London canal transformed into 1940s Venice for launch of Kenneth Branagh's new Agatha Christie film

London canals were transformed into a scene from 1940s Venice this morning - with a spooky twist.

Passers-by in the capital were given an eerie surprise as a ghoulish gondola passed through Little Venice, Regent's Park and Camden’s canal.

Wearing traditional Venetian masks, the mysterious figures were draped in black as they emerged from thick clouds of fog.

But the fearsome figures were nothing to be afraid of - they were marking the launch of ‘A Haunting in Venice’, which hits cinemas this Friday.

It was created using a replica Venetian gondola and manned by individuals dressed head-to-toe in costumes inspired by the film, featuring bespoke Venetian masks.

The activation was executed by a team of SFX and prop-makers who studied hours of footage to capture the likeness of the characters, costumes and traditional Venetian gondolas.

The film is the latest instalment in the series of Agatha Christie’s Poirot films and stars Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Dornan.

‘A Haunting in Venice’ is set in post-World War II Venice on All Hallows’ Eve and features the return of the celebrated sleuth, Hercule Poirot.

Based on Agatha Christie’s novel ‘Hallowe’en Party’, it follows 2017’s ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ and 2022’s ‘Death on the Nile’.