20 best Agatha Christie TV shows and movies, ranked – from Seven Dials to Murder on the Orient Express
With Netflix’s Seven Dials landing, it feels like the perfect moment to revisit Agatha Christie on screen – and decide which film and TV adaptations really are the gold standard.
Fifty years after her death, Agatha Christie remains the undisputed Queen of Crime. Her classic mystery novels have sold more than 2 billion copies and continue to enthral readers, more than 100 years since some were first written.
Screen adaptations have appeared regularly for almost a century, with the latest being Netflix’s new version of The Seven Dials Mystery - plus there’s plenty more in the pipeline.
But what are the all-time best? We’ve hand-picked the top 20 film and TV titles. To make the case even more fiendish, we’ve even ranked them in a countdown.
Here we lay out the results of our investigation...
20. The ABC Murders (2018)
This slyly cerebral adaptation from screenwriter Sarah Phelps stars John Malkovich as an older, wiser, priest-like Poirot.
Having fallen into relative obscurity, the once-celebrated detective dyes his greying moustache and comes out of hiding to investigate the connection between a sequence of alphabetically orchestrated murders and the taunting anonymous letters he’s been receiving.
An introspective spin on the iconic sleuth, with Rupert Grint, Andrew Buchan and Shirley Henderson lending solid support to Malkovich’s distinctive turn.
Watch it on: BBC iPlayer
19. Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime (1983)
Away from Marple and Poirot, other beloved Christie sleuths include married couple Tommy and Tuppence Beresford. This ITV comedy-thriller series starred Francesca Annis and James Warwick as the adventurous spouses, pluckily investigating cases in the Roaring Twenties.
Full of period charm and romantic chemistry, the frothy romp remains something of a hidden gem. A BBC remake in 2015, starring David Walliams and Jessica Raine, didn’t hit the same heights.
Watch it on: YouTube or DVD
18. Crooked House (2017)
Family intrigue comes to the fore in this glossy film adaptation of one of Christie's lesser-known mysteries – but one of her personal favourites. At the sprawling Leonides estate during the 1940s, a wealthy patriarch's bizarre death sets off a tangled web of suspicions.
With a stellar list of suspects including Glenn Close, Gillian Anderson and Christina Hendricks, can the sleuthing duo of Max Irons and Terence Stamp catch the killer before they strike again? Think Knives Out meets Downton Abbey. Indeed, it was written by Julian Fellowes.
Watch it on: Apple or Amazon
17. The Pale Horse (2020)
Another Sarah Phelps adaptation and undoubtedly the spookiest of the recent BBC miniseries. When a woman is murdered, a mysterious list of names is found hidden inside her shoe. Understandably perturbed that his name is among them, antiques dealer Mark Easterbrook (Rufus Sewell) learns that the others had consulted a trio of fortune-tellers in a rural village.
As the body count rises, he’s drawn to visit them himself. Are they really a coven of witches? Kaya Scodelario, Rita Tushingham, Sean Pertwee and Bertie Carvel round out the cast.
Watch it on: BBC iPlayer
16. Charlie Chopra & the Mystery of Solang Valley (2023)
The title might not sound familiar but this Bollywood series is based on Christie’s The Sittaford Mystery and made in conjunction with her estate. When her fiancé becomes prime suspect in the murder of his uncle, Charulatha "Charlie" Chopra (Wamiqa Gabbi) heads to his snow-bound home village to investigate - and is soon in danger herself.
The six-part Hindi language series is zippy, stylish and binge-able with on-trend trimmings - even including Fleabag-style fourth wall breaks.
Watch it on: YouTube or Dailymotion
15. Murder She Said (1961)
Based on the Marple novel 4.50 From Paddington, this MGM film marked the first time the silvery sleuth was depicted on-screen. After witnessing a violent murder outside her window while travelling by train, Miss Marple reports the crime.
