Boasting a star-studded cast, the movie follows four retirees who spend their time solving cold case murders for fun, but they end up with a real whodunit on their hands.
The film stars Helen Mirren as Elizabeth, Pierce Brosnan as Ron, Ben Kingsley as Ibrahim and Celia Imrie as Joyce, and it was directed by Chris Columbus.
Chris said of the film: “There’s a wonderful mystery at its core, so fans of detective and thriller films will not be disappointed.
Celia Imrie and Ben Kingsley in The Thursday Murder Club (Image: NETFLIX)
“Thematically, I found it interesting that at the heart of the novel, there are four elderly people, living in a retirement community, who are obsessed with death and murder.
“They are in the last act of their lives, facing their own mortality, yet they are somehow obsessed with studying cold cases that deal with violent murders. I fell in love with that concept. It’s darkly comedic and deeply emotional.”
Thursday Murder Club is also coming to Netflix (Image: Netflix)
Translating the complex 350 page novel, which is full of plot twists, into a screenplay was actor and comedian Katy Brand’s responsibility.
“I remember thinking ‘there’s so much to play with here – it’s such an explosion of ideas.’ My immediate sense regarding adapting the book was that I wanted to draw out the emotion and Chris Columbus seemed to respond to that when we first met,” she said.
Chris opened up about how he initially became involved in the project, admitting the first scripts were not to his liking.
He said: “I was a fan of the books, but the initial scripts I read veered far from the novel. I felt that this was a mistake and I wanted to preserve what everyone loved about the book.
The Thursday Murder Club boasts an A-List cast(Image: Netflix)
“When I first met with the writer, Katy Brand, I was convinced that she not only understood what made the novel so incredibly popular with readers around the world.
“But she also had the vision to write a film that was faithful to the source material. Katy’s draft was wonderful.
“And it was because of that draft that we were able to get so many British acting legends to commit to our film.”
The film also stars Naomi Ackie as PC Donna De Freitas, Daniel Mays as DCI Chris Hudson, Tom Ellis as Jason Ritchie, Jonathan Pryce as Stephen Best and David Tennant as Ian Ventham.
The Thursday Murder Club airs on Netflix on August 28
Filming kicked off in 2024, with none other than Steven Spielberg serving as producer, and Osman has been keeping his followers informed about the latest happenings. Taking to Instagram, he reassured fans that the film would be available both in cinemas and on Netflix, addressing concerns that some might not be able to watch it.
The Thursday Murder Club(Image: Giles Keyte/Netflix)
He announced: “Some very good news for everyone who wanted to see #TheThursdayMurderClub in UK cinemas. Netflix have listened to the clamour, and the film will now have a run in UK cinemas.”
Here’s everything you need to know about the release date, cast and more.
When is The Thursday Murder Club out?
The Thursday Murder Club is set to premiere in UK cinemas on August 22.
It will then be available for streaming on Netflix from August 28, with a runtime of nearly two hours.
Who are the stars of The Thursday Murder Club?
The main four characters, Elizabeth Best, Ron Ritchie, Ibrahim Arif and Joyce Meadowcroft, will be played by Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie.
Osman recently addressed the contentious casting of Ron, telling Empire: “You have to do something unusual and different and interesting.
“Here’s the key thing about Pierce Brosnan playing Ron: Pierce Brosnan is who Ron would choose to play Ron.”
Doctor Who legend David Tennant has also been signed up as Ian Ventham, alongside Jonathan Pryce who plays Elizabeth’s other half Stephen.
Naomi Ackie is set to portray PC Donna De Freitas, whilst Daniel Mays takes on DCI Chris Hudson and Henry Lloyd-Hughes stars as Bogdan.
Additional big names joining the production include Richard E. Grant, Tom Ellis, Geoff Bell, Paul Freeman, Sarah Niles and Ingrid Oliver.
Helen Mirren and Celia Imrie(Image: Giles Keyte/Netflix)
Is there a trailer for The Thursday Murder Club?
Viewers get a sneak peek at Cooper’s Chase, the retirement community where the central characters live.
When a killing occurs nearby, Joyce is eager for the group to get involved and crack a fresh case.
Supporters flocked to the comments section to share their enthusiasm, with one posting: “The perfect cast, I am sooooo looking forward to seeing this film, love all the books, get ready to snuggle in and be totally enthralled.”
Someone else commented: “Totally didn’t expect this book series to be adapted by Netflix, really looking forward to this. I hope it’s good. And man this cast is stacked!”.
The Thursday Murder Club will hit UK cinemas on August 22. It will subsequently become available to stream on Netflix from August 28.
Disney Plus new shows and series have been revealed for summer 2025, including new Marvel series Ironheart, The Bear season 4, Washington Black and Ocean with David Attenborough
21:24, 28 Jun 2025Updated 21:32, 28 Jun 2025
Disney Plus new shows and series have been revealed for summer 2025(Image: Disney)
With UK temperatures reaching huge heights some of us wanting to hide away in doors, Disney Plus has all you need.
