Death on the Nile Controversy, Box Office & Worth Watching (2022)

Few Agatha Christie adaptations arrive with as much baggage as Kenneth Branagh’s Death on the Nile. Between a high-profile sexual misconduct scandal involving star Armie Hammer and multiple pandemic delays, the film faced an uphill climb before it even reached theaters.

Budget: $90 million ·
Worldwide Box Office: $137.3 million ·
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score: 62% ·
Audience Score: 75%

Five key facts, one story: a lavish mystery weighed down by real-world turmoil.

Here is the full story, and whether it is still worth your time.

What was the controversy with Death on the Nile movie?

Armie Hammer allegations

In early 2021, sexual assault allegations against Armie Hammer surfaced, leading to his departure from multiple projects. The allegations were widely reported by Forbes (business and entertainment outlet) and other major outlets. Death on the Nile had already completed filming, and Hammer’s role as Simon Doyle was reduced but not cut. The film’s marketing team largely hid Hammer from trailers and posters, a move that The Hollywood Reporter (film industry authority) noted contributed to the film’s weak international narrative.

Casting backlash

Beyond Hammer, the casting choices drew criticism for a lack of authentic Egyptian representation. The story is set on the Nile River, yet the cast featured predominantly white actors in lead roles. This scrutiny added to the film’s PR challenges.

Release delays due to pandemic

Originally slated for December 2020, the film was delayed multiple times because of COVID-19. Each postponement allowed the Hammer story to fester in public view, damaging the film’s commercial momentum.

Is Death on the Nile a hit or a flop?

Box office performance

The film opened to $12.8 million domestically in its first weekend, according to Box Office Mojo (movie industry tracker). It ended its domestic run at about $45.6 million, per Reddit box office discussion (community analysis). Combined with international totals, the worldwide gross reached $137.3 million, as reported by The Numbers (film finance site).

Comparison to budget and other flops

With a production budget of $90 million and significant marketing costs, the film needed to earn roughly twice its budget to break even. Forbes (business analysis) declared it a box office bomb, calling it a “disappointing result for a $90 million all-star mystery.” The Hollywood Reporter described the film as “dead on arrival” in China, a market that could have rescued its balance sheet.

Is Death on the Nile worth watching?

Critical reception

Critics gave it a Rotten Tomatoes (review aggregator) score of 62%. Many praised Kenneth Branagh’s performance as Poirot and the lavish production design, but criticized the pacing and the shadow of the Hammer scandal.

Audience reception

Audiences were more generous, awarding a 75% score on the same platform. The Direct (entertainment commentary) noted that the film is “worth watching for some viewers but not essential for casual moviegoers.”

Pros and Cons

How many Death on the Nile movies are there in order?

1978 film

The first feature adaptation starred Peter Ustinov as Poirot and featured a cast including Bette Davis and Angela Lansbury. It was a commercial hit in its time. (Wikipedia)

2004 TV episode

David Suchet played Poirot in the long-running Agatha Christie’s Poirot series. The episode aired in 2004 and is considered by many fans the most faithful adaptation. (Wikipedia)

2022 film

Kenneth Branagh’s version, released in 2022, is the most recent cinematic adaptation and a sequel to his Murder on the Orient Express.

Adaptations compared

Three major adaptations, one story—each brings a different flavor.

The implication: the 2022 version is the lowest-scoring of the three, but its audience rating (75%) suggests many still enjoyed the spectacle.

Why was Death on the Nile banned?

Banning of the novel

Agatha Christie’s 1937 novel has been banned in some countries for racial stereotypes in its depiction of African characters. Specific instances include being banned in South Africa during apartheid and challenged in some US school districts. The 2022 film, however, has not been banned to date.

Censorship issues

The novel’s racial themes remain controversial, but most readers consider it a product of its era. No evidence suggests the film adaptation has been banned anywhere.

Timeline: A mystery 85 years in the making

Separating fact from rumor

“The film was ‘dead on arrival’ in China.”

— The Hollywood Reporter (film industry authority)

“Worth watching for some viewers but not essential for casual moviegoers.”

— The Direct (entertainment commentary)

For viewers deciding whether to stream Death on the Nile, the choice is clear: if you enjoy lavish period mysteries and can look past the surrounding noise, it delivers. For those seeking a tight thriller, the 1978 version remains the better bet.

While the controversies and box office are covered briefly here, a fuller examination is available in this Hit or Flop analysis.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• A Big Bold Beautiful Journey: Why It Flopped & Where to Watch
• I Am Legend 2: Cast, Director & Development Update