To ask who you would cast in Thursday Murder Club: The Movie?

[seekings1mplicity]

Would you go for the usual suspects, i.e. anyone from Marigold hotel (and nothing wrong with that) or would you mix it up?

Statham*

As an aside i have just read the second book as I got it as a gift. Haven't read the first. I thought it was kind of silly and really poorly written. Am I missing something?

You’re all deluded. Elizabeth IS Fiona Shaw.

Ooooh, Fiona Shaw. She'd need a bit of ageing makeup, but nice choice.

Fiona Shaw as Elizabeth, but she’ll have to old-up a bit. I like Anne Reid for Joyce.

Ooh, many xposts

I've always pictured Elizabeth as Geraldine James. Kind of her Utopia character, but on the good side. Ish.

Suspect she's not famous enough for Spielberg. Particularly if Meryl Streep wants the role . They'd just better not transfer it to the US because it won't work there.

I have had this exact same thought-judi dench as Joyce and Helen Mirren as Elizabeth-Nadia Sawahla’s father as Ibrahim-can’t remember his name and not sure if he is still alive! That’s just who I see in my head as Ibrahim

@ICouldHaveCheckedFirst

Definitely Stephanie Cole for Elizabeth. Olivia Coleman would work as Joyce. Roger Allam would work for Douglas. All above already suggested.

Jodie Comer for Poppy.

That's the second book though, are we casting both? I like the Helen Mirren idea for Elizabeth but I think I'm influenced by her role in Reds! Can we see Bruce Willis as a transatlantic Ron with Morgan Freeman as Ibrahim, though I much prefer Art Malik who surprisingly is 69? They do tend to cast an American to keep the interest across the pond.

Not entirely related, but there’s an awesome podcast called Typecast where three women discuss their fantasy film casting for books. They’ve not made a new one for a while, but it’s worth looking through the archives!

When I was reading it I kept on picturing Tim Healy as Ron…no idea why!

I can’t remember where Ron is meant to come from ie what accent
he would have but is was picturing someone like Ricky Tomlinson. I always thought Dame Judi as
Joyce although Julia Mackenzie
would also be good. For Elizabeth I can see Helen Mirren or even Maureen Lipmann or, if we’re talking Best Exotic Marigold, what about Celia Imrie? And I think we should go for a Poirot reunion with David Suchet as Douglas and Hugh Fraser as Stephen.

Am liking the Gemma Jones casting for Joyce and Art Malik for Ibrahim

Have only read 1st book so far

@Clarinet1

I can’t remember where Ron is meant to come from ie what accent he would have but is was picturing someone like Ricky Tomlinson. I always thought Dame Judi as Joyce although Julia Mackenzie would also be good. For Elizabeth I can see Helen Mirren or even Maureen Lipmann or, if we’re talking Best Exotic Marigold, what about Celia Imrie? And I think we should go for a Poirot reunion with David Suchet as Douglas and Hugh Fraser as Stephen.

I've just finished the second one and Elizabeth morphed from Helen Mirren to Maureen Lipmann as I was reading it, though in her, Lipmann's, BT persona I see her as Joyce.

Alison Steadman has to be in it. She was truly fantastic as Pam Shipman. I'd put her as Elizabeth.

I've not finished book one yet, so that may change.

Also agree with the Julie Walters suggestion upthread for Joyce.

Sorry old thread but I'm just reading the second book. Apparently they will cast slightly younger as there's a plan to do the series of books which will take years.

Otherwise would've said Marigold Hotel lot, especially Celia Imrie as Elizabeth.

So far I've got -
Ray Winstone - Ron
Fiona Shaw - Elizabeth
Imelda Staunton - Joyce

I'm glad to see so many votes for Stephanie Cole- she was definitely my Elizabeth although she's too old now I think. Fiona Shaw is a little too young - but she'd be a great Sue from book 2. Penelope Wilton would be my choice with Ann Reid or Brenda Blethyn as Joyce.

Art Mallik or Vincent Ebraham are perfect and for Ron maybe Philip Jackson.

I see Steve Tomkinson as Chris and Adelayo Adedayo as Donna

I was just thinking of this thread as I am onto Book 2...I really like the idea of Imelda Staunton as Joyce. I can't unsee Art Malik as Ibrahim - he just seems perfect.
Elizabeth is tricky if it needs to be someone in their 60s or early 70s. She has to be sharp as a tack and very controlled.....maybe Emma Thompson, Kristin Scott-Thomas or - if she could master the accent - Frances McDormand would be good. I think Gary Oldman for Ron, and this thread has planted Daniel Craig in my head as Bogdan although it would be good to have someone with the right nationality.
Andi Osho would be great for Donna but, for the international market, maybe Tessa Thompson?

I've always thought Helen Mirren for Elizabeth and Eileen McCallum for Joyce (looks anyway, not necessarily accent) and Philip Jackson would be Ron for me.

I always thought Maggie Smith for Elizabeth and Brett Goldstein (from Ted Lasso) as Bogdan

Alison Steadman has to be in it somewhere, she’s amazing!!

Daniel Craig would be a great Bogdan, strong, silent type. He can do an accent too.

Yes! Loved Art Malik ever since The Jewel In The Crown. The greatest ITV series ever,.

I couldn't agree more. That book needed a firm edit. He's a novice to the writing game and will get better, but I thought it was a weak book and I didn't care who the murderer was.

Anne Reid is the first name that came into my head too. She'd be perfect. However, I've just read that Spielberg is planning to cast younger actors (50s and 60s) and "age them up", which is very disappointing - although as Richard Osman says, there is a legitimate reason: while he can have the timeline so that the second novel picks up a week after the first ends, so that four stories could span only a year [or less], with films it could easily take a couple of years per film, so the actors would be nearer 90 than 80 by the fourth film, which could present difficulties.