“People don’t associate Agatha Christie with being funny”: Martin Freeman, Chris Chibnall, Mia McKenna-Bruce & Edward Bluemel on Seven Dials
Landing on Netflix imminently is a fresh adaptation of the queen of murder mystery, Agatha Christie. Seven Dials is set in England in 1925, where a practical joke at a lavish country house party turns murderously wrong. The three-part series is written by Broadchurch creator Chris Chibnall (Doctor Who) and directed by Chris Sweeney (The Tourist), revisiting the classic country house mystery with a sharper pace, contemporary energy and a strong sense of wit. Led by Mia McKenna-Bruce (How to Have Sex) as the inquisitive and unconventional Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent, the show embraces the glamour of the era – grand houses, masked balls and striking 1920s tailoring – while injecting a darker undercurrent into proceedings. The cast also includes king of comedic timing, Martin Freeman (Sherlock, The Office ), national treasure Helena Bonham Carter (Nolly, The Crown), plus Ed Bluemel (Killing Eve, Sex Education), Corey Mylchreest (Queen Charlotte) and Nabhaan Rizwan (KAOS).
The Upcoming spoke to Chibnall and Freeman about bringing Seven Dials to the screen. Chibnall described Christie as an underestimated “social diarist”, noting that the novel is “funny – which people don’t associate with Agatha Christie” – and said it read like “a cinematic thriller” long before adaptation. He spoke about Bundle as “like no other character in Christie”, a young woman forced to become a detective in her own home, and why McKenna-Bruce’s “incredible energy” made her the obvious choice. Freeman discussed approaching Superintendent Battle as a “blank slate”, enjoying the freedom of discovering the character without the baggage of previous incarnations, and recalled being immediately hooked by a script that felt “uneasy” from the very first page.
McKenna-Bruce then chatted with us about playing Bundle as someone “refusing to be put in a box”, leading with charm, wit and inquisitiveness while pushing against the limits placed on women of the time. Bluemel reflected on Jimmy Thesiger’s flamboyant, slightly elusive charm – from colourful suits to a life of leisure – and the deliberately platonic, cat-and-mouse dynamic between him and Bundle. Both praised their costars, particularly screen veterans Freeman and Bonham Carter, and spoke about the joy of working within such a playful, collaborative cast, balancing glamour, humour and suspense while bringing Christie’s world to life for a new generation.
Sarah Bradbury
Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials is released on Netflix on 15th January 2026.
Watch the trailer for Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials here:
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