Cillian Murphy landed another exciting role after winning the Oscar earlier this month for playing famed physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
It was announced on Monday that the 47-year-old Irish actor will star in and produce the upcoming film Blood Runs Coal.
The film, based on the book Blood Runs Coal: The Yablonski Murders and the Battle for the United Mine Workers of America by Mark A. Bradley, is set in the late 1960s in the coal mines of Pennsylvania, according to Deadline.
It will follow “one of the most infamous crimes in the history of organized labor” and chronicle the life of a coal miner, Jock Yablonski, “who advocated for better working conditions with the United Mine Workers after a mine explosion killed to your father”.
Cillian Murphy will star in his first film since winning an Oscar for playing famed physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer; viewed March 10, 2024
Ultimately, Yablonski was murdered by Tony Boyle, who was convicted of conspiracy in the 1969 murders of Yablonski, his wife and daughter.
Murphy has been cast as Jock’s surviving son, Chip Yablonski, who “made it his life’s mission to get justice for his father.”
Jez Butterworth and his brother John-Henry Butterworth, who co-wrote several screenplays together including Edge of Tomorrow (2014) and Ford v Ferrari (2019), wrote the script.
Earlier this week, news broke that Murphy would be returning for the highly anticipated Peaky Blinders movie.
The star, who played gangster Tommy Shelby in the BBC series which ended in 2022, will begin filming later this year with the rest of the cast.
Creator Steven Knight shared the exciting news while speaking to BirminghamWorld at the premiere of his new BBC show This Town last Thursday.
He said: “He will definitely come back for it.” We’ll film it in September, near Digbeth.
The film will begin filming at Birmingham’s Digbeth Loc studios in September and will be set during the Second World War.
Just two weeks after taking home his first Academy Award, it was announced that the 47-year-old Irish actor will star in the upcoming film titled Blood Runs Coal.
Murphy has been cast as the surviving son of coal miner Jock Yablonski, Chip Yablonski (seen above in 1970), who “made it his life’s mission to get justice for his father.”
Cillian had previously said of the project earlier this year: “I’ve always said that if Knight delivers a script that I know he can deliver, because he’s a phenomenal writer, I’ll be there.
‘If we want to see Tommy Shelby, 50, I’ll be there. Let’s do it.’
Fans were excited about the news and wrote in reaction: “We’re back…the goat is backkkkkkkk.”
‘I’m glad to see him back in the movie role. It should be good.’,
‘I’M SO EXCITEDDDDD. This news made my day.’,
‘Oh God, he’s back.’,
‘This is essential to be honest. It wouldn’t be the same without him.’,
“This is going to be huge.”
Following his historic Best Actor Oscar win for Oppenheimer last month, Cillian said of his character Tommy: “I loved playing him. It was exhausting and so wildly different for me that every time I came back it was a bit of a trip.
Earlier this week, news broke that Murphy would be returning for the highly anticipated Peaky Blinders movie.
‘I’m not really sentimental about work. I feel like the next thing is the most exciting. And I mean, it was a ten-year period in my life, so it’s significant, but I always feel like we’re moving forward.”
He previously said he would be happy to reprise his role.
Speaking on Desert Island Discs, he admitted he was “relieved” when the BBC drama ended in 2022, but is now “totally” on board with a film adaptation.
Murphy also hinted that the show’s writer, Steven Knight, had more stories to tell about the Birmingham-based Shelby clan and their criminal activities between the 1880s and 1910s.
Peaky Blinders was released in 2013 and gained a huge audience both in Britain and abroad, attracting roles for big screen stars such as Tom Hardy and Anya Taylor-Joy.
Cillian received the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in Oppenheimer at the 96th Academy Awards in March.
In his speech, Cillian told a star-studded room that he was “a very proud Irishman here tonight” before dedicating his victory to “peacemakers around the world.”
Fans who watched hailed him as a “true gentleman” for his “heartfelt” words as he signed off with a nod to his Irish heritage.
“Go raibh líle maith agaibh,” he added, which translates to “thank you a thousand.”
Speaking in the press room after collecting his statuette, Murphy told reporters: “I’m a little stunned, I’m very overwhelmed.” I feel very honored. I’m very grateful and you know, very proud to be Irish here today.
‘It’s really very meaningful to me. I don’t know if I said this in my speech, because I don’t remember what I said.’
‘I wanted to say that I think in Ireland we are really good at supporting artists and I think we should continue to support artists and the next generation of actors and directors. I think that is vitally important. That’s all I have to say.’
When asked if he was “happy” to be remembered for his role as atomic bomb scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer in the film, the actor responded, “Very happy.” I mean, you have to move on, but this has been a huge, huge moment for me.
“The movie is very special to me, and me and (director) Chris (Nolan) have a very special relationship.”
“And I feel very privileged to be able to continue working with him and I’m very proud that this is a film that is provocative, that asks questions and is challenging, but still so many people went to see it. so I’m very proud of that.” .
Cillian added of his relationship with director Christopher Nolan: “It’s very, very special. We’ve been working together for 20 years. I think he’s the perfect director, he’s an extraordinary writer, he’s an extraordinary director of actors.
‘He presents this film like no one else in the world does and I can’t believe my luck. I did a screen test for him when I was a kid and I thought that would be it and that being in a room with Chris for a couple of hours would be enough, and here we are. So, I am very humble and grateful.”
When asked if he was “happy” to be remembered for his role as atomic bomb scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer in the film, the actor responded, “Very happy.” I mean, you have to move on, but this has been a huge, huge moment for me.
The actor was previously best known for his role as the northern gangster in the BBC drama, but has since received praise for his performance in Oppenheimer (pictured at the Oscars).
Speaking in the press room after collecting his statuette, Murphy told reporters: “I’m a little stunned, I’m very overwhelmed.” I feel very honored. I’m very grateful and, you know, very proud to be Irish and to be here today.
“The movie is very special to me, and me and (director) Chris (Nolan) have a very special relationship.”
“And I feel very privileged to be able to continue working with him and I’m very proud that this is a film that is provocative, that asks questions and is challenging, but still so many people went to see it. so I’m very proud of that.” .
Cillian added of his relationship with director Christopher Nolan: “It’s very, very special. We’ve been working together for 20 years. I think he’s the perfect director, he’s an extraordinary writer, he’s an extraordinary director of actors.
‘He presents this film like no one else in the world does and I can’t believe my luck. I did a screen test for him when I was a kid and I thought that would be it and that being in a room with Chris for a couple of hours would be enough, and here we are. So, I am very humble and grateful.”