Netflix Reveals Trailer for The Thursday Murder Club Ahead of Premiere
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Last Updated on August 16, 2025 by Stefanie Hutson
Netflix has released the full trailer for The Thursday Murder Club, the feature adaptation of Richard Osman’s bestselling novel about four friends who refuse to spend retirement on the sidelines. Now roughly give years since the first book was released, the long wait for a screen adaptation is almost over.
The Case at Coopers Chase
The story unfolds at Coopers Chase, an upscale retirement community modeled after the kind of place Osman’s mother lives in real life. Every Thursday, four friends gather to pore over old unsolved cases — more a pastime than a profession. When someone close to the community dies under unclear circumstances, the group’s hobby turns into a live investigation.
Drawing on decades of hard-won experience from their former lives — and the fact that younger people often overlook them — they quietly probe the community for answers. They ask careful questions, compare timelines, and test alibis, all while trying to stay one step ahead of the official inquiry. The setting of Coopers Chase, with its manicured lawns, gated seclusion, and layers of social life, proves the perfect stage for their delicate balancing act of charm and determination.
The Club: Four Sleuths, Four Skillsets
- Elizabeth (Helen Mirren) — A former spy who treats every problem like an operation. Calm under pressure, fluent in plans and contingencies, and not above a strategic fib if it keeps the team safe and the facts moving.
- Ibrahim (Sir Ben Kingsley) — A retired psychiatrist with a methodical mind. He brings note-taking, pattern recognition and an unshowy empathy that gets people talking — and reveals what they’re trying to hide.
- Ron (Pierce Brosnan) — An ex–union firebrand who believes a direct question is often the shortest route to the truth. Charming, stubborn, and good at reading a room, he’s the natural icebreaker when doors need opening.
- Joyce (Celia Imrie) — A former nurse whose diary habit and warm manner make her the group’s stealth observer. People underestimate her, which is useful; they tell Joyce things they wouldn’t tell anyone else.
The Police, Properly Introduced
- PC Donna de Freitas (Naomi Ackie) — A capable junior officer who takes the club seriously when others don’t. She’s the bridge between official procedure and the Thursday crowd’s unconventional leads.
- DCI Chris Hudson (Daniel Mays) — A seasoned detective who knows that evidence can come from awkward places. By the book, but practical enough to follow a good tip — even if it arrives over tea and lemon drizzle cake.
Suspects, Allies and Other Notables
- Stephen Best (Jonathan Pryce) — Connected personally to the club and to Coopers Chase’s quieter corners. A gentle presence whose history adds texture — and, at times, tension — to the group’s work.
- Bogdan Jankowski (Henry Lloyd-Hughes) — A resourceful handyman who sees everything and says little. Useful with tools and logistics; even more useful with the habits of people who underestimate him.
Additional players include Richard E. Grant, Tom Ellis, Paul Freeman, Geoff Bell, Ingrid Oliver and David Tennant in key supporting roles that widen the suspect pool and the field of possible motives.
From Page to Screen
Richard Osman’s novel launched a series that now includes The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed, The Last Devil to Die and a forthcoming installment, The Impossible Fortune. He has said the idea came from conversations in his mother’s retirement community, where extraordinary backstories and sharp minds were often hiding in plain sight. The film keeps that core idea intact.
Director Chris Columbus works from a screenplay by Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote, with Netflix and Amblin partnering on the production. Producer Jennifer Todd was an early champion of the project and turned to Columbus, who is known for book-to-screen adaptations, to steer the tone and structure.
Release Plan and Trailer
The Thursday Murder Club opens in select theaters beginning August 22, then arrives on Netflix on August 28. If you're planning a watch party, don't forget the tea and lemon drizzle cake!
