The upcoming Netflix adaptation of Richard Osman’s novel ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ recently welcomed a surprise visitor on set: legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg. Spielberg spent time with the cast and crew, posing for photos with notable stars like Celia Imrie, Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren, and Osman himself, alongside director Chris Columbus. Columbus, renowned for his work on films like ‘Home Alone’ (1990) and ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ (1993), is directing this highly-anticipated adaptation.
The film is based on Osman’s 2020 debut murder mystery novel, which became a massive bestseller, selling over 1 million copies in the UK and earning Platinum status. Following its success, Osman penned three more novels: ‘The Man Who Died Twice,’ ‘The Bullet That Missed,’ and ‘The Last Devil to Die,’ with a fifth book expected in 2025.
Image Courtesy: Netflix
The adaptation is set to feature a star-studded cast, including Richard E. Grant, Tom Ellis, David Tennant, Daniel Mays, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Geoff Bell, and Paul Freeman. Other notable actors involved are Sarah Niles from ‘Ted Lasso,’ Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Ackie, and Osman’s wife, Ingrid Oliver, known for her role in ‘Doctor Who.’ Production kicked off on June 27, 2024, in Beaconsfield, with filming expected to conclude in September.
This project marks the second collaboration between Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment and Netflix, following their production agreement in 2021, just a year after the novel’s release. Columbus not only directs but also wrote the script, with a team of producers including Jeb Brody, Eleanor Columbus, Jennifer Todd, Holly Bario, and Jo Burn. Although no official release date has been announced, fans are eagerly awaiting the film, with the possibility of Osman’s sequels also making it to the big screen.
–Farheen Ali