As autumn settles in, Netflix is serving up a cinematic feast for film lovers, with two of Ireland’s most celebrated actors—Cillian Murphy and Colin Farrell—taking center stage in a pair of highly anticipated releases. Both stars, known for their transformative performances and magnetic screen presence, headline new projects that are drawing critical attention and sparking conversations about the state of contemporary cinema.
Cillian Murphy, fresh off his Oscar-winning turn in Oppenheimer, returns to screens in Steve, a drama adapted from Max Porter’s novel Shy. Released on Netflix by October 8, 2025, Steve plunges viewers into the intense world of a boys’ school for students with behavioral challenges. Murphy inhabits the role of the headteacher, navigating one pivotal day as the institution teeters on the brink of closure. Alongside him is Jay Lycurgo as Shy, a student grappling with mental health struggles—a narrative thread that grounds the film’s emotional stakes.
The critical response has been swift and largely positive. Steve boasts a 77% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes as of October 8, 2025, a testament to its resonance with reviewers. The Observer described the film as "gripping and exhausting," singling out Murphy’s performance as "in a class of its own." Meanwhile, Empire magazine praised the movie for making full use of Murphy’s "emotional range," calling it "a rallying, railing portrayal of a broken education system – and contemporary cinema’s worthy answer to Dead Poets Society." Such comparisons speak to the film’s ambition and its willingness to tackle the complexities of education, mental health, and institutional failure.
For those who can’t get enough of Murphy’s work, there’s no shortage of options. The actor’s filmography is a veritable showcase of versatility, with seven standout titles currently available for streaming. Chief among them is Oppenheimer (2023), the blockbuster biopic that earned Murphy his first Academy Award. Chronicling the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the so-called father of the atomic bomb, the film swept the Oscars, taking home Best Picture and a host of other accolades. According to Digital Spy, Murphy delivers a "career-best performance"—high praise for an actor whose career is studded with memorable roles.
Murphy’s breakout came with 28 Days Later, Danny Boyle’s apocalyptic horror classic. As Jim, a bicycle courier who awakens from a coma to find society ravaged by a virus, Murphy anchored a film that, as The Movie Sleuth puts it, remains "one of the great horror classics of the early '00s." The film holds an 87% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, and fans have reason to celebrate: Murphy is set to return in the upcoming installment of the franchise, 28 Years Later.
His collaboration with Boyle continued in 2007’s Sunshine, a sci-fi thriller that sends a group of astronauts (including Murphy, Chris Evans, and Michelle Yeoh) on a perilous mission to reignite the dying sun. Empire lauded the film as "a knuckle-gnawingly tense, glorious action thriller"—a further testament to Murphy’s ability to thrive across genres.
Murphy’s partnership with director Christopher Nolan has also yielded iconic results. In Inception (2010), he plays a CEO whose subconscious becomes the target of a daring heist, sharing the screen with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy. With an 87% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is hailed as "smart, innovative, and thrilling." Murphy also memorably portrayed Dr. Jonathan Crane, aka The Scarecrow, in Nolan’s Batman Begins—a role he reprised in the trilogy’s sequels. According to Deep Focus Review, the film "transforms the superhero genre and transcends its limitations."
Not all of Murphy’s work is rooted in fantasy or science fiction. The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006) is a searing historical drama set during the Irish War of Independence and subsequent Civil War. Directed by Ken Loach, the film won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and enjoys a 90% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Murphy’s portrayal of a young man torn between family and country is both nuanced and heartbreaking.
Rounding out the list is A Quiet Place Part II (2020), where Murphy joins Emily Blunt and Millicent Simmonds in a world overrun by sound-sensitive monsters. The sequel earned a 91% fresh score, with Digital Spy noting that it "matches the tension and horror of the first movie and manages to deliver something new that expands the world, too."
As Murphy’s star continues to rise, fellow Dubliner Colin Farrell is set to captivate audiences in Ballad of a Small Player, a psychological thriller adapted from Lawrence Osborne’s 2014 novel. The film, directed by Oscar-winning German filmmaker Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front), follows Lord Doyle, a high-stakes gambler whose life unravels as he flees to Macau, China. According to Evoke.ie, Doyle spends his days "on the casino floors, drinking heavily and gambling what little money he has left," while struggling to keep up with mounting debts.
The plot thickens as Doyle encounters Dao Ming (Fala Chen), a casino employee with secrets of her own, and comes under the scrutiny of Cynthia Blithe (Tilda Swinton), a relentless private investigator. The supporting cast includes Deanie Ip and Alex Jennings, adding further depth to a story that promises suspense and psychological intrigue.
Adapted for the screen by Rowan Joffe, known for his work on 28 Weeks Later, Ballad of a Small Player is poised for a staggered release: it will premiere in select Irish cinemas on Friday, October 17, 2025, before landing on Netflix on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. The trailer hints at a stylish, tension-filled ride—a spiritual journey through the underbelly of Macau’s gambling scene, where reality itself seems to blur.
With both Steve and Ballad of a Small Player arriving on Netflix this October, viewers are spoiled for choice. Whether you’re drawn to Murphy’s searing exploration of institutional failure or Farrell’s descent into psychological chaos, these films underscore the enduring appeal of Irish talent on the global stage. As streaming platforms continue to reshape how we access and experience cinema, performances like these remind us why the big screen—and the stories it brings to life—still matter.
