'The Seven Dials Mystery' Casts a Trio of All Stars

It was the end of March when we first reported that Netflix was stepping up from doing modern Agatha Christie-style mystery knock-offs like the Knives Out mystery series of films, and were getting into the real-deal Christie works, aiming to out-BBC the BBC by doing its own limited series of her lesser-known novels. Since ITV closed up shop on the long-running Agatha Christie's Poirot, Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime, and Agatha Christie's Marple, the BBC has been producing one-offs based on all the Christie novels that don't star her famous sleuths from Ordeal by Innocence to The Pale Horse, and the last couple, Why Didn't They Ask Evans and Murder is Easy each hitting rating numbers that even Netflix wants to imitate.

Netflix sure is imitating the BBC model, too. Both Murder is Easy and the BBC's next one, Towards Zero, are from Christie's lesser-known Superintendant Battle books. (There are just as many Battle books as there are Partners in Crime books, but they're just not as popular.) The BBC usually edits out Battle in favor of creating stand-alone heroes, but Netflix is apparently going a different track. The Battle book they chose, The Seven Dials Mystery, is one of two where Battle teams up with the same amateur scion of the landed gentry, Lady Eileen Brent, nicknamed Bundle. (Bundle is a Bright Young Thing in the same vein as Evans' Lady Frances or Partners in Crime's Tuppence.) And apparently Netflix has decided to cast both characters.

Netflix has cast Mia McKenna-Bruce as Bundle. She is best known for the film How to Have Sex, which earned her the BAFTA Rising Star Award. As part of the press release, McKenna-Bruce said, "Chris Chibnall’s scripts are brilliant, and I am thrilled to be part of this new interpretation of the iconic Agatha Christie's storytelling."

As for the hardened Superintendent Battle, that role is going to Martin Freeman, whose turn as the crooked cop trying to go straight in The Responder has earned him some of the greatest accolades of his career. Rounding out the main characters in the limited series is Netflix favorite Helena Bonham Carter, who starred in both The Crown and Enola Holmes, and here will take on the role of Lady Caterham.

Here's the official Netflix synopsis:

At a lavish country house party, a practical joke appears to have gone horribly, murderously wrong. It will be up to the unlikeliest of sleuths - the fizzingly inquisitive Lady Eileen 'Bundle' Brent - to unravel a chilling plot that will change her life, cracking wide open the country house mystery. A witty, epic, and fast-paced drama from the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie, is brought to life in a thrilling new version for Netflix.

The limited series comes from former Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall, his first project since exiting the TARDIS, who adapts the Christie novel. Director Chris Sweeny (The Tourist) will helm all three installments. Mackie and Chibnall are producing alongside former BBC exec Chris Sussman and Joanna Crow for Netflix.

Filming for The Seven Dials Mystery will begin in mid-summer 2024, at which time the rest of the cast is expected to be announced. There is no release date set as yet, but considering Netflix's habit of filming ahead, the limited series most likely will not arrive until 2025.