Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None* has been adapted for film, the stage, television, radio, graphic novels, board games, computer games, and - regrettably - an episode of Family Guy, but that doesn't mean we're above checking out yet another adaptation of Christie's novel...especially if it's got a cast as great as the one that BBC One just lined up for their production.
According to Digital Spy, Craig Viveiros' limited series (scripted by Sarah Phelps, who previously helped adapt JK Rowling's The Casual Vacancy for television) has lined up the following cast members: Charles Dance, Sam Neill, Douglas Booth, Miranda Richardson, Toby Stephens, Noah Taylor, Maeve Dermody, Burn Gorman and Anna Maxwell Martin. This is what's known in the industry as a "stacked deck".
And let's not forget the source material, which is no slouch in the entertainment department, either. And Then There Were None is one of Christie's most beloved mysteries, and has inspired countless others since its publication in 1939. For those of you who are somehow unfamiliar with the plot, here's a pretty decent (and spoiler-free breakdown) from the same Digital Spy announcement:
Set in 1939, ten strangers are invited to Soldier Island off the Devon coast where all are accused of terrible crimes. When one is killed, the group must come to terms with and investigate a possible murderer amongst them. Amongst the group are "a reckless playboy, a troubled Harley Street doctor, a formidable judge, an uncouth detective, an unscrupulous mercenary, a God-fearing spinster, two restless servants, a highly decorated general and an anxious secretary".
Somehow, this awesome news escaped our attention when it popped up last week (not that we've been preoccupied lately or anything), but we're excited to be catching up to the news now. And Then There Were None will air on BBC One later this year, to coincide with the 125th anniversary of Christie's birthday, and will - god willing, for those of us who don't have access to BBC One - find its way to Netflix shortly thereafter.
* = The less said about the book's original title, the better.