Richard Osman has admitted he “can’t really talk” about The Thursday Murder Club movie. The adaptation of the bestselling author’s murder mystery hit Netflix exactly one year ago, with Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Celia Imrie and Ben Kingsley starring as the central sleuthing team.
The story follows four retirees who band together to solve a murder, and while largely well received, one controversial change was to the character of Bogdan (Henry Lloyd-Hughes). Bogdan is arrested at the end of the film despite getting away and the crime being concealed in the original book.
Addressing the film, Osman told The Times: “I can’t really talk about the film very much. Let’s not let it detain us.”
Giles Keyte/Netflix
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However, when pushed further on the big change, he added: “It was only one book. The other books I would like to adapt myself.”
The author also admitted it was “a lot of fun meeting [Steven] Spielberg, Helen, Pierce and everyone else” and was “really cool”.
This isn’t the first time Osman has alluded to the Bogdan backlash, sharing last year in a newsletter: “We’ll all be aware of some of the ‘differences’ between the film and the first book (see the title of this newsletter),” accompanied by a “#JusticeForBogdan” hashtag.
Whether The Thursday Murder Club gets a sequel remains to be seen, with the movie attracting solid if not particularly spectacular viewing figures upon its immediate release.
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During the new chat, Osman also reflected on the book series’ fandom and getting to meet readers, sharing: “No one has ever said, ‘I loved that plot twist,’ or, ‘I loved that sentence.’ They say, ‘Oh, Joyce is just like my mum,’ or, ‘I’m a bit of an Elizabeth,’ or, ‘I’m in love with Bogdan.’ I love that.
“Because of everything I’ve done and will ever do, the books are me, the representation of my heart and my soul. Getting to talk about the books to people — that’s the absolute dream.”
The Thursday Murder Club is available to watch now on Netflix.
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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every ‘t’ and dotting every ‘i’ as a sub-editor.