Directed by Chris Columbus.
The Thursday Murder Club premiered with a London premiere at Leicester Square on August 21, 2025.
Distributed by Netflix.
Movie Review
The Thursday Murder Club is a cozy, crowd pleasing mystery that leans on charm more than cunning.
It brings together a warm ensemble led by Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie, whose chemistry turns routine clues into delightful company.
The plot follows four retirees who meet weekly to solve cold cases and stumble into a real murder they cannot resist investigating.
The film favors character moments over intricate plotting, trading twisty logic for laughter, gentle suspense and heartfelt scenes about friendship and aging.
Some viewers may long for sharper surprises, yet the movie wins you over with quiet wit, scenic English village settings and a comforting tone that feels like a good chat over tea.
If you want a light mystery with star power and warm humor, this is comfortably satisfying viewing that leaves you smiling at the end.
It is perfect for relaxed weekend movie nights.
Ratings
• IMDb: 6.6/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 76%
• Google Audience Score: 60% liked this movie.
The Thursday Murder Club Actors
Helen Mirren as Elizabeth Best
DOB: July 26, 1945.
Bio: Dame Helen Mirren is one of the most celebrated English actresses of her generation, with a career spanning over five decades across stage, film, and television.
A winner of the Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe, Emmy, and Tony, she is renowned for her commanding presence, versatility, and ability to inhabit both regal figures and everyday characters with equal depth.
Role: Elizabeth Best, the sharp-eyed leader of the group. A former MI6 agent, Elizabeth uses her background in espionage to notice details others overlook, guiding the club’s amateur sleuthing with a mix of discipline, intuition, and compassion.
What to Expect: Mirren anchors the film with her trademark poise, dry humor, and subtle emotional resonance.
Expect a performance that balances sly wit, mystery-solving gravitas, and touching moments of friendship that hold the ensemble together.
Favorite Things: In interviews, Mirren has shared her love of gardening, painting, walking, and spending time in nature.
Notable Works: The Queen, Gosford Park, Calendar Girls, 1923.
Pierce Brosnan as Ron Ritchie
DOB: May 16, 1953.
Bio: Irish actor and producer who rose to international fame as the fifth James Bond, starring in four films in the iconic franchise.
Beyond 007, Brosnan has built a rich and varied career, moving seamlessly between action, comedy, drama, and musical films.
Role: Ron Ritchie, a blunt but big-hearted former trade union leader.
A cornerstone of the club’s core four, Ron is outspoken and tough on the outside, yet Brosnan imbues him with tenderness, loyalty, and surprising vulnerability.
What to Expect: A performance that mixes comic timing and genuine heart, and scenes that explore friendship and generational legacy.
Favorite Things: Brosnan is a longtime painter and art enthusiast, and frequently talks about family and travel in interviews.
Notable Works: GoldenEye, Mamma Mia, The Foreigner, Tomorrow Never Dies.
Ben Kingsley as Ibrahim Arif
DOB: December 31, 1943.
Bio: Sir Ben Kingsley is an Academy Award–winning English actor celebrated for his extraordinary versatility and commanding screen presence.
From historical epics to intimate dramas, he has earned acclaim for his ability to bring profound humanity, discipline, and emotional intensity to every role.
Role: Ibrahim Arif, the group’s retired psychiatrist. Thoughtful, calm, and quietly observant, Ibrahim is the voice of psychological insight within the club.
What to Expect: Expect a nuanced and layered performance, filled with subtle gestures, reflective silences, and emotionally resonant moments.
Favorite Things: In interviews, Kingsley often reflects on his love for the craft of acting, his lifelong connection to theatre, and the importance of mindfulness and living in the present moment.
Notable Works: Gandhi, Sexy Beast, House of Sand and Fog, Schindler’s List.
Celia Imrie as Joyce Meadowcroft
DOB: July 15, 1952.
Bio: British actress, known for her impeccable comic timing and ability to blend humor with emotional depth, she has become one of the UK’s most beloved character actors.
Imrie trained at the Guildford School of Acting (GSA) and has worked extensively in both lighthearted and serious roles, bringing warmth, wit, and authenticity to every performance.
Role: Joyce Meadowcroft, a retired nurse whose warmth and curiosity make her the heart of the group.
