Agatha Christie is regularly cited as being one of the greatest mystery writers ever, and it's very true that she is responsible for many of the classic tropes of the genre. What's more is that many of the most successful mysteries outside her own work owe a debt to the twists and turns in her writing (we're looking at you, Knives Out).

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The first adaptation of Christie's works was all the way back in 1928 with The Passing of Mr. Quinn, based on a short story from the collection The Mysterious Mr. Quin. Since then, there have been countless movies, graphic novels, TV shows, and even video games dedicated to the works of Christie. Though it was delayed many times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new take on Christie's classic Death On The Nile is right around the corner. In the meantime, here are some of the best film adaptations of Christie's many novels to watch to get hyped for the newest take.

Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

This noir-ish imagining of Christie's story is directed by Hollywood icon Billy Wilder, and possesses all the great wit and rapid-fire dialogue that scripts he wrote do (or in this case, co-wrote, with Harry Kurnitz and Larry Marcus). Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power) has been accused of murder, but Sir Wilfrid Robarts (Charles Laughton) believes he's innocent and agrees to take his case.

Classic whodunit tropes unfold as Vole's wife Christine (Marlene Dietrich) takes the stand. In typical Christie fashion, you can't know for sure who killed who or why until the credits role, but the stellar performances and top-notch script make this one of the great thrillers of its era or any other.

Death on the Nile (1978)

Watching this one ahead of the 2022 reboot might kill some of the suspense, but there is no denying that this is one of the most highly-regarded takes on a Christie novel. Featuring an ensemble cast in the tradition of many of the best murder mysteries, this is an essential film for classic film fans and genre lovers alike. An added bonus is that it introduces us to a Poirot as played by Peter Ustinov, who would go on to portray the detective in several other takes and is considered among the best to ever take on the role.

As so many of Agatha Christie's stories do, this revolves around a murder. When Jackie de Bellefort introduces her friend Linnet to her fiancé Simon, she is shocked that they fall in love and quickly marry. Seemingly by accident, they all end up on a cruise down the Nile aboard the S.S. Karnak. Linnet's body appears with a bullet wound, and though the suspects may seem pretty clearcut, you can bet there are twists along the way.

Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

Much like Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express introduces us to an ensemble cast of rich people portrayed by some of the great actors of the day. Poirot boards a train and a businessman named Ratchett tries to hire him as a bodyguard. Poirot declines then asks why Ratchett is receiving death threats to begin with. By the next morning, he's been stabbed to death, and Poirot has a mystery to solve.

The best part of most Christie takes is watching the many great actors take on her many characters, and this is no different. With performances from an eclectic cast including Lauren Bacall, Jacqueline Bissett, Sean Connory, and Ingrid Bergman, this is a film that has to be experienced first-hand to be truly appreciated. Though it's true that no adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express has cracked the novel, this is as worthy an attempt as has been made.

The Mirror Crack'd (1980)

Introducing us to the unassuming elderly detective Miss Marple as portrayed by Angela Lansbury, this is another sprawling cast of epic names. Two actresses and long-time rivals Marina and Lola are set to star in a stage play about the relationship between Mary, Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I.

When Marina's fan Heather drinks a drink that was intended for Marina and quickly dies from poisoning, Miss Marple gets involved despite a recent foot injury. Taking us through the list of suspects, Marple cracks the case, sadly ruining the killer's expertly laid plans.

Murder at the Gallop (1963)

Classic film studio MGM made no less than four Miss Marple films starring Dame Margaret Rutherford that were all directed by George Pollock during the 1960s, and this was its second. When Marple and a friend named Mr. Stringer are out raising funds for a local charity, they call on the notoriously reclusive Mr. Enderby. While they're there, he falls down a flight of stairs, and that's the Enderby of that.

Or is it? Marple decides to get involved, and her suspicions that Enderby's death wasn't an accident seem to be confirmed when she goes to visit his sister Cora and finds that she has been murdered. Though Marple quickly uncovers the killer's identity, she, much like Poirot, lays a trap to let the culprit trip themselves up.

Desyat Negrityat (1987)

The classic Christie set-up; eight strangers arrive at a remote island, drawn together by each receiving an offer they couldn't refuse, be it a holiday trip or an offer of gainful employment. One by one, each of their secrets are revealed, and we discover that every one of them has an ulterior motive for being there.

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Though there have been many adaptations of And Then There Were None, this Soviet version explicitly follows the novel to the letter, down to the originally quite bleak ending. With most takes on the story following the comparatively cheery conclusion of the play, this stands apart as one of the best but also the darkest among Christie stories as we discover that none among the eight could be considered truly innocent.

Seven Dials Mystery (1981)

Lady Brent is one of Christie's lesser known detective protagonists, but she should definitely pop up more often than she does because she's a lot of fun. This was a follow-up to Why Didn't They Ask Evans? and more or less followed the plot of the novel. Gerry Wade consistently oversleeps, and several characters decide to prank him by setting a number of alarms, but when the alarms go off, and he doesn't awaken, they discover his body. As they realize that one of the seven alarm clocks has gone missing, questions swirl around the mysterious death.

Lady Brent returns to her home, learning that it was her room that Wade died in, which is enough of a cause for her to take the case of his "death by misadventure." This leads her to uncover a mysterious association known as the Seven Dials, a group whose meeting she spies on one night. Do you want a murder mystery, Lady Brent? Because that's how you get a murder mystery.

Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (1980)

When a man named Bobby Jones discovers a dying man, he is puzzled by the man's final words, "Why didn't they ask Evans?" Bobby and his friend Lady Derwent aim to get to the bottom of things only to find many more questions than answers as they try to figure out who would have wanted this man dead.

This comparatively big budget made-for-TV movie brought another incredible cast to Christie's work, and the film features some gorgeous locations and cinematography to boot. Standard Christie tropes like poison and mistaken identity ensure, but the passionate performances and snappy dialogue make this a must-watch for fans.

Crooked House (2017)

Sophia Leonides requests that P.I. Charles Hayward investigate her grandfather Aristotle's passing, which she believes to have been a murder despite it being considered an accidental death. Hayward takes the case despite not feeling particularly compelled as he and Sophia had a prior affair, but he soon finds that most people in Aristotle's life had ample reasons for wanting him dead.

Related: Gillian Anderson on 'The Great' Season 2 and Filming the Slapping SceneAs Hayward goes person to person through another all-star cast, he deduces that Sophia was onto something and there is likely more to this crime than first suspected. However, the resolution isn't what Sophia had hoped for, making this one of the more tragic takes on a lesser-known Christie novel.

Evil Under the Sun (1982)

With Peter Ustinov returning as Poirot, this begins with a person out on a casual hike discovering a woman's lifeless body. Naturally, Poirot isn't about to let it lie, and he starts digging around the scenic resort he finds himself at in order to uncover what motives there might be for her murder.

Poirot quickly finds himself tangled up in yet another complex mystery in which there are many possible motives and everyone's a suspect. With performances from greats like Jane Birkin, Maggie Smith, and Diana Rigg, this is another ensemble that delights in playing out their roles as potential killers.

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