Are you a huge Cillian Murphy fan and want to make a watchlist of all his movies? Actually, some of the best Cillian Murphy movies will keep you glued to your screen all day long.
This gifted Irish actor loved performing since he was young. In high school, he joined a drama class.
After high school, Cillian Murphy acted in various theater plays and short, low-budget movies for a few years. Then, he landed a major role as Jim in the movie 28 Days Later, directed by Danny Boyle. This movie was his big break.
Moving on, he’s known for working with director Christopher Nolan on movies like Batman Begins, Inception, Dunkirk, and their latest one, Oppenheimer. This new movie even made Murphy win his first Oscar!
Until his next big project comes out, let’s take a look at some of the best Cillian Murphy movies so far
15. Red Eye
In this movie, Rachel McAdams plays Lisa, a hotel manager on a late-night flight. She gets stuck next to Cillian Murphy, who plays a bad guy named Jackson. On the flip side, Jackson is secretly working for terrorists! This movie is a thriller and keeps you guessing. Murphy is really good at playing a villain, and this might be one of his best bad-guy roles ever.
Release Date: August 19, 2005
Director: Wes Craven
14. The Wind that Shakes the Barley
The Wind That Shakes the Barley is a movie about war in Ireland. Cillian Murphy plays Damien, a doctor about to leave for a great job in London. But then he sees British soldiers being cruel to Irish people, and he changes his mind. Instead, he joins a rebel group with his brother Teddy to fight for Ireland’s freedom. They win a battle with Britain, but then Ireland splits, and the brothers end up fighting on opposite sides!
Release Date: March 23, 2006
Director: Ken Loach
13. On the Edge
In On the Edge, Cillian Murphy plays Jonathan Breech, a young man who tries to hurt himself. After that, he goes to a special clinic in Dublin to get help with his mental health. The movie shows what it’s like for Jonathan to be there. He meets other young people going through similar problems, makes friends, and even falls in love. This experience gives him hope for the future.
Release Date: 21 September 2001
Director: John Carney
12. The Party
This is a comedy movie filmed entirely in black and white. The movie centers around a party celebrating a politician’s new job. Tom, however, has a secret that could ruin everything for his wife, the politician. But hey, it’s a party, so the drama can wait! This role shows that Murphy can do more than just serious parts. He can be funny and animated too!
Release Date: 12 October 2017
Director: Sally Potter
11. Disco Pigs
In Disco Pigs, Pig played by Murphy, and Runt played by Elaine Cassidy have always been super close friends, like practically siblings. But Pig starts to see Runt differently and wants to be more than friends. He gets jealous when other boys indicate interest in her. This makes Pig act weird and angry. Even though this movie was one of Murphy’s first acting jobs, you can already see how good he is at playing characters with strong emotions. His performance in Disco Pigs hints at the roles he would play later in his career.
Release Date: 12 October 2001
Director: Kirsten Sheridan
10. Inception
Inception is a mind-bending sci-fi movie by Christopher Nolan, and it’s the third time Cillian Murphy has worked with him. The story is about a special kind of thief who can steal secrets from people’s dreams. He gets a chance to clear his criminal record, but it’s a tricky job. He has to plant an idea in the mind of Robert Fischer played by Murphy, while Fischer is dreaming! Things get complicated though, because someone knows what he is up to and tries to stop him.
Release Date: July 15, 2010
Director: Christopher Nolan
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9. Anthropoid
This war movie is based on a true story about secret agents during World War II. Cillian Murphy plays Jozef, one of two Czech soldiers on a dangerous mission to kill a high-ranking Nazi leader. He’s determined to help win the war, even if it means sacrificing himself and others.
Release Date: 12 August 2016
Director: Sean Ellis
8. Free Fire
This crime comedy movie, directed by Ben Wheatley, is full of action and laughs. Murphy plays Chris, who gets caught in a messy arms deal that goes south with his crew. Needless to say, things get violent with a huge shootout. Even though his character is kind of predictable, Murphy’s acting adds another layer to the interesting aspect of the movie.
