Discover where A Haunting in Venice was filmed, explore the filming locations, and step into the eerie world that inspired this Agatha Christie mystery.
If you watched A Haunting in Venice (2023) and immediately thought, “I need to go there, preferably with a candle and mild paranoia,” you’re not alone.
Kenneth Branagh’s moody Agatha Christie adaptation turned Venice into a Gothic maze of shadows, canals, and suspiciously creaky floors.
But here’s the fun surprise: not everything you saw on screen was filmed exactly where you think. If you found yourself wondering how much of that eerie Venice is real, you’re in the right place.
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📚 Hallowe’en Party: Agatha Christie’s Book
Long before A Haunting in Venice (2023) became a candlelit gothic mystery on screen, Agatha Christie wrote Hallowe’en Party in 1969 – the novel that loosely inspired the film. And the atmosphere surrounding Christie at the time is fascinating for fans.
By the late 1960s, Christie was in her late seventies. Her writing had shifted. The playful puzzle-box tone of earlier Poirot stories gave way to something quieter, darker, and more reflective.
Hallowe’en Party opens with a child boasting she once witnessed a murder – and being killed that very night. For Christie, this was unusually grim, even unsettling territory.
She was also writing in a changing Britain. Post-war optimism had faded, society felt less certain, and Christie’s work began reflecting themes of memory, aging, and unease with the modern world.
That slightly melancholy, shadowy feeling is exactly what Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation leans into as it transforms the story into Agatha Christie’s A Haunting in Venice. The film amplifies the mood Christie was drifting toward rather than the literal plot she wrote.
The novel itself is not set in Venice, nor is it a ghost story. It was previously adapted in the long-running TV series Agatha Christie’s Poirot starring David Suchet, which aired in 2010 and stays much closer to the original book’s setting and plot than the 2023 film.
Unlike Branagh’s Gothic Venice-reimagining, the Suchet version is set in an English village. It focuses on the murder mystery without any supernatural atmosphere, making it a fascinating watch for fans who want to see how differently the same Christie story can be interpreted.
Christie trivia for fans:
- Hallowe’en Party is one of the last Poirot novels Christie wrote
- The book has a noticeably darker tone than earlier mysteries
- The Venice setting was a creative choice for atmosphere
- Themes of fear, memory, and aging echo Christie’s late-career mindset
🗺️ Where was A Haunting In Venice Filmed?
Grab your imaginary moustache wax. We’re going location by location through the real and recreated places used in the film, with trivia and scene highlights that fans will love.
🏛️ Palazzo Grimani, Venice
If you’re looking for the primary filming location for A Haunting in Venice, Palazzo Grimani is the architectural star of the show. This Renaissance palace in the Santa Maria Formosa district provides the exterior and atmospheric framework for Rowena Drake’s unsettling palazzo.
The production team chose Palazzo Grimani for its authentic, slightly imposing grandeur. With its soaring arches, stone staircases, and cavernous halls, the building already feels like it’s hiding secrets – no Hollywood set dressing required.
It’s elegant, yes, but also echoey and shadow-filled, which made it perfect for the film’s Gothic tone. Those moments where Poirot wanders through empty corridors or pauses beneath looming balconies feel unnervingly real because they are.
Today, the palazzo operates as a museum, which means fans can walk through the same spaces seen on screen – minus the séance, of course.
What was filmed here:
- Exterior shots of the Drake Palazzo
- Courtyard and gallery sequences
- Staircase and upper-level tension scenes
- Establishing shots during the stormy night
Fan trivia: The crew leaned heavily on the palazzo’s natural lighting and architecture to create the eerie mood rather than relying on digital effects.
🌊 Grand Canal & Venetian Streets
So, where was A Haunting in Venice shot? The answer is simply: Venice itself. The Grand Canal, narrow alleyways, small bridges, and dimly lit streets are used throughout the film to create a sense of isolation and creeping unease.
The filmmakers captured real night footage in Venice to preserve the city’s authentic textures – wet cobblestones, flickering lamplight, and reflections dancing across black canal water. These visuals give the film its brooding, almost supernatural atmosphere long before anything frightening actually happens.
