The highly anticipated film adaptation of Richard Osman's best-selling novel, The Thursday Murder Club is coming to Netflix, bringing the beloved characters and thrilling plot to the screen!
An engaging mystery that combines the charm of classic British whodunits with contemporary twists and turns, fans of the novel can hopefully expect a faithful adaptation that retains the book's humour and clever plotting while offering a fresh, visual take on the story.
Here's everything you need to know about the new drama!
The Thursday Murder Club synopsis
The Thursday Murder Club follows the adventures of four septuagenarians - Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron - who live in the peaceful Coopers Chase retirement village. Their weekly meetings to discuss and solve cold cases take a dramatic turn when a real-life murder occurs in their midst. With a combination of wit, experience, and sheer determination, the unlikely sleuths embark on a mission to solve the crime, navigating a web of secrets, lies, and unexpected twists along the way.
The Thursday Murder Club Film cast
The film boasts an impressive cast, featuring some of the most esteemed actors in the industry. Speaking on his The Rest Is Entertainment podcast, Osman said, “There’s some great names and some more names coming as well. I think this is the greatest British cast assembled since the [Harry Potter] movies.” He's not wrong!
The four leads:
Helen Mirren stars as Elizabeth, the formidable leader of the group, whose intelligence and resourcefulness are unmatched.
Celia Imrie takes on the role of Joyce, whose innocent demeanour hides a keen observational prowess.
Pierce Brosnan plays Ron, the former union leader with a sharp mind and a knack for getting things done.
Ben Kingsley is Ibrahim, the retired psychiatrist whose analytical skills prove invaluable to the team.
Other cast members:
David Tennant - The Doctor Who star is joining the Thursday Murder Club movie cast, but the character he's playing hasn't been confirmed yet.
Richard E. Grant - This iconic actor has appeared in many Hollywood films, as well as blockbusters and small independent movies. Most recently Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Everybody's Talking About Jamie, The Lesson and Saltburn.
Jonathan Pryce - Best known for Two Popes, The Crown and Slow Horses.
Naomi Ackie - She recently portrayed the award-winning singer in Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody and now she'll b joining The Thursday Murder Club line-up.
Daniel Mays - Fisherman's Friends and Line of Duty actor has been announced as a cast member.
Tom Ellis - He was once the love interest on the BBC sitcom Miranda and the devil in Lucifer (based on Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg's characters), but now he will be appearing in The Thursday Murder Club movie.
Henry Lloyd-Hughes - You may know him from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire or more recently, Marriage on BBC alongside Nicola Walker and Sean Bean.
Paul Freeman -Raiders of the Lost Ark and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is where you might've seen this actor before.
Sarah Niles - The actress has starred in a range of movies and television shows, including Riches, Dracula, I May Destroy You and the ever-so successful Ted Lasso.
Ingrid Oliver - Best known as Osgood in Doctor Who, she has also appeared in films The Hustle and Last Christmas. She's a comedian from the double-act Watson & Oliver and also happens to be Richard Osman's wife.
Geoff Bell - He had roles in War Horse, Suffragette, Brighton Rock and Kingsman: The Secret Service.
The Thursday Murder Club movie release date
Currently, no release date has been announced as they are still in the early stages of production, but we are hoping that the film will be out next year.
Filming and production
Directed by Ol Parker (known for his work on Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) the film promises to blend humour, heart, and suspense in equal measure. The screenplay, adapted by Richard Osman himself along with Ol Parker, ensures that the essence of the book is faithfully captured, with the author’s signature wit and charm shining through.
Filming is taking place in picturesque locations across the UK, with Osman confirming on X (formerly Twitter) - on the 27th June 2024 - that the shoot has officially begun, ironically on a Thursday: "First day of filming for the Thursday Murder Club film today. Good luck to cast and crew. Photos when I have them!".
The Thursday Murder Club is held in the fictional Coopers Chase setting, which will be beautifully brought to life in the quaint village of Hambleden. The production team faced the challenge of balancing the cosy, community feel of the retirement village with the darker, suspenseful elements of the murder mystery.
How many Thursday Murder Club books are there?
As of 2024, there are four books in the series. The first instalment (the one the film will be based on) became one of the fastest-selling books on record and sold 45,000 copies in its first three days!
Author Richard Osman said, “I was inspired to write it when I went to visit the mother of a friend who lives in a retirement village. It was a very beautiful place and it may sound weird but I thought what a great setting it would be for a murder mystery! I also met some of the people who lived there and discovered they’d had the most fascinating life experiences. I figured that if there was a murder in their community, that lot would solve it.
“I went home and started writing that night. I wanted to finish it before I showed it to anyone. I didn’t want that whole thing of being someone on telly who approaches a publisher, saying they want to write a book. I wanted to write something to be proud of and feel able to look people in the whites of their eyes and say, ‘This a real novel.’”
If you want to read The Thursday Murder Club books in order, here they are:
Amazon
Amazon
Amazon
AmazonThe Thursday Murder Club stage adaptation
That's not all for The Thursday Murder Club series, as the book adaptation is destined for the stage! Richard Osman is working in collaboration with writer Tom Basden (Here We Go, After Life, Plebs) and Playful Productions will be producing it.
“Richard’s brilliantly crafted and ingenious books have delighted so many people. I am certain he will find unexpected and entrancing ways to introduce the characters to a theatrical audience. It makes perfect sense to bring Tom Basden into the mix after Playful worked with him on his exceptional adaptation of Dario Fo’s Accidental Death of Anarchist.”, said Matthew Byam Shaw (from Playful Productions).
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who is passionate about TV and film. She enjoys cooking, scrapbooking and spending time with her many pets.