Joyce’s plain-speaking honesty and eagerness for new experiences keep the club grounded while adding humor and humanity to their investigations.
What to Expect: Lively, heartfelt comic beats and moments that highlight the film’s tenderness about ageing and community.
Favorite Things: IImrie has often spoken about her love of walking, enjoying simple culinary pleasures, and her fascination with true-crime programs.
Notable Works: Calendar Girls, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Finding Your Feet, Absolutely Fabulous.
Naomi Ackie as PC Donna De Freitas
DOB: August 22, 1991.
Bio: British actress whose career has rapidly ascended thanks to her emotionally rich and versatile performances.
She trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and has since built a reputation for fully inhabiting complex roles across film and television.
Role: Donna De Freitas, the ambitious young police officer who finds herself drawn into the orbit of the retirees’ amateur sleuthing.
Donna acts as the procedural anchor, offering a professional lens to the club’s eccentric investigations while slowly forming meaningful bonds with its members.
What to Expect: A grounded procedural counterpoint to the retirees’ eccentric methods and some strong scenes of moral and procedural conflict.
Favorite Things: In interviews, Ackie has spoken about her love of music, exploring new creative outlets, and her passion for strong character-driven storytelling.
Notable Works: The End of the F***ing World, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Daniel Mays as DCI Chris Hudson
DOB: March 31, 1978.
Bio: British actor known for his versatility across television, film, and stage.
Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), he has built a career marked by a wide range of roles, from emotionally complex dramas to sharply observed comedies.
Role: DCI Chris Hudson, the local detective tasked with solving the case while navigating the interference of the retirees.
Practical, diligent, and at times exasperated, Hudson must juggle police procedure, community politics, and the unorthodox brilliance of the club.
What to Expect: Sharp procedural scenes, moments of wry comedy and the administrative friction of a complex case.
Favorite Things: Mays talks about ensemble work and theatre training as key to his craft; he is also a keen football fan.
Notable Works: Line of Duty, Rogue One, Ashes to Ashes.
David Tennant as Ian Ventham
DOB: April 18, 1971.
Bio: Scottish actor whose career spans theatre, television, and film.
Trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Tennant became a household name as the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who (2005–2010), a role that showcased his mix of energy, emotional depth, and charisma.
Role: Ian Ventham is the antagonistic property developer whose actions set off a chain of events.
Tennant brings layered intensity to a character who looks good on paper but may be hiding darker impulses.
What to Expect: Audiences can expect a performance that’s equal parts charismatic and unsettling.
Favorite Things: Tennant has spoken about his love for theatre and character-driven work, as well as his deep commitment to family life.
Notable Works: Doctor Who, Broadchurch, Good Omens, Jessica Jones.
Tom Ellis as Jason Ritchie
DOB: November 17, 1978.
Bio: Welsh actor renowned for his charisma, versatility, and magnetic screen presence.
Born in Cardiff and raised in Sheffield, Ellis studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (then the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama).
Role: Jason Ritchie, Ron’s son, whose personal history and secrets complicate the group’s investigation.
Jason embodies both loyalty and recklessness, and his presence adds tension to the delicate balance of trust within the mystery.
What to Expect: A sympathetic but morally ambiguous younger figure who forces the older characters to confront family history.
Favorite Things: Ellis talks about family and music in interviews and loves roles that let him mix humour and drama.
Notable Works: Lucifer, Rush, Tell Me Lies, Miranda.
Jonathan Pryce as Stephen Best
DOB: June 1, 1947.
Bio: Sir Jonathan Pryce is a highly distinguished Welsh actor whose career spans over five decades across stage, film, and television.
Born in Carmel, Wales, Pryce trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and quickly established himself as one of Britain’s most versatile actors.
Role: Stephen Best, Elizabeth’s husband. Stephen’s struggle with memory decline provides the story with an emotional core that balances the film’s humor and suspense.
What to Expect: Gentle, intimate scenes that ground the more public sleuthing in real human stakes.
Favorite Things: Pryce often emphasizes his enduring love for theatre, especially Shakespeare, and has spoken about the discipline and satisfaction of longform acting.
Notable Works: Brazil, Game of Thrones, The Two Popes.
