From Page to Screen: How The Thursday Murder Club Became Netflix’s Most Charming Whodunit

When Dame Helen Mirren first picked up Richard Osman’s cozy crime novel The Thursday Murder Club, she couldn’t have guessed that she’d one day become Elizabeth Best — the sharp-minded, secretive former spy at the heart of the story. But as Mirren admits with a smile, “It’s unputdownable, isn’t it?”

Now streaming on Netflix, the long-awaited film adaptation brings Osman’s witty, heartfelt mystery to life — with a dream ensemble cast led by Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Sir Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, and Naomi Ackie. Produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Chris Columbus, this isn’t just another murder mystery. It’s a warm, funny, and deeply human story about friendship, aging, and finding purpose when the world seems to have moved on.

A New Kind of Murder Mystery

Set in the idyllic English retirement community of Coopers Chase, The Thursday Murder Club follows a group of unlikely detectives — retirees who gather each week to pore over unsolved crimes. But when a real murder occurs on their doorstep, their hobby becomes a deadly game, forcing them to rely on both wit and heart to uncover the truth.

Mirren says the story’s appeal lies in its balance of suspense and soul. “There’s a reason we still read Agatha Christie or P.D. James,” she explains. “But what Richard Osman did so brilliantly was add humor — a genuine warmth — to the darkness. You laugh, you cry, and you still can’t wait to find out who did it.”

Spielberg, Columbus, and the Art of Adaptation

Adapting Osman’s bestseller — which has sold millions of copies and spawned four sequels — was no small feat. Director Chris Columbus (best known for Mrs. Doubtfire and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone) faced a daunting question: How do you fit 400 pages of mystery and heart into a two-hour film?

“I love the book and the characters,” Columbus tells Netflix’s Tudum. “But there’s too much story to include everything exactly as written. We had to take some liberties — tighten the mystery, adjust a few twists — but we stayed faithful to the spirit of Osman’s world.”

Thankfully, author Richard Osman was not only supportive — he was hands-off. “You must either be completely involved or not involved at all,” Osman says. “I had this incredible team — Chris Columbus, Steven Spielberg, Helen Mirren — and I trusted them. The film is a different thing entirely, and that’s how it should be.”

The Cast: Legends at Play

The film’s ensemble is one of its greatest strengths.

Mirren shines as Elizabeth Best, the group’s unspoken leader — sharp, secretive, and endlessly resourceful. Pierce Brosnan brings warmth and wit to Ron Ritchie, a stubborn ex-union activist with a big heart. “I love the humor of Ron,” Brosnan says. “He’s bullheaded, yes, but he’s also deeply kind — a man who wants the right thing for people.”

Sir Ben Kingsley plays Ibrahim Arif, a meticulous retired psychiatrist; Celia Imrie charms as Joyce Meadowcroft, the club’s irrepressible optimist; and Naomi Ackie joins as PC Donna De Freitas, the young police officer whose determination and frustration make her an unlikely ally.

“What I really got from the book is how ballsy she is,” Ackie says. “She’s got guts. She wants to be better, to prove herself — and that’s what drives her to connect with the club.”

Preserving the Charm of Osman’s World

Behind the scenes, every detail of The Thursday Murder Club was crafted to capture the book’s spirit. Production designer James Merifield reimagined the club’s meeting room — described in the novel as a simple, windowless space — into a sunlit orangery overlooking the Coopers Chase grounds. Through its windows, viewers can see residents playing lawn games or strolling the estate, a visual reminder of the community that gives the story its heart.

Producer Jennifer Todd says the challenge was simplifying the book’s intricate, decades-spanning mystery while keeping its emotional depth. “It’s important to tell stories about people at this stage of life — to show that they’re still relevant, adventurous, and full of life,” she says. “That’s what made the book such a delicious read. It deserved to be a movie.”

Heart, Humor, and Humanity

What makes The Thursday Murder Club truly special isn’t its plot twists — it’s its people. Osman himself puts it best:

“Whodunits are never really about what happens,” he says. “They’re about why you care. If you don’t care about the characters, you can have 50 twists and none of them matter.”

Columbus and his cast clearly understood that. The film’s humor is gentle, its pacing brisk, and its tone effortlessly balances poignancy with playfulness. It’s a story that celebrates friendship, resilience, and the idea that it’s never too late to start a new chapter — even one involving a murder or two.

A Franchise in the Making

With the film now streaming on Netflix and Osman’s fifth novel, The Impossible Fortune, set for release on September 30, The Thursday Murder Club is fast becoming one of the most beloved mystery franchises of the decade.

Whether you’re a lifelong fan of cozy crime or a newcomer to the genre, there’s something irresistibly comforting about watching a group of retirees outsmart both killers and cops — all while sharing tea, laughter, and a few life lessons along the way.

In the end, The Thursday Murder Club isn’t just a mystery to solve. It’s a celebration of life’s second acts — proof that age is no barrier to adventure, and that sometimes the sharpest detectives are found where you least expect them: in the quiet corners of a retirement village, where friendship is the greatest clue of all.