaptations. The first addition to this slate of international productions is Ordeal by Innocence, one of the Mother of Mystery’s personal favorites.
This first installment is already in production in Scotland by the BBC and Mammoth Screen, the story of a wealthy philanthropist killed in her own home. Her adopted son, Jack, is convicted of her murder, but when an alibi emerges to prove his innocence, the family is forced to accept that the killer is still amongst them.
Production Challenges and Reshoots
Filming encountered major delays when Ed Westwick was replaced by Christian Cooke after allegations surfaced. The production team reshot all of his scenes in January 2018, pushing the planned Christmas 2017 premiere to spring. These adjustments kept the schedule intact but required careful coordination between the BBC and Amazon Studios to maintain the adaptation’s tone and pacing.
Release and Reception
The three-part series premiered on BBC One between April 1 and April 15, 2018. It reached U.S. viewers on Amazon Prime Video on August 10, 2018. Early reviews praised the performances and Sarah Phelps’ script, while noting the show’s darker visual style compared with earlier Christie adaptations. Viewers responded strongly to the ensemble chemistry and the updated setting, helping the series maintain solid ratings across both platforms.
Subsequent Adaptations from the Deal
The agreement continued with The ABC Murders in 2018 and The Pale Horse in 2020. Each project maintained the partnership’s focus on high-profile British talent and period detail, though the tone shifted depending on the source material. The ABC Murders leaned into psychological tension, while The Pale Horse explored supernatural elements, demonstrating the range Christie’s catalog offers modern producers.
Sarah Phelps’ Christie Legacy
Phelps returned for further adaptations after Ordeal by Innocence. Her upcoming project Endless Night signals continued collaboration with the BBC and renewed interest in Christie’s lesser-screened titles. Her scripts consistently balance fidelity to the novels with contemporary pacing, earning her a reputation as one of the key figures translating Christie for new audiences.
The cast, led by Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Pirates of the Caribbean) also includes Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness), Ella Purnell (Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children), Matthew Goode (The Good Wife, Downton Abbey), Luke Treadaway (Fortitude), Christian Cooke, Morven Christie, Anthony Boyle, Eleanor Tomlinson, Crystal Clarke, and Anna Chancellor. Sarah Phelps, who penned the BBC’s recent Christie transfers And Then There Were None and Witness For The Prosecution, has taken lead on Ordeal by Innocence, directed by Sandra Goldbacher (Me Without You). Morgan Wandell, head of international series at Amazon Studios, is keen to share the show with their subscribers. “We are thrilled to bring to our slate these adaptations from the world’s greatest mystery writer. With terrific talent, in front of and behind the camera, they are sure to delight our customers.” The feeling was mutual at Agatha Christie Ltd., whose chairman and CEO James Prichard agreed. “We are delighted to be working with Amazon in the TV space. They have obviously played a massive part in our book business over the past few years, and it is exciting to move with them onto Prime Video in the U.S.” The series completed filming and aired in 2018 after reshoots, marking the start of a sustained screen partnership between Amazon and the Christie estate.
