Cillian Murphy's Hiatus, Steve Trailer, and 28 Days Later Return | Autumn 2025 Entertainment Update

Cillian Murphy BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.

Cillian Murphy’s career is never quiet, but the end of August 2025 has been an unusually pivotal stretch for him. The biggest headline this week is Murphy confirming in multiple interviews that he’s taking a year-long break from acting following the promotional run for his new Netflix film Steve. According to his Deadline interview, Murphy explained, “I'm kind of taking the year off. I'm doing this work, but I’m not actually acting on anything, which is nice for a while. I’m just waiting for Tim Mielants to cast me in his next film.” This hiatus is highly significant, given Murphy’s non-stop string of high-profile projects, including last year’s Oscar-winning performance in Oppenheimer.

Murphy’s latest public appearance was at the 2025 Academy Awards, where he had a clean-shaven look. His transformation for Steve, which dropped its first trailer on August 13th, debuted a new scruffy, salt-and-pepper beard, suggestive of his character’s emotional depth. Steve is based on Max Porter’s acclaimed novel Shy and casts Murphy as a reform school headteacher struggling to keep his institution afloat amidst his own mental health battles. The film will hit select US theaters September 19 and land worldwide on Netflix October 3. Critics and fans alike are already buzzing about this role, with its social relevance and the personal resonance Murphy described, having grown up with two parents who were teachers.

Despite his hiatus from acting, Murphy is hardly idle. He’s collaborating again with director Tim Mielants—Steve marking their second outing together after Small Things Like These—and developing future projects. Business-wise, Murphy and his wife Yvonne McGuinness have bought the Phoenix cinema in Dingle, County Kerry, intending to convert it into a not-for-profit community arts center. Alongside producer Alan Moloney, he’s launched a production company, Big Things Films, tidying up his creative options while taking time away from acting.

Rumors ran rampant about Murphy’s return in 28 Years Later, following viral social media screenshots suggesting he’d appear as a zombie. However, Angus Neill has since clarified he was the actor in those scenes; Murphy instead contributed behind the scenes as an executive producer. Notably, Danny Boyle confirmed that Murphy will return in the next installment, 28 Days Later: The Bone Temple, which may have major franchise implications.

Social media mentions of Murphy spiked after Amy Jackson posted a photo that fans called uncanny: users flooded Instagram and X, comparing her sharp features and expression to Murphy’s, triggering a fresh wave of Oppenheimer memes and playful speculation. Finally, as autumn approaches, Murphy’s widely regarded Red Eye will hit Starz on September 1 after years of streaming absence and speculation about its underrated merits.

Peaky Blinders fans can mark their calendars—Murphy is set to reprise Tommy Shelby in the hotly-anticipated feature, expected late 2025 or early 2026, with Barry Keoghan attached. Murphy’s current pause from the spotlight may prove rich for his creativity and long-term legacy.

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