Poirot’s movement through the city by boat and on foot helps Venice feel less like a backdrop and more like a silent witness to the mystery. Every corner looks like it could hide a secret, and every bridge feels like a threshold into something ominous.
What was filmed here:
- Poirot’s canal travel and arrival scenes
- Exterior night sequences in narrow streets
- Bridge and waterfront establishing shots
- Rain-soaked transitions between scenes
Related tours:
- Venice Ghost Tour: Explore Haunted Legends of the City
- Guided Walking Tour to The Haunted Paths of Venice
Fan trivia: Filming at night required careful lighting rules to protect Venice’s historic appearance, which accidentally made everything look even moodier.
🌉 Hidden Campos & Courtyards in Venice
Several smaller campos (public squares) and hidden courtyards across Venice were used for quieter character moments and transitions between the film’s intense scenes. These tucked-away locations feel frozen in time, far from tourist crowds, which perfectly matches the film’s mysterious mood.
These scenes often show Poirot walking alone, deep in thought, or characters speaking in hushed tones before the séance begins. The aged brick walls, ivy-covered stone, and soft lantern light create a calm that feels slightly too still – the kind of quiet that makes you feel like something is about to happen.
These locations give the audience breathing space while still maintaining the Gothic tension that defines the movie’s tone.
What was filmed here:
- Character conversations before the séance
- Poirot’s solitary walks
- Atmospheric transition shots
Fan trivia: The production team specifically chose areas of Venice that feel untouched by modern life to preserve the timeless Agatha Christie feel.
🎬 Pinewood Studios, London
Here’s the twist many fans don’t realize: most of the interior scenes were not filmed in Venice at all. The séance room, bedrooms, dining hall, and those famously creepy corridors were all constructed on soundstages at Pinewood Studios in London.
This gave director Kenneth Branagh total control over lighting, weather effects, and camera movement. The storm, the wind rattling windows, the flickering candles, and even the flooding effects were easier and safer to create in a studio environment.
The set designers intentionally built rooms slightly out of proportion to create a subtle sense of unease. Long hallways feel longer than they should. Ceilings feel a little too high. Doorways seem just a bit too narrow. You may not consciously notice it, but it adds to the unsettling experience.
What was filmed here:
- The séance scene
- Most interior conversations and investigations
- Storm, wind, and water effects
- Corridor and jump-scare sequences
Fan trivia: The distorted proportions of the set were a psychological trick to make viewers feel uncomfortable without knowing why.
❓ A Haunting in Venice FAQ
Where was A Haunting in Venice shot?
Real Venice locations like Palazzo Grimani, canals, and courtyards, plus interior sets at Pinewood Studios in London.
Is A Haunting in Venice scary?
Yes. This film leans much more into Gothic horror and jump scares than previous Poirot movies.
Is it based on a book?
Yes. The movie is inspired by Agatha Christie’s Hallowe’en Party, though heavily adapted.
Who is in the cast of A Haunting in Venice?
Kenneth Branagh, Tina Fey, Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Dornan, Kelly Reilly, and notable supporting actors.
Where can I watch A Haunting in Venice / streaming?
It’s available on Amazon Prime Video, major digital platforms, and on DVD.
Will there be a sequel?
Kenneth Branagh has hinted that Poirot may return for another mystery.
Who composed the music?
Icelandic composer and cellist, Hildur Guðnadóttir, created the haunting score.
Are there movies like A Haunting in Venice?
Try Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express, The Others, and Crimson Peak.
Is it suitable for kids? (parents guide)
A Haunting in Venice is best suited for teens and older due to frightening scenes and dark themes.
📺 Where Is A Haunting in Venice Streaming?
Wondering where to watch A Haunting in Venice? As of now, the movie is available on Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, DVD, & Blu-ray (great for collectors or anyone who loves bonus features like behind-the-scenes extras and cast interviews).
Whether you’re watching for the scares, the cast, or to spot your favorite filming locations again, these options make it easy to dive back into Christie’s eerie Venetian world.
- A Haunting in Venice Filming Locations Guide - February 10, 2026
- And Then There Were None Filming Locations Guide - February 8, 2026
- Murder on the Orient Express: Filming Locations & History - February 7, 2026
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