Cillian Murphy says he’s still on edge about his new film, “Steve,” despite positive early reviews. The movie, which chronicles a single day at a school for boys with behavioral and social difficulties, premiered to a warm reception at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year and currently has a 72% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
However, Murphy believes the true test is yet to come. “You’re always nervous,” he said of his experience, which involved both playing the lead role and producing the film through his company, Big Things Films. “So I’m not finished until the audience sees it. I’m very proud of it,” he told the press.
When asked if producing the film added to the pressure, he admitted, “It’s doubly nervous because that’s what makes it more stressful! Yeah, but the reaction’s been brilliant so far.” Murphy noted that feedback from educators and caregivers has been particularly meaningful. “Teachers and social workers, you know, caregivers, they really responded to the film and they’re really the people who made it for.”
His own parents, both retired teachers, have not yet seen “Steve.” He shared with a smile, “My mum and dad have not seen it, and they’re retired teachers, so I’m looking forward to them seeing it.” When asked if he was nervous about their reaction, he joked, “No, they’ve seen everything, so they’re well used to it.”
The 49-year-old “Oppenheimer” and “Peaky Blinders” star also described the role of the headteacher in “Steve” as emotionally draining. Murphy explained, “It’s like if you do anything for 16, 17 hours a day, that’s what happens, you end up… there’s an exchange of atoms, I think. And you just need a rest after it. It’s not about shaking it off. It’s about a lot of displaced energy, I suppose.”
“Steve” will be released in select theaters in the US, UK, and Ireland on September 19, 2025, before a global release on Netflix on October 3, 2025.
