The Thursday Murder Club’s Netflix release will also include a bonus short film

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As “The Thursday Murder Club” returns with a new season, director Chris Columbus is treating fans by offering an additional short film that can be streamed on Netflix.

In simpler terms, during an interview with Digital Spy, Columbus shared that they were determined to prevent a remarkable scene from the movie being permanently discarded in the editing process.

The director shared that although these particular scenes weren’t included in the full film, they were instead assembled into a separate, focused piece centered around Celia Imrie’s character, Joyce Meadowcroft.

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As a passionate admirer, I must say that one standout moment for me was the entire subplot featuring Father Mackie, which showcased Celia Imrie at her finest. Now, let’s make no mistake, Celia Imrie shines throughout the film, but her most captivating scenes were undeniably within this sequence – as shared by Columbus himself.

He explained after finishing the movie, he found out that a particular scene needed to be removed. However, he saw an opportunity and decided to create a shorter film instead.

I created a movie titled ‘The Priest Who Wasn’t a Priest‘ and if you’re interested in watching it, you can find it on Netflix. For an additional, shorter piece, approximately nine to ten minutes long, feel free to click on the short film as well.

The director, famous for capturing films such as “Home Alone” and “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” shared thoughts about adding his unique style while transforming Richard Osman’s “Thursday Murder Club” novel into a film.

According to Columbus, he often feels his directorial style isn’t particularly his own, as others claim it involves keeping a low profile. This approach has remained consistent throughout his career, with the primary focus being on creating an immersive experience for the audience.

I discovered that Richard had authored a book that, if performed verbatim, would last approximately four hours. However, such an approach was impractical for us. Nevertheless, I believed the audience would engage with it due to its compelling characters.

Streamlining the story to fit within approximately two hours proved to be quite challenging. In doing so, I found myself having to omit some valuable elements in order to achieve this runtime.

Based on the initial novel in Osman’s crime-solving series, the movie centers around four novice detectives residing in a retirement community as they join forces to unravel an intricate mystery.

The Thursday Murder Club is out in select cinemas now and will be released on Netflix on 28 August.

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2025-08-25 14:22