Based on British television personalityRichard Osman’s bestseller,The Thursday Murder Clubis set to debut on Netflix in late August and is one of the platform’s most anticipated upcoming releases. Directed byHome Alone’sChris Columbus, the film stars the likes ofHelen Mirren,Pierce Brosnan,Ben Kingsley,Celia Imrie, and many more, fromDoctor Who’sDavid Tennantto the brilliantTom Ellis, in one of the most stacked British casts in recent memory.
However, it is this casting, in particular the casting of Brosnan as Ron, that has caused some controversy from fans of the novel. With Ron described in the book as a neck-tattooed former trade unionist, Brosnan is perhaps the last man to have come to mind, with many looking towards the likes ofRay Winstoneas a better candidate. However, the allure of Brosnan proved too strong, with author Osman, who has also had hishand in production, speaking out on the decision in an interview withEmpire, saying, “You have to do something unusual and different and interesting.”
He continued, “Here’s the key thing about Pierce Brosnan playing Ron:Pierce Brosnan is who Ron would choose to play Ron. In the next book, I’ve got a scene with Ron and Ibrahim discussing who the best Bond is, and Ron is very much a Pierce Brosnan man. And Ibrahim is Timothy Dalton. For me, that’s the joy.” In response to this, the former Bond himself said, “That’s bloody great. I love it. Timothy Dalton was a fantastic Bond. Brosnan wasn’t half bad either.”
Will ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ Stay Faithful to the Novel?
Of course, with any adaptation, the wants and wills of many creative minds are likely to push and pull any source material in various directions. No stranger to helming a big-name adaptation, having directed the first twoHarry Potterfilms, Columbus is thankfully a safe pair of hands in such a situation. As part ofCollider’s Exclusive Previewevent for this Summer’s biggest movies, Columbus divulged just how faithful the adaptation would be, saying, “We are sticking with the storyline of the firstThursday Murder Clubnovel.” He then added, “Certain events and plot devices have been changed. Other scenes were omitted for time.But the essence of the book’s sharp, witty humor and the emotional complexity of each character has been preserved. The film is a very faithful adaptation of the novel.”
The Thursday Murder Clubpremieres globally on Netflix onAugust 28, 2025. Stay tuned to Collider for more.
The Thursday Murder Club
