The cast is shaping up nicely.
Filming is set to kick off on Netflix’s adaptation of Richard Osman’s best-selling novel, The Thursday Murder Club, this summer, and now exciting new cast additions have been revealed.
It was previously announced that Dame Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Sir Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie had been cast in the film as the central quartet.
And now, Deadline has confirmed that David Tennant (Doctor Who), Daniel Mays (The Long Shadow), Naomi Ackie (Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody), Jonathan Pryce (3 Body Problem) and Henry Lloyd-Hughes (Archie) have all come on board, too.
Adapted from Osman’s novel, the film is set in a peaceful retirement village where a group of four elderly friends – Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron – take on cold cases for fun. However, when a property developer is found dead, the four find themselves in the middle of their first live crime.
In the most recent episode of his podcast The Rest Is Entertainment, Osman teased: “There’s some great names and some more names coming as well. I think this is the greatest British cast assembled since the [Harry Potter] movies.”
Osman previously said of the adaptation when it was announced back in April: “I’m so proud of this book, so it is a dream to see The Thursday Murder Club in such incredible hands. From Chris Columbus, to Amblin to Netflix, there are geniuses everywhere I look. And what a cast. I’m pinching myself.”
Read on for everything we know so far about the cast of the Netflix film.
The Thursday Murder Club cast: Who stars in the Netflix film alongside Helen Mirren?
The confirmed cast members so far are as follows:
- Helen Mirren as Elizabeth Best
- Pierce Brosnan as Ron Ritchie
- Sir Ben Kingsley as Ibrahim Arif
- Celia Imrie as Joyce Meadowcroft
- Naomi Ackie as Donna de Freitas
- Jonathan Pryce as Stephen Best
- David Tennant as TBC
- Daniel Mays as TBC
- Henry Lloyd-Hughes as TBC
Read on for everything you need to know about the cast and who they’re playing.
Helen Mirren plays Elizabeth Best
Who is Elizabeth Best? Elizabeth is an ex-spy, resident at the retirement home and founder of the Thursday Murder Club.
What else has Helen Mirren been in? Mirren has enjoyed an impressive career full of iconic movies including The Long Good Friday, Excalibur, 2010, Gosford Park, The Queen and Hitchcock. The legendary star made her acting debut in the late 1960s in a number of films, but it was the 1969 film Age of Consent that catapulted her to fame. She has also claimed several awards over the years including an Oscar, BAFTAs, Golden Globes.
Pierce Brosnan plays Ron Ritchie
Who is Ron Ritchie? Ron is a former union activist and member of the Thursday Murder Club.
Where else have I seen Pierce Brosnan? Brosnan is known for being at the forefront of four Bond films in his tenure as the British secret agent.
Sir Ben Kingsley plays Ibrahim Arif
Who is Ibrahim Arif? An ex-psychiatrist and another member of the Thursday Murder Club.
What else has Sir Ben Kingsley been in? The actor has previously appeared in a handful of movies including Jules, Shutter Island, Iron Man 3 and Sexy Beast.
Celia Imrie as Joyce Meadowcroft
Who is Joyce Meadowcroft? An ex-nurse and the newest member of the Thursday Murder Club.
Where else have I seen Celia Imrie before? Imrie is known for starring in a number of movies including Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, Bridget Jones’s Diary, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, St Trinian’s, Nanny McPhee and Calendar Girls. The star has also appeared in a handful of TV series including After You’ve Gone, Patrick Melrose, Keeping Faith, Better Things and The Diplomat.
Naomi Ackie plays Donna de Freitas
Who is Donna de Freitas? In Osman’s novel, Donna is a policewoman.
Where have I seen Naomi Ackie before? Ackie has previously appeared in Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker, BBC One’s Small Axe and Netflix black comedy drama The End of the F***ing World, for which she won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress. Ackie also led the cast of the Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody.
Jonathan Pryce plays Stephen Best
Who is Stephen Best? Elisabeth’s husband.
Where else have you seen Jonathan Pryce before? The veteran Welsh actor has appeared in countless iconic films including Brazil, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Evita, Tomorrow Never Dies, The Age of Innocence, and The Two Popes, to name a few. The star has also had numerous television roles, and starred as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in the final two seasons of The Crown.
David Tennant plays TBC
Where have I seen David Tennant before? The actor is best-known for his role as The Tenth (and now Fourteenth) Doctor in Doctor Who. Tennant has previously starred in numerous projects including Amazon’s Good Omens, Broadchurch, Deadwater Fell, Netflix’s Criminal, Casanova, Jessica Jones (as Kilgrave), the film Mary Queen of Scots, Inside Man, The Sandman, Litvinenko and There She Goes.
Daniel Mays plays TBC
Where have I seen Daniel Mays before? The actor rose to fame as Kat Slater’s boyfriend Kevin in EastEnders in 2000. Since then he’s racked up an impressive acting career and has appeared in projects including Line of Duty, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Ashes to Ashes and White Lines.
Henry Lloyd-Hughes plays TBC
Where else have I seen Henry Lloyd-Hughes before? The Inbetweeners fans will recognise the actor from his role as the shaven-headed school bully Mark Donovan in the series. The actor has also appeared in Parade’s End and ITV drama The Long Shadow.
The Thursday Murder Club is yet to confirm a release date.
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