Ol Parker is to helm an adaptation of Richard Osman’s novel ‘The Thursday Murder Club’.
The book, which isn’t released until September 3, tells the story of four septuagenarian friends who live in a retirement community and solve cold cases for fun. But when a shady property developer is found dead, the four find themselves in the middle of their first live crime.
Amblin Partners acquired worldwide rights to the film after a competitive auction that attracted interest from 14 studios.
Ol directed ‘Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again’ in 2018 and previously wrote the screenplay ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ and its sequel ‘The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’.
Jennifer Todd will produce the flick and Brittany Hapner from Jennifer Todd will help oversee whilst Richard will serve as executive producer.
Richard, who presents quiz show ‘Pointless’ and ‘Richard Osman’s House of Games’, previously admitted that he had ambitions to write a crime novel for years.
The 49-year-old said: "I’ve always known how hard it is to write a crime novel and I have such respect for people who do it. I never felt I was in a position where I could do it properly and give it the time it deserved until about 18 months ago.
"I decided I would start it and once I got going I found that I couldn’t stop. But I decided I wasn’t going to tell anybody because I didn’t want to be that person who goes around saying, ‘Oh yeah, I’m writing a book’, but it never happens. When I got to the end I thought, well, there at least I’ve found it that I can do it. But I had no idea what people would make of it."
Richard Osman’s novel The Thursday Murder Club to become a film
