The Trailer for 'The Thursday Murder Club' Puts a Group of Retirees on the Hunt for a Killer
Helen Mirren and Henry Lloyd-Hughes in "The Thursday Murder Club"
(Photo: Netflix)
Little old ladies (and sometimes men) solving crimes in the village is probably the basis for at least 50% of the United Kingdom's entertainment output, a fact that is reflected in everything from the long-running popularity of shows like Miss Marple to new series like The Marlow Murder Club. Even America is finally starting to get in on the act, with shows like Only Murders in the Building and A Man on the Inside. It's a no-brainer, really, if only because we've also established that anyone can decide to start solving crimes now, be they podcasters, pensioners, or former professors. Netflix is taking this idea to the next level with The Thursday Murder Club, an adaptation of British author Richard Osman's best-selling debut novel.
The story follows a group of friends in a charming retirement home who, like so many of us, are not-so-secret true crime junkies in their spare time. But their weekly meetings (on Thursdays, naturally) to discuss unsolved cold cases hings take an unexpected turn when a brutal killing occurs right under their noses, and the group finds itself embroiled in a real-life murder investigation. The film's primary quartet of actors is a next-level array of British icons, featuring Helen Mirren (1923) as former spy Elizabeth Best, Ben Kingsley (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar) as ex-psychiatrist Dr. Ibrahim Araif, Pierce Brosnan (MobLand) as former union activist Ron Ritchie, and Celia Imrie (The Diplomat) as ex-nurse Joyce Meadowcroft.
Here's the film's synopsis.
Based on Richard Osman’s international bestselling novel of the same name, The Thursday Murder Club follows four irrepressible retirees — Elizabeth, Ron, Ibrahim, and Joyce — who spend their time solving cold case murders for fun. When an unexplained death occurs on their own doorstep, their casual sleuthing takes a thrilling turn as they find themselves with a real whodunit on their hands.
Alongside the film's main quartet of A-list crime solvers, the star-studded cast includes Jonathan Pryce (The Crown) as Elizabeth's husband, Stephen Best; Tom Ellis (Agatha Christie's Poirot), as Ron's son, Jason Ritchie; and Ingrid Oliver (Doctor Who) as Joyce's daughter, Joanna Meadowcroft. Naomi Ackie (Mickey 17) is local cop PC Donna De Freitas, with Sarah Niles (Ted Lasso) as her mother.
David Tennant (Rivals) guest stars as the owner of the pensioner village, Ian Ventham, and Henry Lloyd-Hughes (We Were the Lucky Ones) as the club's assistant, Bogdan Jankowski. Richard E. Grant (Saltburn), Daniel Mays (Moonflower Murders), Paul Freeman (The Man Who Fell to Earth), and Geoff Bell (Whitstable Pearl) round out the supporting cast
The film was adapted from Richard Osman's novel of the same name by Suzanne Heathcote (Killing Eve) and Katy Brand (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande). Director Chris Columbus (Harry Potter) helmed the film. Executive producers include Osman, Jo Burn, Eleanor Columbus, Holly Bario, and Jeb Brody, with Columbus and Jennifer Todd serving as producers.
The Thursday Murder Club will premiere on Netflix on Thursday, August 28.
