Chris Columbus

The Thursday Murder Club (2025)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Celia Imrie, Ben Kinglsey, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan are standing in a garden. They are wearing a mix of formal and casual clothing, looking at something off screen.

Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie and Pierce Brosnan in The Thursday Murder Club (2025) © Netflix

Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Ackie
Production Company: Amblin Entertainment, Jennifer Todd Pictures, Maiden Voyage Pictures, Netflix
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

The Thursday Murder Club (2025) is a crime comedy based on the novel of the same name by Richard Osman. It follows four elderly sleuths as they attempt to solve a murder.

Directed by Chris Columbus (Young Sherlock Holmes (1986), The Help), the film stars Helen Mirren (Inkheart (2008), MobLand (2025)) as Elizabeth Best, a retired spy, Pierce Brosnan (The World is Not Enough (1999), Die Another Day (2002)) as Ron Ritchie, a retired union leader, Ben Kingsley (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More (2023), Sexy Beast) as Ibrahim Arif, a retired psychiatrist, and Celia Imrie (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Imagine Me & You) as Joyce Meadowcroft, a retired nurse. In supporting roles are David Tennant (True Love (2012), Doctor Who) as Ian Ventham, Jonathan Pryce (The Crown (2016-2023), Wolf Hall (2015)) as Stephen Best and Naomi Ackie (Yardie (2018), The Corrupted (2019)) as PC Donna de Freitas.

Production visited Kent to film a vehicle stunt scene at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham is one of Kent’s most popular filming locations. Set on the River Medway, the Dockyard spans over 80 acres, containing over 100 buildings dating from the Georgian and Victorian periods. Other recent productions to have filmed at the Dockyard include A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story (2025), Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning (2025) and SAS Rogue Heroes – Series 2 (2025).

The Thursday Murder Club (2025) will get a limited cinema release on Friday 22nd August and then will be available to stream on Netflix from Thursday 28th August 2025.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

Young Sherlock Holmes (1986)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Young Sherlock Holmes written in white with three cast members stood in a row underneath.

YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES (1986) © Amblin Entertainment

Director: Barry Levinson
Writer: Arthur Conan Doyle (novel), Chris Columbus (adaptation)
Starring: Nicolas Rowe, Alan Cox, Sophie Ward, Anthony Higgins
Production Company: Amblin Entertainment, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Paramount Pictures
Kent locations used: Penshurst Place

Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) is a new take on the classic tales of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, in which we see the famous Sherlock Holmes first meet his trusty companion Watson at boarding school where they work together to solve a series of puzzling murders plaguing London.

Directed by Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Bugsy) and written by Chris Columbus (Gremlins, The Goonies), the film stars Nicholas Rowe (Nicholas Nickleby, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) as Sherlock Holmes, Alan Cox (The Dictator, The Auteur Theory) as John Watson, Sophie Ward (Jane Eyre, Book of Blood) as Elizabeth Hardy and Anthony Higgins (The Draughtsman’s Contract (1982), Raiders of the Lost Ark) as Professor Rathe.

The film included the first fully computer-animated character and was nominated for Best Effects, Visual Effects at the Oscars.

The historic Barons Hall in Penshurst Place served as the Brompton School gym for the scenes where Holmes fences with Professor Rathe.

Penshurst Place is a 14th century building known for its historical significance and architectural beauty. Its medieval design has made it a popular location for a number of film and television shows including The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), Merlin (2008) and The Princess Bride (1987).

Young Sherlock Holmes was released in cinemas in 1985 and is now available to buy on DVD.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.