Sleuth

film by Branagh [2007]

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 21, 2026

Quick Summary

The 2007 film Sleuth, directed by Kenneth Branagh, is a remake of the 1972 film of the same name. It centers on a mystery author who seeks revenge on his wife's younger lover. The film features a cat-and-mouse dynamic between the two characters.1

The character of Hercule Poirot, a famous Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie, is also relevant to Branagh's directorial work, as he directed and starred as Poirot in Murder on the Orient Express (2017) and Death on the Nile (2022). Poirot is known for his meticulous methods, reliance on psychology, and "little grey cells" to solve crimes.21

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Kenneth Branagh
…direct, and his credits included Sleuth (2007), a remake of the 1972 film about a mystery author who gets revenge on his wife’s younger lover, and Thor (2011), an adaptation of a comic book about the eponymous Norse god. In 2014 he helmed the action thriller Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit,…
Read More
…direct, and his credits included Sleuth (2007), a remake of the 1972 film about a mystery author who gets revenge on his wife’s younger lover, and Thor (2011), an adaptation of a comic book about the eponymous Norse god. In 2014 he helmed the action thriller Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit,…
Read More

Michael Caine
…he starred in Kenneth Branagh’s remake of Sleuth, portraying the character originally played by Olivier.
Read More
…he starred in Kenneth Branagh’s remake of Sleuth, portraying the character originally played by Olivier.
Read More

Harold Pinter
…The Handmaid’s Tale (1990), and Sleuth (2007). Pinter was also a noted poet, and his verse—such as that collected in War (2003)—often reflected his political views and involvement in numerous causes. In 2007 Pinter was named a chevalier of the French Legion of Honour.
Read More
…The Handmaid’s Tale (1990), and Sleuth (2007). Pinter was also a noted poet, and his verse—such as that collected in War (2003)—often reflected his political views and involvement in numerous causes. In 2007 Pinter was named a chevalier of the French Legion of Honour.
Read More