Cillian Murphy explained why he hasn’t joined a big Hollywood blockbuster after winning an Oscar for his role in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Usually, after winning an Oscar, many actors are quickly signed for big franchises. Murphy, though, chose to follow Oppenheimer with the smaller films Small Things Like These and Steve.
In an interview with Variety about his new movie Steve, now streaming on Netflix and doing well on Rotten Tomatoes, Murphy was asked if more big studio films came his way after his Best Actor win. He said no, but explained that it was because he already had his next two films planned.
No, because I had these two other films straight away. I just wasn’t available, so it didn’t happen. Maybe some day it will. Or maybe it’s too late.
While Small Things Like These and Steve didn’t continue the big box office success of Oppenheimer, they still did well with critics. Small Things Like These holds a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score, and Murphy’s acting in both films was praised.
Before Oppenheimer, Murphy had already been working in Hollywood for 20 years, balancing indie films, the hit show Peaky Blinders, and big movies, often teaming up with Nolan. He isn’t part of The Odyssey cast, but says that is actually a “relief.”
Even if he didn’t take on another big Hollywood movie right after Oppenheimer, Murphy still has major projects coming up. He will return as Jim from 28 Days Later in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, and possibly in a third 28 Years Later film. He’s also coming back for the Netflix Peaky Blinders movie The Immortal Man.
Murphy is also being linked to other big projects. He may star with Daniel Craig in a new prison film directed by Oscar winner Damizen Chazelle. There are rumors he could be part of Bond 26 (though not as James Bond, since the role will go to someone new).
Fans also keep mentioning him as Voldemort in the Harry Potter TV series, but in the Variety interview, he denied that again. Even without leading a big Hollywood film since his Oscar, Murphy’s career after Oppenheimer has gone well. He gave two strong performances in well-reviewed indie films, showing again why he’s considered one of the best actors today. He’s also producing many of the projects he’s working on.
With these upcoming larger projects and the fact that fans want to see him in big films or shows, it’s clear Cillian Murphy is doing just fine.
Source: Variety