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Netflix has a new murder mystery on its hands, and it is already off to a glowing start. The Thursday Murder Club, adapted from Richard Osman’s bestselling novel, has landed on the streamer and is pulling in rave reviews. Known for delivering big titles in action, comedy, and horror, Netflix is once again showing that its whodunits can compete with its very best.
Directed by Chris Columbus, the filmmaker behind the first two Harry Potter movies, the story follows a group of retirees who spend their days digging into cold cases—until a brand-new murder lands right in front of them. The cast is stacked with legendary names, including Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Jonathan Pryce, Richard E. Grant, Pierce Brosnan, Celia Imrie, David Tennant, Naomi Ackie, and Tom Ellis.
Early reactions have been glowing. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film is sitting at an impressive 87% based on 23 critic reviews. Most of the ratings fall between 7 and 9 out of 10, signaling strong approval across the board. Of course, numbers may shift as more reviews pour in, but right now it is shaping up to be one of Columbus’ most praised projects ever.
To put that into perspective, Columbus’ highest-rated work before this was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets at 82%, followed closely by Sorcerer’s Stone at 80%. With The Thursday Murder Club already crossing into the mid-80s, it looks like he may have just delivered the most critically acclaimed film of his career.
For Netflix, it is another reminder that audiences still love a good whodunit. Following the success of Glass Onion and Adam Sandler’s Murder Mystery films, The Thursday Murder Club is carving out its own spot as a crowd-pleasing, star-powered mystery that mixes humor, suspense, and charm in all the right ways.