When the police can't find any evidence it even occurred, she goes undercover as a housekeeper at the manor where she believes the body has been hidden. Rutherford’s light, whimsical portrayal proved so popular, she went on to star in three more Marple movies.
Watch it on: Apple, Amazon or Sky Store
14. Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
The first of Kenneth Branagh’s three sumptuous film adaptations of Poirot classics, with the director donning a colossal military-style moustache to portray the eccentric Belgian sleuth. When a passenger is killed on a luxury train, Poirot uncovers all manner of dark secrets among the suspects.
The A-list ensemble includes Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Derek Jacobi, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley and Olivia Colman. All aboard.
Watch it on: Disney+
13. Endless Night (1972)
Based on one of her last books, this breaks from the Christie norm by being less a whodunit, more a moody psychological thriller. Hayley Mills plays a rich American heiress who marries a working-class Brit (Hywel Bennett).
After she buys them a mansion that’s supposedly cursed by gypsies, things turn murderous – building to a dark twist ending that few will see coming.
Watch it on: YouTube or DVD
12. A Haunting in Venice (2023)
Branagh’s most recent adaptation and his spookiest sees Poirot take a rare trip into the supernatural. When the retired sleuth is invited to a Halloween seance in post-war Venice, things soon turn deadly.
As a non-believer in the paranormal, he struggles to explain the haunting events. A heightened mystery with horror elements and tricksy plot twists. The usual starry cast includes Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey and Michelle Yeoh.
Watch it on: Disney+
11. The Mirror Crack’d (1980)
Down the decades, Poirot has tended to hog the glossy Hollywood adaptations. This one gives Marple her moment in the spotlight. Angela Lansbury plays the spinster sleuth - a warm-up for her turn in Murder, She Wrote - while an eye-catching supporting cast includes Elizabeth Taylor, in her final British film role, alongside Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, Kim Novak and Edward Fox.
When the picturesque village of St Mary Mead hosts a film production, a faded movie star (Taylor) fears she’s being targeted by a killer. Cue a typically twisty mystery.
Watch it on: Apple or Amazon
10. Agatha Christie's Seven Dials (2026)
The sparky new three-part adaptation by Broadchurch creator and former Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall introduces us to spirited 1920s heroine Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent (the winningly charismatic Mia McKenna-Bruce). When her Foreign Office beau is found dead after a decadent masked ball, the feisty flapper girl launches her own investigation.
She’s flung intro a caper-ish conspiracy involving espionage. A moustachioed Martin Freeman strokes his moustache authoritatively as Superintendent Battle, while Helena Bonham Carter steals scenes as Bundle’s eccentric mother. Jazzy, jolly January comfort-viewing.
Watch it on: Netflix
9. Evil Under the Sun (1982)
After his successful portrayal of Poirot in the 1978 version of Death On The Nile (see number 6), Peter Ustinov returned to the role for this glamorous follow-up. His investigation into the theft of a valuable diamond leads him to an exclusive Mediterranean island resort, surrounded by rich socialites. When a guest is found dead on the beach, it escalates into a murder case.
Maggie Smith, Jane Birkin, James Mason and Diana Rigg have a ball in a sun-kissed, slightly camp mystery with a witty script.
Watch it on: BBC iPlayer
8. And Then There Were None (1945)
The best film version of Christie’s most adapted novel, released just six years after the book’s publication. When 10 unconnected strangers are invited to a mansion on a remote island, they are faced with a message accusing them of murder, before they begin to be killed one-by-one.
The suspenseful script has a lighter touch than in later interpretations and ending is tweaked to be less bleak. Otherwise this black-and-white chiller loses none of the original’s macabre mood.
Watch it on: Apple or YouTube
7. Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? (2022)
Hugh Laurie adapted and directed this superbly spry miniseries - somehow also finding time to pop up for a cameo. A dying man’s cryptic last words - the question of the title - kickstarts a quest for the truth by two childhood friends: vicar’s son Bobby Jones (Will Poulter) and socialite Lady Francis “Frankie” Derwent (Lucy Boynton). The leading duo dazzle and delight with screwball-style dialogue as the case lures them into danger.
