Armie Hammer’s role in Death on the Nile ‘not currently’ being reshot despite rape allegation

Adam White
·2 min read
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
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Armie Hammer’s role in Death on the Nile is “not currently” due to be reshot amid a rape allegation made against him, a new report has claimed.

Hammer was dropped by his talent agency in February, and subsequently from a number of film roles, after messages allegedly written by him surfaced online. In a statement, the actor said that the speculation over the messages was “bulls***”.

Earlier this month, the Los Angeles Police Department announced that it was investigating a rape claim against Hammer.

A lawyer for the Call Me by Your Name star said that the actor vigorously denied the claim, and has “maintained that all of his interactions … have been completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory”.

Caught in the crossfire of allegations against Hammer are two forthcoming films: the Agatha Christie adaptation Death on the Nile and Taika Waititi’s football comedy Next Goal Wins. While Hammer’s role in the latter is believed to amount to a small cameo, he has been described as one of the main leads in Death on the Nile.

According to a report in Variety, Disney is “not currently considering” reshoots on the film, which was completed in 2019.

It also claims that recasting the role would be “nearly impossible”, as Hammer shares scenes with a large ensemble of busy actors, including Gal Gadot, Annette Bening, Letitia Wright and Branagh, who portrays detective Hercule Poirot and also directed the film.

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Removing Hammer and bringing back much of the cast for reshoots “could cost tens of millions” of dollars, the publication claimed.

“It seems like the only way to go with this is to come out front and say, ‘Hundreds of people worked on this project, and we’re not scrapping it because of one individual,’” said an anonymous executive for a “rival” studio.

Death on the Nile, which serves as a sequel to Branagh’s 2017 hit Murder on the Orient Express, revolves around a murder that takes place on a cruise ship in Egypt. It was originally scheduled for release in December 2019, before being pushed back to October 2020. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, it experienced further release delays.

The film is now expected to be released in cinemas on 11 February, 2022.

Yesterday (30 March), Hammer was dropped from the forthcoming espionage thriller Billion Dollar Spy.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault or abuse, you can seek confidential support and guidance from The Survivor’s Trust by visiting their website or calling the helpline on 0808 801 0818.