MGM to remake Agatha Christie classic

The Agatha Christie estate has agreed to allow MGM to remake the author’s classic mystery Witness For the Prosecution.

The story was originally filmed by Billy Wilder in 1956. It starred Charles Laughton, Tyrone Power and Marlene Dietrich and was nominated for six Oscars.

Rights to remake the film have been coveted by many studios but the Christie estate has been hesitant to sell them until now, when it reached a deal with MGM.

The remake, which has not yet been cast, will be set in the present and moved to America, reports Daily Variety.

“The smart thing to do is to accept that Billy Wilder made a wonderful movie that is 40 years old,” producer Dan Melnick told the newspaper. “You can still infuse the power of those characters in a modern setting, though.”