‘Thursday Murder Club’ – What We Know About the Netflix Movie Adaptation

The Thursday Murder Club has been nothing short of a phenomenon ever since it began flying off shelves in September 2020. Penned by British television personality Richard Osman, the story follows four pensioners who indulge in attempting to solve cold cases during their retirement. However, things become very real when they suddenly become embroiled in a live case. Selling over 45,000 copies in its first three days, the novel stormed to the top of The Sunday Times Bestseller list, with attention immediately turning to a potential movie adaptation.

Well, that adaptation is on its way and already has many famous on and off-screen names attached. Whether or not the other three books in the series will be adapted is anyone’s guess, and probably relies on the success of this first adaptation. Nevertheless, the effort put in to place masters of their craft in the correct positions has drummed up plenty of excitement and set this project on a trajectory toward triumph. So, with all that in mind, here is a look at everything we know about The Thursday Murder Club so far.

Does ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ Have a Release Date?

Officially, there is not yet a release date for The Thursday Murder Club. However, it is possible to deduce some sense of a release window thanks to confirmed shooting dates, with production kicking off on July 2, 2024. It is expected, thanks to a quote via Osman himself, that shooting will finish in September 2024, leaving a release date this year highly unlikely. The most likely premiere date will be in 2025, with a summer release perhaps the most appropriate for one of the most hotly-anticipated adaptations in quite some time. Netflix, of course, is no stranger to keeping audiences guessing, with the likes of Stranger Things and Virgin River still not receiving consistent concrete updates. Let’s hope the streamer gets their finger out on The Thursday Murder Club and keeps fans abreast of as much information as possible.

Where Can You Watch ‘The Thursday Murder Club’?

Officially, Netflix will be the home of The Thursday Murder Club upon its release, joining the many other wonderful movies already on the platform. Before the original novel had even been published, such is the genuine brilliance of it, the rights to the adaptation were snatched up by Steven Spielberg‘s production company, Amblin Entertainment. The company and Netflix have a strong working relationship already, including currently piecing together a project titled Carry On starring Jason Bateman and Taron Egerton, set to release this November. In a press statement, Osman noted his pure joy at the immense talent that had already been assigned to the movie, saying,

“I’m so proud of this book, so it is a dream to see The Thursday Murder Club in such incredible hands. From Chris Columbus to Amblin to Netflix, there are geniuses everywhere I look. And what a cast. I’m pinching myself.”

Netflix is no stranger to a novel adaptation, with perhaps their biggest being Julia Quinn‘s Bridgerton series, which has translated into one of Netflix’s largest shows of all time. Whether this is the fate of The Thursday Murder Club is yet to be determined, but there will surely be hope that a slice of the Bridgerton success will go the way of the Osman adaptation, especially considering the genius so far attached. For those without Netflix who will need one in time for the movie’s release, here is a handy breakdown of all the subscription options available:

Excitingly, via a simple reply to one of his social media updates, Osman confirmed that the movie will come to UK theaters. Whether or not it will receive an international theatrical release is yet to be confirmed, but it seems as if the possibility is certainly high.

Is There a Trailer For ‘The Thursday Murder Club’?

Given the film has only just entered production, a trailer will be some way off yet. To keep updated with any and all production information and promotional material that is released for the movie, make sure to stay tuned to Collider.

What Is ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ About?

Much like the enormous success of Rian Johnson‘s Knives Out series, Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club is a wonderfully clever murder mystery story that keeps the reader constantly on their toes. It is expected that the adaptation will stay faithful to the original novel, even if Osman himself isn’t penning the screenplay, with the cozy comfort of the British retirement setting and the suave sophistication of the central mystery likely to remain the same. The official synopsis reads,

“Four septuagenarian friends live in a retirement community and solve cold cases for fun. But when a shady property developer is found dead, the four find themselves in the middle of their first live crime.”

The faith to which the original novel will be given is not yet known, but, via a social media post by Osman, it is clear that Coopers Chase, the retirement home for the four main characters, will be staying the same. Their weekly cold case meetings suddenly sweep them up in a very real current case, as a death close to home fires them into the very world they so fondly discuss. To find out when any other plot details are revealed, make sure to stay updated on Collider.

Who Is Starring in ‘The Thursday Murder Club’?

Simply put, the assembled cast thus far for The Thursday Murder Club is astonishing. A who’s who of British legend, the movie’s four main protagonists are each played by Academy Award winner Helen Mirren (The Queen) who plays ex-spy Elizabeth, Pierce Brosnan (GoldenEye) as ex-union activist Ron, Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley (Gandhi) as ex-psychiatrist Ibrahim, and Celia Imrie (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) as ex-nurse Joyce. These four icons of British acting are joined by a plethora of award-winning talent in as-yet-unknown roles, which includes the likes of David Tennant (Doctor Who), Daniel Mays (Atonement), Naomi Ackie (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker), Academy Award nominee Jonathan Pryce (The Crown), Henry Lloyd-Hughes (Chevalier), Academy Award nominee Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?), Tom Ellis (Lucifer), Geoff Bell (Kingsman: The Secret Service), Paul Freeman (Hot Fuzz), Sarah Niles (Ted Lasso), and Ingrid Oliver (Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging).

Who Is Making ‘The Thursday Murder Club’?

The man behind many a magic childhood is adapting yet another best-selling novel, with the director of the first two Harry Potter films, as well as the likes of Home Alone and The Goonies, Chris Columbus at the helm. Columbus joins the likes of Katy Brand, Suzanne Heathcote, Ol Parker, and Adrian Wenner in penning the script, with the likes of Osman, Eleanor Columbus, and Holly Bario credited as executive producers.