The Thursday Murder Club (film)

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The Thursday Murder Club
The Thursday Murder Club (film).jpg
Release poster
Directed by Chris Columbus
Screenplay by
Based on The Thursday Murder Club
by Richard Osman
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Don Burgess
Edited by Dan Zimmerman
Music by Thomas Newman
Production
companies
Distributed by Netflix
Release date
  • August 22, 2025 (2025-08-22)
Running time
118 minutes [1]
CountriesUnited Kingdom
United States
LanguageEnglish

The Thursday Murder Club is a 2025 crime comedy film directed by Chris Columbus from a screenplay by Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote, based on the 2020 novel by Richard Osman. The film stars Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie with David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Richard E. Grant, Tom Ellis, Geoff Bell, Paul Freeman, Sarah Niles, and Ingrid Oliver in supporting roles. Its plot follows a group of elderly amateur sleuths who attempt to solve a murder.

Contents

The Thursday Murder Club premiered on 21 August in Leicester Square, London, ahead of its release on 22 August in 30 select cinemas, and its streaming debut by Netflix on 28 August 2025. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

Plot

At Coopers Chase, a retirement village, psychiatrist Ibrahim, former trade union leader Ron, and ex-spy Liz are members of the Thursday Murder Club (TMC), which meets weekly to discuss old cold cases. They are soon joined by Joyce, a retired nurse and new resident, whose medical knowledge proves useful. The group is inspired by a case once handled by Detective Inspector Penny Gray, now in hospice, involving the unsolved murder of Angela Hughes. Police Constable Donna De Freitas, recently transferred from London, visits the village and strikes up a friendship with the TMC. She confides that her work feels tedious, and the club eagerly draws her into their investigations.

Meanwhile, conflict brews over plans to redevelop Coopers Chase into luxury flats. One of the owners, Ian Ventham, pushes the project forward, while his partner Tony Curran opposes it, promising the residents that he will block the sale. Shortly afterwards, Tony is murdered in his own home, his house ransacked and the weapon missing.

The TMC resolve to investigate. With Donna's help, they learn that local crime boss Bobby Tanner is secretly involved in the business, and that Ron's son Jason once worked with Tony. Suspicion briefly falls on Ian, but he is soon ruled out. During a residents' protest, Ian himself collapses and dies from a fentanyl overdose, leaving Tanner the sole owner. Jason is arrested, though the evidence against him proves weak.

Liz develops a cautious friendship with Bogdan, a Polish handyman employed at the village. He reveals a hidden grave containing a skeleton, later identified as Peter Mercer, the man who witnessed Angela's death years earlier. Liz also begins receiving threats, warning her to leave the matter alone.

When Jason provides an alibi (an affair with Ian's estranged wife), the TMC turn their attention back to Tanner. Liz and Donna discover that he has been trafficking migrants and seizing their passports. Liz confronts him and strikes a bargain: he is to keep Coopers Chase intact in return for her silence. She then realises that Bogdan was responsible for Tony's death. Bogdan later admits, while playing chess with Liz's husband Stephen, that he killed Tony under pressure but had not intended it. His confession is secretly recorded, and he is arrested.

The truth about Angela's murder also emerges. The TMC deduce that Mercer killed her, but that Penny, with her husband John's assistance, secretly took justice into her own hands by killing Mercer and concealing his body. When Ian's plans to redevelop Coopers Chase threatened to reveal Mercer's body, John murdered him to protect Penny. Both Penny and John die soon after in hospice care (implied to have resulted from fentanyl overdosing).

At their funeral, Liz presents Penny's club necklace to Joyce, formally welcoming her as a full member of the TMC. With Coopers Chase once more up for sale, Joanna, Joyce's daughter, considers buying it. Life in the village resumes quietly, with friendships renewed and the club ready for whatever mystery may come next.

Cast

Production

Development

In March 2020, it was announced that Ol Parker would write and direct a film adaptation of Richard Osman's debut novel The Thursday Murder Club for Amblin Entertainment, after Amblin acquired the worldwide rights to the project, with Jennifer Todd serving as producer and Osman serving as executive producer. [2] [3] In March 2023, Osman said filming was set to begin in September 2023 with Steven Spielberg as producer. [4] In November 2023, it was reported that filming was scheduled to begin in March 2024. [5] However, in February 2024 Osman said he was hopeful filming would commence in August 2024 after delays during the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes. [6] In April 2024, Chris Columbus was announced to replace Parker as writer, co-producer and director. [3] A few days later, it was announced that the project had been acquired by Netflix. [7]

Casting

In May 2024, Celia Imrie joined the cast as Joyce, with Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan and Ben Kingsley also part of the main cast. [8] In June 2024, David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays and Henry Lloyd-Hughes joined the cast. [9] Katy Brand announced on Instagram that she had written the final screenplay for the film on June 18, 2024. [10] In July 2024, Richard E. Grant, Ingrid Oliver and Tom Ellis were among those added to the cast. [11]

