Cillian Murphy Thrilled to Play Lead In Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer

Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy is reuniting with frequent collaborator Christopher Nolan for the period thriller Oppenheimer, but this time, he’ll be playing the lead role. In the film, Murphy will be portraying J. Robert Oppenheimer, the scientist responsible for the creation of the atomic bomb.

Christopher Nolan has assembled an all-star cast for Oppenheimer, featuring the likes of Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, and Emily Blunt. Cillian Murphy, who has mostly played supporting roles in Nolan’s previous movies, was surprised when the acclaimed director cast him as the lead in Oppenheimer. In an interview with Esquire, Murphy talked about his incredible experience working with Nolan and how he can never say no to him. “Chris will just call you up,” Murphy said, “and I always say yes, because they’re always amazing.” Murphy further added,

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“It’s the first time he’s cast me in a lead, which I’m still a bit in shock about, but I’m thrilled. It’s a huge part and a lot of work. But in my estimation, you’re working with one of the greatest living directors, so you’re in safe hands.”

Cillian Murphy has appeared in five films by Christopher Nolan, best known for playing the villain Scarecrow in The Dark Knight trilogy. He also had short yet crucial roles in Inception and Dunkirk. But for Oppenheimer, Murphy is set to lead the impressive star cast, featuring Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, Josh Hartnett, and Benny Safdie. Oppenheimer is slated to release on July 21, 2023.

Oppenheimer marks Nolan’s first venture into the drama genre since 2006’s The Prestige, and also his first film with Universal Studios. Oppenheimer is based on the book American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. Not much is known about the plot of the film except that it has been described as an “epic thriller” and also carries a budget of $100 million, implying it is much more than just a straightforward biography. Murphy didn’t reveal much when asked what Oppenheimer was about.

“The difference with this one is the story is there, everybody knows what happened. But Chris is telling it in a different way, as with Chris you would expect. That’s all I can say. Is it focused on a particular period of his life? The Manhattan Project, perchance? I’m not going to say. They’d kill me — they’re so strict!,” Murphy said. Christopher Nolan is quite notorious for maintaining strict standards on set to prevent leaks, banning distractions like cell phones and chairs, apparently.

Related: Christopher Nolan’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked

Cillian Murphy Returns As Tommy Shelby In The Final Season Of Peaky Blinders

Cillian Murphy is set to reprise his now-iconic role as gangster Tommy Shelby in the sixth and final season of the BBC crime drama Peaky Blinders. Most of the star cast, including Tom Hardy, will be returning for the final season. Unfortunately, Helen McCrory will be missed as the matriarch of the Shelby family, Polly Gray. The actress passed away last April due to breast cancer. While Helen didn’t film any scenes, the makers have assured that her character will remain an ever-present part of the show.

Tom Hardy, who came back in a surprise appearance in the fifth season, is also returning, possibly in a much larger capacity. Showrunner Steven Knight and Murphy have both teased a bleak ending for the show, but it won’t be absolute. Knight had planned seven seasons of Peaky Blinders, but due to recent adversities, he has decided to end the Shelby family saga with a movie. But fans will have to wait as the Peaky Blinders movie won’t be coming out for at least 2 to 3 years. Peaky Blinders season 6 starts airing on BBC One in February.

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Mudit Chhikara
(171 Articles Published)

Mudit Chhikara is a news writer at MovieWeb. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electronics, but being a lifelong cinephile, Mudit decided to write about movies for a living.

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