Release Date: March 31, 2017
Director: Ben Wheatley
7. A Quiet Place Part II
In A Quiet Place Part II, the Abbott family is on the run from scary monsters. Cillian Murphy plays Emmett, a friend of the family seen in flashbacks when the monsters first attacked. When they meet him again later, he’s become a tough guy focused on staying alive. But Murphy’s acting is great because his character changes throughout the movie. He goes from being bitter and sad to becoming a helpful and optimistic friend again. He doesn’t need to say much, you can see everything he’s feeling in his eyes and how he stands. He’s awesome to watch!
Release Date: May 21, 2021
Director: John Krasinski
6. Dunkirk
In the movie Dunkirk, Cillian Murphy plays a small but important role as a soldier scared and shaken by war. Even though the movie has big battles and intense moments, Murphy’s acting makes the movie feel real. He shows how scared this soldier is and how badly he just wants to get away from the fighting.
Release Date: July 19, 2017
Director: Christopher Nolan
5. Sunshine
In Danny Boyle’s sci-fi movie Sunshine, eight astronauts embark on a dangerous mission to save the world. The movie has amazing special effects and lots of exciting moments, but things keep going wrong and the mission gets delayed. Cillian Murphy plays a quiet scientist who has the most important job: delivering the bomb. But there’s a catch, the bomb will also destroy their spaceship!
Release Date: April 5, 2007
Director: Danny Boyle
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4. Peaky Blinders
Cillian Murphy is best known for playing Tommy Shelby in the gangster show Peaky Blinders. Tommy is the leader of a violent gang in Birmingham, England, right after World War I. The gang is called the Peaky Blinders, known for being tough and ruthless. Tommy is a war veteran with anger issues, but he’s also charismatic and people are drawn to him. Murphy’s performance is what really makes the character. He’s mysterious and dedicated to the role, and it’s won him awards and made Tommy Shelby an iconic figure. Even fans copy Tommy’s haircut and hat!
Release Date: 12 September 2013
Directors: Tom Harper, Otto Bathurst, Tim Mielants, Colm McCarthy, Anthony Byme, David Caffrey
3. 28 Days Later
28 Days Later is a movie about the end of the world. Cillian Murphy plays Jim, a regular guy who wakes up from a coma to find everything’s gone crazy. Turns out, infected chimps went nuts and spread a disease that turned people into rage-filled monsters. The movie is pretty straightforward. Jim has to be smart and tough to stay alive in this messed-up world. Even though there are fast zombies and lots of shooting, Murphy’s strong performance makes you feel bad for the people alive and the tough choices they have to make.
Release Date: October 31, 2002
Director: Danny Boyle
2. Batman Begins
Cillian Murphy might not be the first person you think of for superhero movies, but that’s how he met director Christopher Nolan! Batman Begins tells the story of how Batman came to be. Every superhero needs a bad guy, and in this movie, it’s Cillian Murphy as Dr. Crane, also known as Scarecrow. Scarecrow is a creepy scientist at Arkham Asylum who cooks up a special toxin that makes people see their worst fears. He wants to use this toxin to take control of Gotham City. Will he succeed? You’ll have to find out!
Release Date: June 15, 2005
Director: Christopher Nolan
1. Oppenheimer
Cillian Murphy’s latest movie, Oppenheimer, seems like the perfect role for him after all his acting experience. Directed by Christopher Nolan, a director he’s worked with before, the movie tells the true story of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer was a scientist who invented the first atomic bomb. The movie is based on a book and jumps around in time, showing Oppenheimer’s love life, school days, discoveries on the bomb project, and what happened to him later in life.
Release Date: July 21, 2023
Director: Christopher Nolan
Holding the trophy as the Best Actor in a Leading Role at the Oscar Awards crowns all of Cillian Murphy’s efforts. He is finally getting the recognition he deserves!
Cillian has always been a talented actor, but he picks roles carefully. So which of his movies do you like most? For me, I totally love Oppenheimer!
We can’t wait to see what projects Murphy has up his sleeves this year!