Filming

Principal photography began on 27 June 2024, at Shepperton Studios. [12] [13] Filming also took place in Beaconsfield in July 2024. [14] In September 2024, Osman appeared on The Chris Moyles Show and revealed that filming would wrap the same day. [15]

Release

The Thursday Murder Club was released in select cinemas on 22 August 2025, before its streaming debut by Netflix on 28 August 2025. [16] [17]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 76% of 116 critics' reviews are positive.The website's consensus reads: "Cozy as an undemanding beach reach and just as slight, this starry murder mystery leverages its terrific troupe of actors to nostalgic effect." [18] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 61 out of 100, based on 24 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [19]

Kat Halstead of Common Sense Media awarded the film with 4 stars out of 5 rating, and wrote, "It lags slightly in places, and at two hours is a little overlong, but this is a successful jump from page to screen that leaves a promising door open for future adaptations from the series." [20] Sheila O'Malley of RogerEbert.com wrote, "The Thursday Murder Club is engaging and often amusing. The plot contains enough surprises that the "whodunit" generates real suspense. The characters aren't particularly well-developed, but neither are they stereotypes. The film feels more like a television pilot than a stand-alone film, which may be exactly what Netflix is looking for. [21]

In a negative review, Laura Venning of Empire gave the film 2 stars out of 5 rating, while stating, "Maybe this would hit the spot for a Sunday-night sofa slump but it's more patronising than perceptive when it comes to portraying ageing. As disappointing as a stale scone." [22]

References

  1. "The Thursday Murder Club (12A)". British Board of Film Classification . June 4, 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  2. Kroll, Justin (March 5, 2020). "'Mamma Mia 2' Director Ol Parker to Helm Adaptation of Richard Osman's Novel for Amblin (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Archived from the original on April 30, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Stephan, Katcy (April 18, 2024). "Amblin's 'Thursday Murder Club' Film Lands Director Chris Columbus and Eyes Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan and Ben Kingsley". Variety . Archived from the original on April 24, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  4. Sarrubba, Stefania (March 31, 2023). "Richard Osman shares exciting Thursday Murder Club movie update". Digital Spy. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  5. Heath, Nicola (November 14, 2023). "Richard Osman, author of The Thursday Murder Club series, visits Australia to promote his new book". ABC News. Archived from the original on March 13, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  6. Sandwell, Ian; Mullor, Mier. "The Thursday Murder Club potential release date, cast and all you need to know". Digital Spy. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  7. Whittock, Jesse (April 25, 2024). "Netflix Joins 'The Thursday Murder Club', Chris Columbus & Amblin Entertainment's Feature Adaptation Of Big-Selling Richard Osman Novel". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  8. Sarrubbia, Stefania (May 21, 2024). "Richard Osman confirms who's playing Joyce in The Thursday Murder Club movie". DigitalSpy. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  9. Wiseman, Andreas (June 17, 2024). "David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays & Henry Lloyd-Hughes Join Netflix & Amblin's Richard Osman Adaptation 'The Thursday Murder Club'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  10. "katybrandofficial". Instagram. June 18, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  11. Wiseman, Andreas (July 8, 2024). "Richard E. Grant & Tom Ellis Among Latest Cast To Join Netflix & Amblin's Star-Studded Richard Osman Adaptation 'The Thursday Murder Club'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  12. Whittock, Jesse (April 23, 2024). "Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan & Ben Kingsley Cast In 'The Thursday Murder Club', Chris Columbus Set To Direct". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  13. Calnan, Ellie (June 28, 2024). "UK filming cranks up as 'The Thursday Murder Club', 'The Magic Faraway Tree' start shooting". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on July 21, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  14. "Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club films in Beaconsfield". Bucks Free Press. July 24, 2024. Archived from the original on July 24, 2024. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  15. Tinson, Emma (September 17, 2024). "Netflix reveals new Thursday Murder Club set photo as filming wraps". Digital Spy . Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  16. Sarrubba, Stefania (June 25, 2025). "The Thursday Murder Club confirms earlier UK cinema release". Digital Spy . Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  17. Giardina, Carolyn (April 24, 2025). "'The Thursday Murder Club,' Whodunit Starring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie, Sets Release Date on Netflix". Variety . Archived from the original on April 24, 2025. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  18. "The Thursday Murder Club". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  19. "The Thursday Murder Club". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  20. Halstead, Kat. "The Thursday Murder Club Movie Review | Common Sense Media". Common Sense Media . Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  21. O'Malley, Sheila (August 28, 2025). "The Thursday Murder Club movie review (2025) | Roger Ebert". RogerEbert.com . Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  22. Venning, Laura (August 22, 2025). "The Thursday Murder Club review: Netflix film is as disappointing as a stale scone". Empire . Retrieved August 29, 2025.