Cillian Murphy has shown his intense acting prowess and has now become a glorious name in the world of films. His 28 Years Later (2025) sequel, The Bone Temple, is already stirring excitement, knowing that he will be present in the sequel.
For now, Steve with Cillian Murphy adapts Shy, a novella by Max Porter, whose trailer just arrived. Here’s what we know so far.
Plot details of Steve (2025)
Steve (2025) is a story based on Max Porter’s novella, Shy. The novella was published in 2023, set in the mid-1990s, in which a headteacher (played by Cillian Murphy) tries to save a reform college with a last chance at hand.
Meanwhile, the headteacher is struggling with his own mental health. And the interesting part is that the story focuses on a pivotal day when Steve and his students fight for the school.
Steve himself is under pressure while suffering on his own to maintain the integrity of the school within those 24 hours. Alongside, the trailer shows a student named Shy who has violent tendencies and Steve on a path to keep the student calm, already at war with his own inner fragilities.
We can see Steve covering his ears since he cannot take the loud noises from the students, but he appears clearly agitated. Watch the trailer here to get a closer look:
Cillian Murphy’s thoughts about Steve
Directed by Tim Mielants (The Terror– 2018), the film highlights the lives of the troubled human beings, whom we often neglect. The novella itself is emotional, for which Murphy admitted that it has “an actual visceral effect on you”, as per Digital Spy.
Murphy said,
“Max gave me that book in a proof edition before he finished it, and again it just broke my heart.” [Source]
The actor also described the film as partially funny and dark, of course. He explained that it shows some chaos, which makes the situation comedic, for which the credit goes to the writing.
He opened up that the purpose of making this film is not only to narrate the dark side of the novella, its characters, and the perspectives of struggling people. It is also to create more engaging and heart-touching stories, so that people understand the viewpoint the story is trying to convey.
As the trailer also shows the funny but upsetting dialogues of the students, such as when characters are asked to describe themselves in three words and Steve replies “very very tired” and a student says “angry and bored.” The emotional throughline of the movie aims to highlight the disparity each character portrays deeply.
An angry student with his self-destructive, violent, and impulsive behavior, a school facing closure where the headteacher is battling his own mental health issues, and the chaos that visually displays the overwhelmed characters will be an emotional rollercoaster, making the film a touching drama story, possibly another potential Oscar-winner for Cillian Murphy.
Is Steve with Cillian Murphy adapts Shy already generating Oscar predictions?
Cillian Murphy won the Best Actor Oscar for Oppenheimer in 2024. His portrayal as a physicist in Christopher Nolan’s 2023 Oppenheimer earned him an Academy Award.
His characterization as the headteacher with several troubles going on in his own head seems to be another remarkable performance of his career. It seems already quite hard to imagine the mental state of such a person who is trying his best not to give up, not to be harsh on others, and not to tarnish the overall image of the school that is on the verge of collapse.
So much to carry on his shoulders alone, Cillian Murphy’s Steve appears to be a heck of an emotional ride, and Netflix appears poised to position Steve as a major awards contender. With the Oscars just around the corner, Netflix wants to submit this likely Oscar-winner, sparking the buzz once again among the fans.
The Peaky Blinders star is ready to flaunt a powerful performance with the titular role in Steve, exhibiting the emotional struggles of a teacher that we often overlook. Early reactions highlight Murphy’s intensity as a major draw, as the comment section on YouTube is filled with Murphy’s mere presence bringing weightage to the story.
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When is Steve (2025) releasing?
Steve (2025) will come to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this fall and will also be available on Netflix on October 3, 2025.
Genre: Drama
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Tracey Ullman, Jay Lycurgo, Little Simz, Emily Watson
Director: Tim Mielants
Writer: Max Porter
Producers: Cillian Murphy, Alan Moloney, Tina Pawlik
Release date: October 3, 2025
Movie runtime: 1 hour 33 minutes
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Passionate Entertainment Writer | Trusted Pop Culture Voice
Madiha Ali is an experienced entertainment writer with over five years of expertise in covering movies, TV shows, celebrity news, and pop culture. Her bylines appear on trusted platforms like Screen Anarchy, High on Films, Ary News, The Express Tribune, Tea and Banter, Show Snob, CelebFeedz, Snapfeedz, Daily Planet Media, The Irish Insider, and Movie Insiderz.
She brings a personal, insightful approach to every story—whether she’s analyzing the emotional layers of a film or giving her take on trending celebrity headlines. Madiha’s writing style is known for being authentic, well-researched, and reader-focused.
When she’s not writing, she’s fully immersed in the world of entertainment—watching new releases, revisiting classics, exploring behind-the-scenes content, or reading books that fuel her creativity. Her passion for storytelling drives her work and helps her stay connected to what matters most in the industry.
Madiha believes great stories start conversations, challenge perspectives, and stay with us long after the credits roll. Through her writing, she continues to share those stories with clarity, depth, and heart.
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