Henry Lloyd-Hughes as Bogdan
DOB: August 11, 1985.
Bio: British actor, born in Westminster, London. Trained at St. Paul’s School and active in theatre from a young age, he has built a reputation for effortlessly shifting between offbeat supporting roles and layered leads.
Lloyd-Hughes first came to prominence in The Inbetweeners (2008–2010), where his dry wit and timing showcased his comedic instincts.
Role: Bogdan, the Polish handyman at Coopers Chase. While seemingly a genial and practical presence, Bogdan is much more than he first appears.
What to Expect: A quietly magnetic performance that reveals surprising layers as the plot unfolds.
Favorite Things: Lloyd-Hughes is active in independent film and theatre and speaks about collaborative ensemble work.
Notable Works: The Inbetweeners, Anna Karenina, The Irregulars.
Richard E. Grant as Bobby Tanner
DOB: May 5, 1957.
Bio: Swazi-born British actor whose career spans more than four decades, celebrated for his magnetic screen presence, distinctive voice, and sharp comic-dramatic instincts.
He trained at the University of Cape Town before moving to Britain, where he achieved cult fame with his breakout role in Withnail and I (1987).
Role: Bobby Tanner is a shadowy figure in the village with secrets that complicate the investigation. Grant plays him with sly menace and unexpected humanity.
What to Expect: Expect a performance that is both unsettling and compelling, where Grant uses his trademark ability to blend humour with unease.
Favorite Things: Grant writes and speaks often about storytelling, wine and theatre culture.
Notable Works: Withnail and I, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Logan.
Paul Freeman as John
DOB: January 18, 1943.
Bio: British actor whose career spans stage, television, and film. Known for his authoritative presence and versatility, Freeman has frequently been cast in roles that balance gravitas with subtle charm.
He gained international recognition for his portrayal of Dr. René Belloq in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).
Role: John is part of the film’s layered village world and plays into one of the emotional plotting threads that tie past and present together.
What to Expect: Quiet, veteran craft that supports the principal ensemble and enriches the movie’s small world feel.
Favorite Things: Freeman has spoken about his lifelong passion for theatre, travel, and philanthropic work.
Notable Works: Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Dogs of War, Tokyo Trial.
More Actors
• Geoff Bell as Tony Curran.
• Ingrid Oliver as Joanna.
• Joseph Marcell as Father Mackie.
• Ruth Sheen as Aunt Maud.
• Sarah Niles as Patrice De Freitas, Donna’s mother.
FAQ – The Thursday Murder Club (2025) Movie
Is the film based on a book?
Yes, it’s based on Richard Osman’s bestselling novel of the same name.
The story follows four retirees living in a lavish retirement home who turn cold-case hobbyists, until a real murder disrupts their routine.
Are sequels confirmed or in development?
Definitely likely. Director Chris Columbus has stated his intent to adapt at least two more books, and the main cast shares high enthusiasm for returning.
With four sequels in Richard Osman’s series, adaptations for The Man Who Died Twice and beyond are expected.
More on EW
Where can I watch The Thursday Murder Club?
The Thursday Murder Club (2025) had a limited UK theatrical release on August 22, 2025, and is now streaming exclusively on Netflix worldwide from August 28, 2025.
Where was The Thursday Murder Club Filmed?
The Thursday Murder Club was filmed primarily in the United Kingdom, with key shooting locations set in picturesque English countryside villages and retirement communities to capture the cozy, small-town mystery vibe of the story.
Conclusion
The Thursday Murder Club succeeds not by reinventing the murder mystery but by embracing its heart, friendship, humor, and the quiet courage of ordinary people.
With a stellar cast delivering warmth and wit, it’s less about shocking revelations and more about the joy of solving puzzles together.
The film captures the spirit of Richard Osman’s beloved novel, balancing lighthearted comedy with gentle reflections on aging and community.
While it may not satisfy those craving edge-of-your-seat thrills, it shines as a comforting, feel-good whodunit that celebrates the bonds we form later in life.
Whether you’re a fan of cozy mysteries or simply enjoy watching legends like Helen Mirren and Ben Kingsley at play, this film is an easy recommendation.
It leaves you not only entertained but also a little more appreciative of life’s small connections, proving that adventure, laughter, and meaning don’t retire when we do.