How Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club Turned a Village into a Star
You know, it’s fascinating how a book can literally transform a real-life place. That’s exactly what happened with Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club when Netflix decided to adapt it into a film. The picturesque Hertfordshire village of Aldbury became the fictional Fairhaven from Osman’s 2020 bestseller, and the changes are still visible today.
Back in July 2024, the production team, including Dame Helen Mirren, moved into Aldbury to bring the story to life. The village hall was temporarily turned into a police station, the local shop was redecorated as a quaint tea room, and nearly 40 white posts were placed around the village pond. While most of the movie set was dismantled after filming, the white posts stayed—villagers loved them so much they were kept permanently.
What’s really remarkable is how the filming left a tangible benefit for the community. Funds from the Netflix production were used to refurbish the school playground, improve the common, and even add a duck house to the village pond. Some villagers were even paid for allowing their homes to be used, and free coffee was given to residents. Ray Warren, the vice chair of the Aldbury Parish Council, said that the disruption caused by filming was more than outweighed by the positive impact. In his words, having the production spend money locally “has been really, really helpful because we've ploughed all that back into the village.”
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Filming was also full of memorable moments. Council clerk Gosia Turczyn recalled celebrating Helen Mirren’s birthday on set, singing Happy Birthday and presenting a small cake. The cast, including Pierce Brosnan, Celia Imrie, and Sir Ben Kingsley, brought Osman's beloved characters to life. Brosnan, who plays the gregarious Ron, admitted that the pressure was high because millions of fans were waiting to see these characters. Yet he found camaraderie with his co-stars, especially Sir Ben, bonding over classic comedy like Laurel and Hardy.
The film, directed by Chris Columbus and produced by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, tells the story of four retirees who solve a murder in their village. The mix of comedy, crime, and poignant reflections on life, friendship, and aging is maintained from the books, which have sold over ten million copies in the UK alone. Mirren, playing Elizabeth, the club’s shrewd and witty leader, said she was thrilled to be cast, having imagined herself in the role when she first read the novel.
Despite some mixed reviews from critics, the film has been praised for its heart, charm, and the chemistry among the lead actors. The cinematic release was limited to 30 theaters before streaming on Netflix, a move Dame Helen called disappointing, though Richard Osman expressed gratitude for the support during a challenging time for film productions.
So, the story of Thursday Murder Club isn’t just about a murder mystery. It’s about a community transformed, friendships formed, and the magic of seeing a fictional world become a living, breathing place. Aldbury, now part real-life Fairhaven, will forever carry the legacy of Osman’s clever and heartwarming series.
The film is available on Netflix from 28 August 2025.
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