As well as Laurie, the supporting cast includes Paul Whitehouse, Jim Broadbent and Emma Thompson. Elegant entertainment.
Watch it on: ITVX
6. Death on the Nile (1978)
Part of the trend for star-packed Christie adaptations during the 1970s, this globe-trotting adventure marked Peter Ustinov’s debut outing as Poirot. When a honeymooning heiress is murdered on an Egyptian river cruise, the Belgian detective is on hand to unravel an intricate puzzle. Ravishing scenery and a fiendish whodunit combine to escapist effect.
The cast included Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, David Niven, Maggie Smith, Jane Birkin and Angela Lansbury, all clad in Oscar-winning costumes.
Watch it on: BBC iPlayer
5. And Then There Were None (2015)
A group of strangers being brought to a remote location, then picked off one by one? No, it’s not The Traitors. The first and best of Sarah Phelps’ five Christie adaptations was a true TV event. Across a three-part miniseries, the likes of Miranda Richardson, Charles Dance, Sam Neill, Anna Maxwell Martin and Aidan Turner are lured into a web of deception, made to face their deepest secrets and then murdered, each death echoing a line from a sinister nursery rhyme.
The fear is palpable, the violence is visceral and viewers are kept guessing right until the end. In fact, it’s one of the rare versions to retain Christie’s original dark denouement. Arguably the finest ever screen version of Christie’s most adapted novel.
Watch it on: BBC iPlayer
4. Miss Marple (1984–1992)
Geraldine McEwan and Julia McKenzie later did a decent job in for ITV’s more playful series but the BBC’s 12 dramas, starring Joan Hickson as the elderly spinster sleuth, remain the definitive TV rendering. Christie had wanted Hickson to play the role since seeing her on-stage in the 1940s.
With beady-eyed intelligence and fluttery mannerisms, she’s routinely underestimated but ferociously astute as she unravels puzzles to corner the most brutal of killers. Cosy with a dark heart, it captured the essence of the novels. Timeless, addictive and enchanting.
Watch it on: U or Now.
3. Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
One of the finest, most timeless film adaptations of Christie’s work is this courtroom classic, which was nominated for six Oscars. Directed by Billy Wilder, the cast of this noir-ish legal thriller includes Tyrone Power, Charles Laughton and scene-stealer Marlene Dietrich.
When a murder trial goes in unexpected directions, suspenseful proceedings will keep viewers guessing all the way until the killer climatic twist. Of all the adaptations of her work, Christie said this and our number one were the only ones she enjoyed.
Watch it on: Apple, Amazon or Sky Store
2. Poirot (1989-2013)
To many, David Suchet’s Poirot is the only Poirot. Having played him in 70 cases across nearly a quarter of a century, Suchet’s impeccable performance became synonymous with the fastidious Belgian detective. Solving puzzling murders and pursuing justice in art deco locations, these classic whodunits are respectful to the source material and satisfy the "little grey cells”.
As Christie’s grandson Mathew Prichard says: “Personally, I regret very much that she never saw David Suchet. He’s much the most convincing.”
Watch it on: ITVX or Netflix from 24 January
1. Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
Think of classic cinematic Christie and this Sidney Lumet-directed adaptation comes to mind. Albert Finney excels as Poirot, while the pacing, plotting and production values are all exemplary.
Assembled on a snowbound train from Istanbul to Paris are an all-star cast of passengers: Sean Connery, Lauren Bacall, John Gielgud, Anthony Perkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Jaqueline Bisset, Michael York and Ingrid Bergman, who won an Oscar for her role.
It’s faithful to the novel, it looks ravishing and the story rolls out like it’s on rails. When it was released 14 months before her death, Christie approved. So have audiences ever since.
Watch it on: BBC iPlayer
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