10 Movie Sequels That Were Sent Out To Die

Assembling a mouth-watering cast and successfully crafting a who-dunnit mystery capable of captivating a modern audience, Kenneth Branagh's Murder on the Orient Express more than earned a second investigation for the actor/director's Hercule Poirot.

And while Death on the Nile looked set to deliver an equally triumphant mix of star power and intrigue, outside elements and controversy would utterly blot this 2022 release in the end.

The negative press surrounding one of the film's leading lights Armie Hammer and a string of disturbing allegations made against the actor resulted in 20th Century Studios and Disney having to all but erase him from the feature's marketing. But that still couldn't entirely erase the black mark Hammer's involvement inevitably stamped on the incoming sequel.

A dismal $137 million brought home on a $90 million budget only reinforced the devastating impact made by a number of outside factors, including the still ongoing pandemic and adult dramas notoriously not setting the world on fire at the box office, that always looked likely to derail Branagh's follow-up.

All in all, Disney will be looking to swiftly sweep this controversy-infected Agatha Christie adaptation under the carpet as the studio moves forward with a third Branagh-helmed Poirot-led ensemble feature.