It’s been over a year sinceOppenheimerwas released in theaters, and Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy’s next movie,Small Things Like These, is the perfect follow-up. Cillian Murphy has been active in the film industry for nearly three decades, but he’s never been in the spotlight as prominently as he was in 2023 after playing the titular role in theOppenheimercast. For playing historic physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy took home a Golden Globe, an Academy Award, and received immense acclaim for starring in his first almost-$1 billion-grossing movie.
Murphy has received consistent praise throughout his career, most widely recognized for his supporting roles in Christopher Nolan’s movies, like Scarecrow inThe Dark Knighttrilogy, and supporting characters inInceptionandDunkirk. He also led the cast of the critically acclaimed crime drama TV seriesPeaky Blindersfor all six seasons and will be following up on the role in thePeaky Blinderssequel movie. But that’s just one of themany exciting projects in Cillian Murphy’s future, with his next film beingSmall Things Like Thesein November 2024.
What Is Small Things Like These? Cillian Murphy’s New Movie Explained
Small Things Like These Is A Historical Drama With Positive Reviews
Cillian Murphy’s upcoming movie,Small Things Like These, is based on Irish author Claire Keegan’s book of the same nameand seems to be a passion project for the 48-year-old star. He’s producing the film, as well as leading its cast, alongsideOppenheimerco-star Matt Damon. The movie is being developed by Damon and Ben Affleck’s production company, Artist’s Equity, alongside Murphy’s company, Big Things Films. Actors Emily Watson (Dune: Prophecy), Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones), and Eileen Walsh (Ann) will co-star alongside him.
Cillian Murphy’s Underrated War Movie With 90% On Rotten Tomatoes Features One Of His Best Performances
The Wind That Shakes The Barley is a riveting war drama that proves the depth of Cillian Murphy’s acting talent with a rich, nuanced performance.
Small Things Like Thesefollows Bill Furlong, a coal merchant who discovers disturbing secrets about his town and the local convent leading up to Christmas in 1985. It should bean intense historical fiction drama with a powerful performance from Murphy, who’s no rookie when it comes to period pieces. The movie premiered at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in early 2024, receiving mostly positive reviews, and will premiere in Ireland and the UK on July 13, 2025. It will be released on June 17, 2025, in the United States, just a week later.
Small Things Like These Is Great For Cillian Murphy After Oppenheimer
Following the unprecedented success ofOppenheimer, a film that made nearly 10 times its budget back in its theatrical run,Cillian Murphy likely has more movie roles being offered to him than ever before. Not only is he a ridiculously talented veteran actor, but Murphy has become a recognizable face and a popular name in his own right, despite expressing minimal interest in the stardom side of his job. And yet, when Murphy could be taking any role with a massive paycheck, he’s respectably starring in a small Irish drama film.
with this being his first role sinceOppenheimer, it’s bound to receive more attention than it otherwise would have.
Cillian Murphy has starred in outstanding Irish films before likeThe Wind That Shakes the Barley, where he’s delivered some of his best work. Ireland’s film industry isn’t anywhere near as extensive as Hollywood’s, andit’s fantastic that Murphy is using his clout and credibility to bring attention to movies that might not otherwise receive due funding or viewership. Especially with this being his first role sinceOppenheimer, it’s bound to receive more attention than it otherwise would have. It will also shine a light on a very important piece of Irish history.
Of course, there’s nothing explicitly wrong with actors wanting to star in major blockbuster franchises.Oppenheimerco-star and fellow Academy Award-winner Robert Downey Jr. is one of the most respected contemporary actors, and the majority of his audience knows him as Iron Man. In the case of such an alluring and unique talent like Cillian Murphy, however,it’s more exciting to see him continue taking on passion projects and acting jobs that interest him. He’s continuing to expand his filmography with fascinating work, and it will be exciting to see what he does.
Will Small Things Like These Get Cillian Murphy Another Oscar Nomination?
The Movie Might Be Too Small For Oscar Attention, But You Never Know
It’s still early in the year to be predicting awards season, given that many of the Oscar-targeted films won’t be coming out until the final months of 2024. On the one hand,there doesn’t seem to be any clear contender for Best Actor, unlike in 2023 where predictions for Murphy’s win were happening beforeOppenheimerhad even released. This could pave the way for a sneaky winner likeSmall Things Like These, and it would be fun to see Murphy win back-to-back, but it doesn’t seem entirely likely. It’s just a small film that’s naturally going to be an outsider in the race.
Cillian Murphy’s Most Underrated Performance Deserves Even More Love After His Oppenheimer Oscar Win
Cillian Murphy is rightly recognized as a global superstar, but one of his best-ever performances remains criminally underrated by many.
Unfortunately, narratives and politicking play a crucial role in the Academy Awards.Murphy had such a clear path to winning forOppenheimerbecause the movie was so massive, and he seemed to be everywhere in late 2023. Actors will often “campaign” for their Academy Award wins, making the rounds on various platforms to promote their work and essentially draw attention to their performances. In the case of Cillian Murphy, he doesn’t seem like the type of actor who would be that interested in doing this, and it’s probably not possible in the film’s promotional budget.
Other Upcoming Cillian Murphy Movies
Cillian Murphy Returns To Two Beloved Characters
While Cillian Murphy’s upcoming roles do include some franchise titles, it’s fair to say that it’s not quite the same. He’ll be starring in thePeaky Blindersmovie and thelong-awaited28 Years Later, both of which could be pretty big releases. However, these are both franchises he’s been a part of from the beginning, and it’s not the same as him signing on to the Marvel Cinematic Universe or something of that ilk.He’ll be reprising beloved roles that he’s played before, and they’ll likely both be final installmentsfor their respective series.
Aside from the two main titles, Cillian Murphy is attached to three other filmsin various development stages. He’s set to play the titular character in Tim Mielants' film,Steve, which will see him paired with theSmall Things Like Thesedirector once again. He’s attached to a project calledBlood Runs Coal, which is another period drama that doesn’t have a filmmaker attached to it just yet. Lastly, Murphy is on board to play the lead in a movie calledHippie Hippie Shake, a film set in 1960s London.
Small Things Like These
Bill Furlong, a coal merchant, uncovers dark secrets at a convent that lead him to confront his past and the silent complicity of his Church-influenced Irish town.
