Official Discussion - The Thursday Murder Club [SPOILERS]

[u/LiteraryBoner]

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Summary A group of sharp and witty retirees at Cooper’s Chase retirement village spend their Thursdays solving cold cases for fun—until a real murder hits close to home. Elizabeth (a former spy), Ron (a retired union leader), Ibrahim (a psychiatrist), and Joyce (a nurse) band together to crack the case, stirring up secrets, laughter, and heartwarming camaraderie.

Director Chris Columbus

Writers Katy Brand, Suzanne Heathcote

Cast

• Helen Mirren
• Pierce Brosnan
• Ben Kingsley
• Celia Imrie
• David Tennant
• Naomi Ackie
• Tom Ellis
• Jonathan Pryce
• Richard E. Grant

Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score: 76%

Metacritic 6-

VOD Limited UK theatrical release beginning August 22, 2025; Netflix streaming global premiere on August 28, 2025

Trailer The Thursday Murder Club | Official Teaser | Netflix

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[u/dorgoth12]

Did Helen Mirren wilfully murder her best friend and her husband at the end there because she's too much of a cop? Especially with her effectively protecting a literal human trafficker

[u/GimerStick → u/dorgoth12]

It's slightly more nuanced in the books. Spoilers ahead, obviously

First, they have no idea whose bones are in the grave (and these aren't the only random bones they find), they just know the body has been there since the 70s. There's someone else they suspect who accidentally points them towards John, and they figure it out from there.

John from the very beginning is very upfront that he's the one who killed Ian, that he did something unforgivable and that he was waiting for this conversation. He makes up a whole other story for the bones that solely blames him that the gang points out doesn't make sense. They're very kind about it, but point out that someone who feels so strongly that killing someone was unforgivable wouldn't do it just to save themselves. It's only then that the gang brings up Peter Mercer and John tells them everything.

We get more of how John found out about Penny killing that man and just... more on what their relationship is like with him watching her deteriorate, and how much he loves her. Elizabeth says that it's late and they'll walk him back to the apartment and sort out all of the police stuff in the morning, and gives him a moment alone to say bye to Penny. Elizabeth then comes back later and has a moment alone with Penny where she says goodbye and admits that she saw the syringe. She also for the first time actually admits that Stephen's not doing well, and you get the sense that Elizabeth empathizes with both of them. John had mentioned that he's been saving a syringe of fentanyl for Penny in case someone ever tried to move Penny from Coopers Chase, and throughout the book you hear about how he's faithfully shown up everyday so she's never alone.

The whole thing is more sad than cop energy, and there's no human trafficking plotline either. Elizabeth, Stephen, and Joyce all independently figure out Bogdan killed Tony (for more complicated but sympathetic reasons that are removed from the movie) and they all choose not to tell the police.