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The Thursday Murder Club

Gretchen Fullido

ABS-CBN News

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rTaqrSAT4qY?si=6_M56LZ8EqpD80v7" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>Netflix has brought together a dream cast in &quot;The Thursday Murder Club,&quot; the much-anticipated adaptation of Richard Osman’s international bestseller. </p><p>Directed by Chris Columbus and produced under Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, the film follows four retirees Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Sir Ben Kingsley), and Joyce (Celia Imrie) who swap knitting and crossword puzzles for sleuthing cold cases. When a real murder takes place at their picturesque retirement village, their weekly pastime becomes a thrilling whodunit.</p><p>For Brosnan, playing the feisty Ron Ritchie was an irresistible opportunity. “Chris Columbus sent me the book and the script, and I enjoyed it enormously,” Brosnan recalled. “The company of Dame Helen, Sir Ben Kingsley, Celia, and Tom (Ellis) — it was just a beautiful summer. A great summer. And to work again with Chris, who I’ve known for years, felt like a homecoming. When he said, I’m making this into a movie, I read the book, I read the script, and I said yes immediately. It had everything.”</p><p>Tom Ellis, who plays Ron’s son Jason, admitted that the project was a no-brainer once he saw the cast.</p><p>“They were all already cast when I got the call,” Ellis laughed. “And I was like, who’s in it? I listed off the names and thought, well, where do I sign? This is amazing. I just got to work with all my heroes for six weeks. Honestly, it was brilliant. Imagine going to work every day and feeling like the luckiest fan in the world… that was me,” he added.</p><p>Ellis shared that his most unforgettable moment happened on his very first day. “My character is a celebrity, and in the film, people are fawning over him. But inside, it was the other way around. I was the groupie. I was thinking, oh my God, I can’t believe I’m standing here with Helen, Sir Ben, Celia, and Pierce. That surreal moment will stay with me forever,” he said further.</p><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DMxuK_FtqS9/embed/captioned/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=594&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A729211.8999999762%2C%22ls%22%3A728764.2000000477%2C%22le%22%3A729140.3999999762%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="1096" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Brosnan smiled at the memory of the ensemble’s chemistry.</p><p>“It felt like being in a theater company. Everyone was very giving and supportive. In theatre, you have to rely on each other to make the play work, and this had the same feeling. You felt that sense of family and commitment on set. And the humor of the story, the vitality of these so-called pensioners who refuse to be defined by age, that’s what made it so uplifting.” he emphasized.</p><p>Kingsley, who portrays retired psychiatrist Ibrahim, revealed that Spielberg’s name sealed the deal.</p><p>“As soon as I heard Steven Spielberg was producing -- I’ve worked with him twice before -- I immediately said yes. Then I heard it was Chris Columbus. Then I heard it was &#x27;The Murder Club.&#x27; Then I heard who the cast was. And the last member to join was Celia. The whole package knitted together so beautifully. It was yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I had no hesitation,” he added.</p><p>For Imrie, who plays retired nurse Joyce, the film carried a message that resonated with her personally.</p><p>“Our characters show that retirement doesn’t mean slowing down or losing purpose. It’s about staying curious, staying alive to the world around you,&#x27; she mentioned.</p><p>&quot;I think audiences will see that these four people are not in any way slowing down, they’re choosing adventure, even in the most dangerous form possible. And that’s inspiring,” she further said.</p><p>Kingsley reflected deeply on aging and storytelling.</p><p>“Retirement has its place in millions of lives, but Ibrahim, Elizabeth, Ron, and Joyce have chosen one of the toughest hobbies imaginable: solving murders. It’s not jigsaw puzzles or knitting it’s life and death. And I think audiences will relate to that need to contribute, to remain curious. For me, personally, I’ll be a storyteller until my last breath. That curiosity doesn’t go away.” he explained.</p><p>When asked how he continues to keep acting fresh after a career that has spanned roles from Gandhi to gangsters, Kingsley credited his theatrical foundation.