Cillian Murphy takes on the role of a teacher with an uphill battle ahead in "Steve," a drama steeped in the challenges of education and humanity. Netflix has unveiled an enticing first-glance image of the esteemed "Oppenheimer" actor, portraying the titular character, Steve, amidst the upcoming film inspired by Max Porter's acclaimed 2023 novella, "Shy." Joining Murphy in this poignant tale is Jay Lycurgo, who brings to life the character of Shy. Helmed byBelgian filmmaker Tim Mielants, known for his sensitive direction in "Small Things Like These," and penned by Porter himself, "Steve" also boasts a star-studded cast including Tracey Ullman, Simbi Ajikawo, and Emily Watson.
Set against the backdrop of the mid-1990s, "Steve" serves as a reimagining of Porter's "Sunday Times" bestseller, "Shy." The narrative unfolds through a pivotal day in the life of Steve, a dedicated headteacher played by the 49-year-old Murphy, and his students at a reform school that stands as their final hope amidst a world that has turned its back on them.
As Steve valiantly battles to safeguard the school's integrity and stave off its impending closure, we bear witness to his internal struggle with mental health. The synopsis delves deeper, revealing, "Parallel to Steve's travails, we encounter Shy (Lycurgo, 27), a troubled adolescent caught between his haunting past and an uncertain future, as he grapples with reconciling his intrinsic fragility with his impulses towards self-destruction and violence."
Murphy, alongside Alan Moloney and Tina Pawlik, forms the producing trio for "Steve," with Porter also lending his expertise as executive producer. This film marks a poignant art-imitating-life moment for Murphy, whose real-life parents were both educators—his mother a French teacher and his father working for the Irish Department of Education.
Post his Academy Awards triumph, Murphy's career has flourished, with notable appearances in Mielants' "Small Things Like These" in 2024 and his upcoming reprise of the iconic role of Thomas "Tommy" Shelby in the film adaptation of "Peaky Blinders," titled "28 Years Later." Danny Boyle, the director behind the original "28 Days Later" and a frequent collaborator with Murphy, has revealed in interviews with IGN and IndieWire that Murphy will also feature in the second installment of the new trilogy, "The Bone Temple," quipping to IGN, "He is in the second one. I shouldn't give away too much. I'll get killed," referring to the trilogy crafted by Boyle and writer Alex Garland.
"Steve" will premiere in select theaters this September, with its streaming debut on Netflix following on October 3.