With a new summer line-up of shows including new seasons of some fan favourites, new Disney shows and some new additions from elsewhere, there’s something for everyone. We have a new Marvel show, season four of a hit favourite and some nature too, as well as some thrillers, animation and intriguing new entrainment.
Of course not everyone wants to stay indoors with summer finally here, so there’s always the option of watching some classics or the new and latest additions to Disney Plus on the go. For those who are hiding out from the heat, there’s plenty to stream on the big screen.
Arriving in August, there’s FX’s Alien: Earth which sees a space research vessel crash-land on Earth. It leads to a group of tactical soldiers making a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat.
It’s the year 2120, and humans are living beside cyborgs and synthetics – but a new technological advancement changes everything as hybrids are created, marking a new dawn in the race for immortality. As the series goes on, the hybrids encounter mysterious life forms more terrifying than anyone could have ever imagined.
Disney Plus has all you need, including new series Washington Black(Image: Disney)
Viewers can see this series on August 13. Also coming soon is the third part of Abbot Elementary season four. The workplace comedy following a group of dedicated, passionate teachers in a public school in Philadelphia, and a slightly tone-deaf principal, continues with seven new episodes on July 2.
As ever there’s drama and comedy and plenty to keep you watching. On July 1, fans of the hit show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives will get to watch the reunion special. After a shocking end to the second series, secrets and scandals will apparently come to the forefront of the special episode when it drops next week.
With new footage that has yet to air, a surprise announcement and the usual drama, there’s plenty of twists and turns ahead no doubt, hosted by Nick Viall and starring some of the show favourites. Also coming very soon, July 23, is limited new series Washington Black.
Based on the bestselling novel with the same name, the series, according to Disney Plus’ synopsis, “follows the 19th-century odyssey of George Washington ‘Wash’ Black, an eleven-year-old boy born on a Barbados sugar plantation, whose prodigious scientific mind sets him on a path of unexpected destiny.”
With a new summer line-up of shows including new seasons of some fan favourites, new Disney shows and some new additions from elsewhere, there’s something for everyone(Image: Disney)
The youngster is thrust into a globe-spanning adventure that “challenges and reshapes his understanding of family, freedom and love” after a harrowing incident at the start of the series. The synopsis continues: “As he navigates uncharted lands and impossible odds, Wash finds the courage to imagine a future beyond the confines of the society he was born into.”
Its cast includes Sterling K. Brown, Ernest Kingsley Jr., Eddie Karanja, Tom Ellis and Sharon Duncan-Brewster. Also coming soon is National Geographic series JAWS @ 50, arriving on July 11. A documentary celebrating the hit film 50 years after it launched in Hollywood, featuring director Steven Spielberg.
The inside story will “chart the extraordinary journey from Peter Benchley’s bestselling novel to one of the most iconic films ever made”. There’s behind-the-scenes footage, rare archival footage and interviews, as well as comment from top shark scientists.
This is certainly one for Jaws fans, or anyone interested in film… or even sharks. Chris Hemsworth’s Limitless series is returning with another instalment soon too, with a date not yet revealed.
David Attenborough’s latest series, Ocean, is here(Image: Conor McDonnell)
Titled Limitless: Live Better Now, the series will “will delve into a series of physical and mental obstacles that people across the world face daily”. Chris will apparently be pushed to “explore and grow” like never before, travelling to the ends of the Earth to check out some of the world’s best-kept secrets to a better life, while checking out the latest science too.
The final upcoming series, arriving on 11 July, is ZOMBIES 4: Dawn of the Vampires. The fourth instalment of the movie series sees Zed and Addison take an unexpected detour on a road trip, landing them amid a monster rivalry.
This time tensions will flare as it’s Daywalkers vs Vampires, with the characters having to do what they can to convince sworn enemies to unite to take down an even bigger threat. There’s plenty of summer content already up on the streaming platform too, including Spanish original series I, Addict, National Geographic series Underdogs and David Attenborough’s latest series, Ocean.
If that isn’t enough, Disney’s live action remake of Snow White is ready to stream, as well as new action and science fiction series Predator: Killer of Killers, while Marvel’s latest show Ironheart is ready to watch too. In this series, set after the events of the movie Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, a young, genius inventor named Riri Williams is ready to make her mark on the world, only to get caught up with the mysterious yet charming Parker Robbins, known as ‘The Hood’.
Finally, fans waiting for the latest season of hit series The Bear are in luck(Image: Copyright 2025, FX. All rights reserved.)
There’s also a new season of hit animation Phineas & Ferb, which sees the crew tackle another 104 days of summer and are set for exciting new adventures featuring some unforgettable milestones. The synopsis read: “The boys will break several world records, Candace will take her driver’s license test, and Perry will finally make a trip to the vet!”
Finally, fans waiting for the latest season of hit series The Bear are in luck too as this is now on the platform. As it kicks off, the characters are “pushing forward, determined not only to survive, but also to take The Bear to the next level.” The synopsis reads: “With new challenges around every corner, the team must adapt, adjust and overcome. This season, the pursuit of excellence isn’t just about getting better – it’s about deciding what’s worth holding on to.”
