Helen Mirren leads quirky mystery film ‘The Thursday Murder Club’, out on Netflix this August

Netflix has set 28 August as the release date for The Thursday Murder Club, a cosy crime caper with a heavyweight cast and a clever twist; the detectives are retirees. Based on the bestselling novel by Richard Osman, this screen adaptation brings together Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie in a story where age is anything but a limitation.

Set in a peaceful British retirement village, the plot revolves around four unlikely friends who spend their spare time digging into unsolved crimes. But when someone turns up dead in their own community, their amateur investigations suddenly get very real. What begins as a hobby quickly becomes a full-blown murder mystery, and they might be the only ones clever and nosy enough to crack it.

The film is directed by Chris Columbus, known for Mrs. Doubtfire and Home Alone, and written by Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote. It is another collaboration between Netflix and Amblin Entertainment, Steven Spielberg’s production company. The partnership, which kicked off with projects like Carry On starring Jason Bateman and Taron Egerton, now adds this charming whodunnit to its slate.

Alongside the main four stars, the film also features Naomi Ackie, Tom Ellis, Jonathan Pryce, David Tennant, Richard E. Grant and more, a stacked British cast playing quirky, colourful characters.

A scene from The Thursday Murder Club, where four retirees turn amateur detectives in a quiet British village shaken by a real murderInstagram/NetflixUK

Osman’s original book was a global hit and has since grown into a popular series. After The Thursday Murder Club, he went on to publish The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed, and The Last Devil to Die, with a fifth instalment, The Impossible Fortune, coming this September. Osman also recently released a standalone title called We Solve Murders.

This Netflix adaptation could be the start of a new mystery franchise and with this cast, it’s off to a strong start. Whether you're a fan of light-hearted detective tales or just want to see Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan as curious pensioners on a mission, this one might be worth bookmarking.