Cillian Murphy is back in a leading role for the second time since his Oscar-winning turn in Oppenheimer, starring in Netflix’s upcoming drama Steve. Hitting theaters September 19 before streaming October 3, the film is adapted from Max Porter’s 2023 novel Shy and shifts the story’s focus to Murphy’s character — a worn-down headteacher at a 1990s British reform school.
The original novel centers on “Shy,” a troubled youth played by Jay Lycurgo. But with the retitling to Steve, the emphasis falls squarely on Murphy’s character and his struggle to keep a last-chance institution from unraveling. “You’re not alone, Shy,” Steve tells his student in the trailer. “That’s the whole point.”
The cast includes Tracey Ullmann, Simbi Ajikawo, and Emily Watson. The world premiere will take place at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
Porter’s profile is quickly rising. Earlier this year, his debut novel Grief Is the Thing with Feathers was adapted into The Thing with Feathers, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, which debuted at Sundance 2025. Meanwhile, Shy was a major bestseller in the U.K., making Steve one of the year’s most anticipated literary adaptations.
Murphy, sporting a beard and a world-weary demeanor, opens the trailer with the line, “I’m very, very tired.” It’s his second film since his Oppenheimer win, following Small Things Like These, a quiet period drama set in the 1980s that earned $1.6 million at the U.S. box office.
Looking ahead, Murphy is set to reprise his role as Jim in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, star in The Immortal Man — a Peaky Blinders continuation from Steven Knight — and is reportedly in talks to join Daniel Craig in Damien Chazelle’s next project.
For now, Steve promises a grounded, emotionally charged performance from Murphy in a role that blends institutional drama with the raw humanity he’s known for.