</p><p>“I was fortunate enough to audition for and be accepted by the Royal Shakespeare Company very early in my career. That gave me a love for language and for communicating essential truths to an audience. Sometimes we were performing four different roles in four different plays in a week. That was my foundation, and it has never left me. It keeps the work alive, ” he remarked.</p><p>Imrie, whose beginnings were very different, shared her philosophy about choosing roles.</p><p>“I started as a chorus girl, much to Prince William’s delight when I told him,” she laughed. “And I’ve always imagined acting like waiting to be asked to dance. We can’t always choose our roles, but what I try to do is make sure each project is as different as possible from the last. Otherwise, you get stuck in a box people want to put you in. And every day on set of &#x27;The Thursday Murder Club&#x27; was about learning. Watching Ben, Helen, Pierce, Tom, you soak it all in. It’s rich, marvelous, and it makes every day worthwhile,” she explained.</p><p>Behind the camera, director Columbus was credited by the cast for creating a joyful, lighthearted atmosphere.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756695562052TTMC Group Outside RT.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">&#x27;The Thursday Murder Club.&#x27; <em>Netflix</em></span></span></span>“Chris set the tone,” Ellis explained. “He’s such a lovely man, and you just want to please him. It made the whole experience light and fun.”</div><p>Brosnan agreed: “Chris gave us the confidence to fly. As actors, we want to make people happy, to bring joy. And this cast was all that. Everyone wanted to give their best.”</p><p>With such palpable camaraderie, fans are already clamoring for a sequel.</p><p>Brosnan teased, “I think we’d all love to do another one. But let’s raise the curtain on this one first and see where it takes us. To all our fans in the Philippines — lots of love, happiness, be good to each other, enjoy life, do good things, and enjoy the movie.”</p><p>Ellis added, “If you want more, watch it. Success breeds more success. Honestly, I can’t imagine anyone not enjoying this film. I’ve seen it twice already, and normally I hate watching myself. But this time was different, it was euphoric. With the way the world is at the moment, there’s definitely a place for the kind of good feeling this movie brings.”</p><p>Kingsley reminded audiences that the future of &quot;The Thursday Murder Club&quot; lies in their hands. “If there is a sequel, it’s up to you. We live by invitation. Invite us, and we will come.” he said.</p><p>And in a heartfelt message, Imrie closed with a very personal note about her encounters with Filipinos.</p><p>“I travel to America on the Queen Mary 2, and most of the people on board are Filipinos,” she said warmly. “They are so charming and a delight every single day. It is remarkable and a truly wonderful way to be amongst you all.” she mentioned.</p><p>With its irresistible mix of humor, humanity, and mystery, &quot;The Thursday Murder Club&quot; proves that adventure and purpose don’t retire with  age. Anchored by legendary performances and Spielberg’s golden touch, the film delivers not just a whodunit, but a celebration of life, friendship, and the joy of second acts.</p><div><em>&quot;The Thursday Murder Club&quot; is now streaming on Netflix.</em></div>

<p>Netflix assembles an all-star ensemble for '<i>The Thursday Murder Club</i>,' with Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan, and Celia Imrie leading the witty whodunit about four retirees who turn their quiet village life into a crime-solving adventure.</p>

Netflix assembles an all-star ensemble for ' The Thursday Murder Club ,' with Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan, and Celia Imrie leading the witty whodunit about four retirees who turn their quiet village life into a crime-solving adventure.

Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan lead Netflix’s 'The Thursday Murder Club'

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Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan lead Netflix’s 'The Thursday Murder Club'

Gretchen Fullido,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 01, 2025 11:16 AM PHT

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Sir Ben Kingsley

Pierce Brosnan

Helen Mirren

Celia Imrie

Tom Ellis

Thursday Murder Club

Chris Columbus

Steven Spielberg

Richard Osman

Netflix

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