Cillian Murphy Is a Modern Mr. Chips in 'Steve's First Trailer

Irish actor Cillian Murphy, currently in the prime of his career, is charting a course followed by many before him who have achieved commercial blockbuster success, albeit with performances that are not particularly creatively fulfilling, even as they pay the bills. In the wake of his Academy Award win for Oppenheimer, he's signed on to continue in the hit Netflix franchise, Peaky Blinders, in a sequel film titled The Immortal Man. In exchange, Netflix is producing his next passion project, Steve, a small-time indie film based on the novel Shy by Max Porter.

A 1990s-era period piece set in a British boarding school, Steve intertwines the experiences of a headmaster of a last-chance reform academy, Steve, and one of the institution's newest students, Shy, played by Jay Lycurgo (I May Destroy You). Like most series set in British schools (both boarding schools and non), the story is your classic "the students taught me as I taught them" trope, as decades of Tory mismanagement of funds put the school on the "to be shuttered" list.

(As you will note, the title change indicates a shift in focus, centering on the head teacher in the film instead of the student. No, I'm not sure that bodes well either.)

That being said, there's a reason these "the teacher and student teach each other" stories are critical darlings, and considering the trailer and cast, this one looks like it will be no exception.

Here's the film's synopsis: 

Set in the mid-90s, Steve is a reimagining of Max Porter's Sunday Times bestseller Shy. The film follows a pivotal day in the life of headteacher Steve and his students at a last-chance reform school amidst a world that has forsaken them. As Steve fights to protect the school’s integrity and impending closure, we witness him grappling with his own mental health. In parallel to Steve’s struggles, we meet Shy, a troubled teen caught between his past and what lies ahead as he tries to reconcile his inner fragility with his impulse for self-destruction and violence.

Along with Murphy, Steve's adult cast is comprised of a who's who of British talent well known on this side of the pond, including Roger Allam (Endeavour), Emily Watson (Little Women), Ben Lloyd-Hughes (Sanditon), Ruby Ashbourne-Serkis (I, Jack Wright), Joshua J Parker (Ridley), Tracey Ullman (Black Doves), and Marcus Garvey (Last Tango in Halifax). 

The supporting cast of students joining Lycurgo is comprised of a selection of the next generation of British talent, including Simbi Ajikawo (Top Boy), Douggie McMeekin (The Decameron), Priyanga Burford (Industry), Youssef Kerkour (Stay Close), Luke Ayres (Passenger), Araloyin Oshunremi (Heartstopper), Archie Fisher (Boarders), Tom Moya (The Killing Kind), Ahmed Ismail (Out of the Dust), George Fouracres (The Franchise), Tut Nyuot (The Witcher: Blood Origin), and newcomer Joshua Barry.

Directed by Tim Mielants (Small Things Like These), Steve was adapted for the screen by author Max Porter. Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow created the soundtrack. Porter and Murphy also executive produce with Tina Pawlik, as well as Murphy's producing partner, Alan Moloney, for their company, Big Things Films. 

Steve will premiere in theaters on Friday, September 19, and will be available on Netflix starting Friday, October 3, 2025.