Johnny Depp and Judi Dench are set to headline Kenneth Branagh’s upcoming remake of Agatha Christie’s 'Murder on the Orient Express'.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Branagh has also enlisted Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley and Michael Peña to feature in the thriller.

The casting mirrors the A-list pedigree that characterized Sidney Lumet’s 1974 take on Christie’s 1934 mystery novel, which starred Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman and Sean Connery. The plot follows detective Hercule Poirot and his efforts to solve a murder case aboard the famous train.

Branagh is pulling double-duty on the project, leading his cast as Poirot. Angelina Jolie was initially offered the role of Mrs Harriet Hubbard, a glamorous passenger who’s deemed a suspect, but after she passed, it’s now gone to Pfeiffer. Dench is on as Princess Dragomiroff, who hails from Russian royalty, while Depp will play Ratchett, the man whose murder sets the plot into motion. Further additions to the cast include Derek Jacobi and Hamilton actor Leslie Odom Jr.

This marks Depp’s second casting announcement since settling his contested divorce and domestic abuse case with Amber Heard. He’s also set to star in the Tupac and Notorious BIG drama 'Labyrinth'. Coming up, he reprises his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in next summer’s 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales'.

Shooting for 'Murder on the Orient Express' is expected to begin in November, with locations including London and Malta. 'Green Lantern' writer Michael Green penned the screenplay.

Fox will release the film on 22 November 2017.