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Cillian Murphy is assembling what could be one of the most electrifying ensembles of the next few years, anchoring Damien Chazelle’s mysterious new prison drama alongside Daniel Craig and the recently announced Michelle Williams. For Murphy, fresh off his Oscar-winning turn in OPPENHEIMER, this marks a fascinating pivot into what insiders suggest will be a contained, pressure-cooker environment that could showcase the intensity he’s become known for in an entirely new context. The Irish actor has long excelled at portraying men caught in moral and psychological vise grips, from his haunted gangster in PEAKY BLINDERS to the tormented physicist grappling with history’s weight, and a prison setting promises to be the ultimate crucible for that particular talent.
Chazelle’s decision to pursue this project tells its own story about Murphy’s draw as a leading man. The director had been juggling multiple high-profile possibilities, including an Evel Knievel biopic that had Leonardo DiCaprio circling the lead, but once Murphy and Craig committed to the prison film, everything else fell away. That speaks volumes about what Murphy brings to a project now—not just the technical brilliance and emotional precision that won him Academy recognition, but the kind of gravity that makes a filmmaker abandon other star-studded vehicles to focus entirely on bringing his vision to life with this particular actor at the center. Chazelle, who earned his reputation crafting searing character studies in WHIPLASH and LA LA LAND, clearly sees something in Murphy that demands this story be told with him, and the fact that Williams signed on right before the holidays suggests the script is worth abandoning safer bets for.
The secrecy surrounding the project only amplifies the intrigue around Murphy’s involvement. With production expected to begin later this year through Chazelle’s Wild Chickens Productions banner and Paramount handling distribution, details remain tantalizingly sparse beyond the prison setting. But that’s exactly where Murphy has always thrived—in the shadows and silences, in the spaces between words where tension builds and characters reveal themselves through microexpressions and coiled energy. Pairing him with Craig, another actor who commands the screen through sheer presence rather than volume, suggests Chazelle is building something that will rely on the kind of restrained, combustible performances both men excel at delivering. The fact that A-list talent continues rushing to join Chazelle’s projects, with Williams representing just the latest coup, means Murphy will be surrounded by the caliber of actors who can match his intensity scene for scene, creating the conditions for the kind of ensemble fireworks that only happen when everyone involved knows they’re working at the highest level. Whatever this untitled drama ultimately becomes, it’s shaping up as another defining chapter in Murphy’s remarkable ascent from character actor to undeniable leading force in cinema.
The awards season darling you`ve been hearing about is finally streaming.
Chloé Zhao`s HAMNET—the haunting exploration of grief, love, and the creation of Shakespeare`s HAMLET—brings together Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley in performances that have kept both firmly in the Oscar conversation.
If you missed it theatrically, now`s your chance to see what the buzz is about before Oscar night. This is the kind of film that reminds you why cinema matters.
More HAMNET at irishfilmtv.com.
Taylor Swift just dropped the OPALITE music video and it`s giving major Irish vibes ☘️✨
The nearly 6-minute visual sees Domhnall Gleeson starring as Taylor`s love interest, playing two lonely souls who find each other. But here`s where it gets even better: eagle-eyed Swifties spotted cameos from Cillian Murphy and Graham Norton, making this a full-on Irish affair.
Want the full breakdown of this transatlantic collaboration? Head to our blog for all the details on how this stunning video came together. Link in bio! 🔗
The creator of DERRY GIRLS just dropped a murder mystery set at an Irish wake, and honestly? It`s the genre mashup we didn`t know we needed 🕵️♀️
Lisa McGee is back with HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN FROM BELFAST on Netflix, and if you loved how she found humor in the Troubles (Protestants! Toasters! Cupboards!), you`re going to eat this up.
Three friends reunite for their childhood bestie`s funeral, only to realize her death isn`t what it seems. Cue an eerie adventure across Ireland that`s equal parts creepy and hilarious.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
British Vogue just put Jessie Buckley on their February cover and it`s not just a magazine shoot—it`s a coronation.
Shot by Jack Davison on the windswept Norfolk coast near her home, these images are pure cinema. Sky, sea, and a woman at the exact moment her entire life is about to change.
She`s the frontrunner for Best Actress. HAMNET is destroying audiences. She`s a new mother standing at the edge of the kind of fame that alters everything.
And Vogue captured it all—the grit, the greatness, the quiet mastery that got her here.
More Jessie at irishfilmtv.com.
Caitriona Balfe has just landed her next major role in THE HOUSEKEEPER.
Set in a grand historic manor against Cornwall`s dramatic landscape, Balfe plays Danni, a housekeeper who falls into a forbidden affair with none other than writer Daphne du Maurier (played by Mackenzi Laird).
While we`re counting down to OUTLANDER`s final season premiere on Mar 6th, Balfe is already proving she`s so much more than Claire Fraser. 🔥
More Caitriona at irishfilmtv.com.
After over 20 years of mesmerizing us on screen, Saoirse Ronan is ready to call the shots—literally.
The four-time Oscar nominee is making her directorial debut with PAPER PLANE, an Irish short film she`s also writing, and honestly, this feels like the natural next chapter for someone who`s been acting since she was nine years old.
Details about PAPER PLANE are still under wraps, but with Ronan`s track record, expectations are sky-high. What are you most excited to see from her behind the camera? 🎬
More Saoirse at irishfilmtv.com.
Louis Paxton`s Sundance 2026 debut THE INCOMER stars Domhnall Gleeson, Gayle Rankin, and Grant O`Rourke in a trio that`s equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking.
Think fish-out-of-water meets generational grief, wrapped in the warmth of fireside hot chocolate. Sometimes the scariest thing isn`t a legendary Fin Man—it`s letting go of the past.
Have you ever held onto something because changing felt like betrayal?
More Domhnall at irishfilmtv.com.
🎸 THE BEATLES ARE COMING BACK TO CINEMAS.
Four films. Four perspectives. One legendary band.
Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney. Harris Dickinson as John Lennon. Joseph Quinn as George Harrison. Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr.
The first look just dropped via postcards hidden around Liverpool`s performing arts campus and honestly?
The hype is REAL. 🔥
Sam Mendes is directing all four films, each told from a different Beatle`s POV, and they`re ALL releasing on the same day—April 7, 2028.
Which Beatle`s story are you most excited to see? 👇
Irish talent is absolutely dominating the 2026 BAFTA nominations! 🇮🇪✨
Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal both scored major noms for HAMNET, with Buckley up for Leading Actress as Agnes and Mescal recognized for Supporting Actor as William Shakespeare. The film has basically swept the nominations, breaking records left and right.
But that`s just the beginning. Andrew Scott landed on the longlist for BLUE MOON, Robbie Ryan got recognized for his stunning cinematography on BUGONIA, and even Cillian Murphy appears as a producer on the STEVE longlist.
From performers to cinematographers to production companies like Element Pictures and Wild Atlantic Pictures, Irish voices are everywhere in this year`s race.
The ceremony hits London on February 22nd. The world is watching Irish cinema right now, and what a moment to witness. 🎬🔥
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