The Thursday Murder Club sequel: Will The Man Who Died Twice be adapted?
Will there be another adaptation of Richard Osman novels on Netflix?
The Netflix film adaptation of Richard Osman's best-selling novel, The Thursday Murder Club, is now out in cinemas, and will be coming to the streamer later this week.
For those who have already seen the film, thoughts will no doubt turn to the future of the franchise – after all, there are already four novels in Osman's book series, with a fifth on the way next month.
If a second film were to be produced, it would no doubt be an adaptation of Osman's second novel, The Man Who Died Twice. But will that come to pass, and what do we know about the prospect of a movie sequel thus far?
Read on for everything you need to know about an adaptation of The Man Who Died Twice.
Will The Man Who Died Twice be adapted?
We don't yet know whether The Man Who Died Twice will be adapted, as we've had no official confirmation from Netflix. That will likely depend upon the number of viewers who tune into the first film once it is released on the platform.
However, it certainly seems as though the cast and crew behind the project are keen to return.
Helen Mirren exclusively told Radio Times that she would "[do another] in a nanosecond, and it would be the team getting back together, which would be great".
She continued: "We did have a wonderful time shooting this. So all of us would jump at the chance, quite honestly."
Mirren and Pierce Brosnan also both told BBC News that they "absolutely" want to return for a sequel, while Celia Imrie told the Press Association that "we all would, but we’re superstitious and we don’t want to spook things".
"But that’s a testament to how much we all had an unforgettable time, an unforgettable summer, it was, really," she added.
Meanwhile, director Chris Columbus told PA, "It’s all based on how many people watch the film over the first weekend, and we will know in about 10 days if we’re making a sequel."
"As far as I’m concerned, and I don’t want to speak for everyone else, but I would come back in a second," he added. "It was fantastic, and I would prefer to do two and three back to back, I would say – why not, you know, we’re at the castle, let’s spend 100 days and make both films."
Columbus also told Film Stories that he already has plans for the second film, saying that he didn't want to talk too much about a particular shot in the first film because it will be utilised "in the second movie".
He added: "All signs seem to point in that direction that we will be shooting a sequel or the next chapter."
When would The Man Who Died Twice be released?
It's hard to say when The Man Who Died Twice would be released, given that it has not yet been confirmed.
The first film started shooting in June 2024 and is coming out just over a year later, so if the script was finished fairly quickly we could imagine a speedy turnaround time, with the sequel arriving some time in 2027.
However, this would also of course depend on the availability of the stars. All of the central quartet have very busy schedules, not least Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan who will be filming a second season of MobLand at some point.
However, they all seem very keen to return, so we imagine they can sort schedules out to mean there isn't too long of a delay.
We will keep this page updated with any more concrete information as and when we get it.
What would The Man Who Died Twice be about?
The Man Who Died Twice would be based on the second book in Richard Osman's Thursday Murder Club series, which sees the titular quartet taking on their next case.
The blurb for that book reads: "It's the following Thursday. Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He's made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life.
"As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn't that be a bonus?
"But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can the Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?"
Who would return to star in The Man Who Died Twice?
Were Netflix to adapt The Man Who Died Twice, we would certainly expect the central quartet to be back, with Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie reprising their roles.
The likes of Naomi Ackie, Jonathan Pryce and Daniel Mays could also be back in their supporting roles, as could a number of other stars from the first film.
Meanwhile, there would no doubt be a host of newcomers joining the cast, playing crucial roles in the new film's central mystery.
Here's a full list of the stars we could see returning for The Man Who Died Twice:
- Helen Mirren as Elizabeth Best
- Pierce Brosnan as Ron Ritchie
- Sir Ben Kingsley as Ibrahim Arif
- Celia Imrie as Joyce Meadowcroft
- Naomi Ackie as Donna de Freitas
- Jonathan Pryce as Stephen Best
- Daniel Mays as DCI Chris Hudson
- Henry Lloyd-Hughes as Bogdan Jankowski
- Tom Ellis as Jason Ritchie
- Ingrid Oliver as Joanna Meadowcroft
The Thursday Murder Club is now showing in select UK cinemas and will be available to stream on Netflix from Thursday 28th August 2025. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
