Cillian Murphy is having a moment. Fresh off his Oscar win for OPPENHEIMER, the Irish actor could easily coast on blockbuster offers and prestige projects. Instead, he’s doubling down on intimate, challenging material that showcases his evolution from magnetic screen presence to thoughtful producer-star committed to meaningful storytelling.
His latest venture, STEVE, premieres at the Toronto Film Festival before hitting select theaters September 19 and landing on Netflix October 3. This isn’t your typical post-Oscar victory lap—it’s Murphy leaning into the kind of raw, uncompromising drama that originally caught Christopher Nolan’s attention years before BATMAN BEGINS launched his Hollywood trajectory.
Set in the mid-1990s, STEVE follows a pivotal day at a last-chance reform school where Murphy’s titular headteacher battles to save his institution while wrestling with his own deteriorating mental health. The drama unfolds against the backdrop of a documentary crew interviewing students and faculty, creating a voyeuristic tension that mirrors our current obsession with performative authenticity. It’s adapted from Max Porter’s 2023 novella “Shy,” reimagined for the screen by Porter himself—continuing a creative partnership that began when Murphy starred in the stage adaptation of Porter’s “Grief Is the Thing with Feathers.”
This collaboration exemplifies Murphy’s current creative strategy: surrounding himself with trusted voices while expanding his influence behind the camera. Through Big Things Films, the production company he founded with partner Alan Moloney, Murphy is curating a distinctly European sensibility that stands apart from Hollywood’s franchise machinery. Their debut feature, SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE, established the company’s commitment to literary adaptations that prioritize character over spectacle.
The ensemble Murphy has assembled for STEVE reflects his knack for inspired casting. Tracey Ullman delivers what’s being described as a stunning dramatic turn, while Top Boy’s Simbi Ajikawo and Oscar nominee Emily Watson round out a cast that blends established talent with emerging voices like Jay Lycurgo, who plays the troubled teen Shy. Lycurgo, notably, will also appear in the upcoming PEAKY BLINDERS feature film, suggesting Murphy’s growing influence in shaping the next generation of British talent.
Director Tim Mielants brings a visual sensibility honed on PEAKY BLINDERS‘ third season and refined through his work with Murphy on SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE. This continuity of collaborators isn’t coincidence—it’s Murphy consciously building a creative ecosystem where trust allows for greater artistic risk-taking.
Andrew Scott and Olivia Colman looked adorable at the London Film Festival ELSINORE premiere!
Their biographical drama on actor Ian Charleson`s final performance opened the festival to rave reviews.
More details via 🔗︎ in bio!
🎸 RORY GALLAGHER IS COMING HOME TO THE BIG SCREEN 🎸
The world premiere of JOE BONAMASSA: THE SPIRIT OF RORY lands at the Cork International Film Festival this November, and it’s a love letter to the Ballyshannon-born, Cork-raised guitar legend who changed the sound of rock forever.
More details via 🔗︎ in bio!
⛳🍀 BILL MURRAY. IRELAND. NO PLAN 🍀⛳
The trailer for A COURSE CALLED IRELAND has landed, and it looks like the best kind of trouble.
Murray and author Tom Coyne tee off across some of Ireland’s most legendary golf courses - six episodes, north and south of the border, with plenty of wit, warmth and unscripted chaos.
Watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!
Don`t miss @scandalous_13 on the @willseeyounowshow!
The PEAKY BLINDERS, KIN and MOBLAND actor opens up about living with aphantasia, his complicated relationship with fear and the self-destructive impulses he works to keep under control.
Watch now via 🔗︎ in bio 🍀
Fifty years. One extraordinary career. And he keeps getting better 🎬
Don`t miss beloved #Belfast actor; Ciaran Hinds; in Netflix’s adaptation of John Steinbeck`s EAST OF EDEN.
Hinds re-unites with THE WONDER co-star, with the magnificent Florence Pugh!
Full details via 🔗︎ in bio.
Paul Mescal is now in your Netflix queue 🍿
Ridley Scott`s long-awaited sequel to the Best Picture-winning GLADIATOR is finally on Netflix, and it`s the perfect excuse to watch Mescal go to war from your couch 🏛️
Get more Paul via 🔗︎ in bio!
Ciilian Murphy for 28 YEARS LATER 3?
Danny Boyle just confirmed at the @zurichfilmfestival that the third chapter of the 28 DAYS LATER saga is happening. Alex Garland already has a script, and Boyle says there will be "a lot of Cillian Murphy in it."
Full details via 🔗︎ in bio!
BAD SISTERS creator @sharonhorgan is in the @criterioncollection closet.
Sharon`s new show, YOUTH, is now streaming on @hbo and @hbomax.
Who else loves THE PRINCESS BRIDE and THE RED BALLOON 🎈?
Watch now via 🔗︎ in bio!
Congrats to Saoirse Ronan!
PAPER PLANE, her 15-min directorial and screenwriting debut, has just won BIG at @encounterssff.
Despite four Oscar nominations, Saoirse still truly believes in independent film!
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