007 linked to Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club movie... Licence to grow old and solve murders!

Pierce Brosnan as 007 in GoldenEye
(Image credit: Getty Images)

We just got a huge update about the forthcoming Thursday Murder Club movie, and it links a former James Bond to one of the lead roles.

Yep, Pierce Brosnan, who played 007 in four movies including GoldenEye, could be about to start solving murders in a retirement village.

We've heard precious little info about the movie for a while now, but The InSneider (per Variety) just confirmed that the adaptation of Richard Osman's first novel had chosen a new director. Previously, Mamma Mia 2 filmmaker Ol Parker was tapped to helm the project, but Chris Columbus — of Harry Potter and Home Alone fame — is now set to direct.

The most exciting part of this rumor? It lists three of the stars that are being targeted for the movie, and they're all big names. Apparently, Pierce, Helen Mirren and Ben Kingsley are being eyed for three of the four lead roles in the project. 

Given the report doesn't name which of the four leads Mirren, Brosnan and Kingsley could be playing, and we haven't had an official announcement about The Thursday Murder Club movie's cast from makers Amblin or anyone else, we'll have to continue trying to guess who'll star for now. 

Thankfully, though, it looks like we won't have to wait too much longer for an official reveal. On April 16, 2024, Richard Osman revealed that he'd been in contact with Amblin about the cast, and it sounds like he's desperate to let us know who'll be bringing his characters to life. 

On X, Osman wrote: "Just been on a call with Amblin, and the cast for#TheThursdayMurderClub movie is insanely great, I think people are going to love it. Official announcements very soon, and can't wait to share it with everyone."

If you're not familiar with the series, Osman's Thursday Murder Club series is a runaway success. The first book (which the movie is based on) was published in 2020 and follows four septuagenarians who live in a fictional retirement village called Cooper's Chase. 

Each Thursday, Elisabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim gather and discuss cold cases... and then they find themselves trying to solve a very real case after a property developer is found dead. 

The novel quickly became a must-read thriller and has spawned three sequels: The Man Who Died Twice (2021), The Bullet That Missed (2022) and The Last Devil To Die (2023). 

Richard Osman also recently announced his next project, We Solve Murders. The new series follows a retired copper and his impulsive daughter-in-law, and the first novel in this new franchise is due to hit shelves on September 12, 2024. 

The Thursday Murder Club movie does not yet have a release date at the time of writing. Be sure to check out our guide to the new movies still to release in 2024.

Martin Shore
Staff Writer at WhatToWatch.com

Martin is a Staff Writer with WhatToWatch.com, where he produces a variety of articles focused on the latest and greatest films and TV shows. 

Some of his favorite shows are What We Do In The Shadows, Bridgerton, Gangs of London, The Witcher, Doctor Who, and Ghosts. When he’s not watching TV or at the movies, Martin’s probably still in front of a screen playing the latest video games, reading, or watching the NFL.