Having only recently completed Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which premieres later this year on July 21st, Cillian Murphy has decided to take a step back from large-scale blockbusters in favour of a far more stripped-back and intimate production: Small Things Like These.
Adapted from the acclaimed Clarie Keegan novel of the same name, this Dickensian tale takes place in a small Irish town during the Christmas period of 1985.
The plot kicks into gear when coal merchant and family man, Bill Furlong (Cillian Murphy), uncovers a “startling secret” being kept by the convent which controls said small Irish town, forcing him to confront both his past and the complicit silences of his fellow locals. Murphy is joined by Ciaran Hinds and Emily Watson.
For background, reviews for the internationally best-selling source material have described it as a “sublime, emotive story,” “emotionally quiet but powerful,” and a “profoundly moving and universal story.” So don’t be surprised if you encounter it during award season.
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“I’m honoured and thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Claire Keegan’s magnificent novel to the screen,” said Cillian Murphy himself in a statement (via Deadline).
“We have gathered together a phenomenal team of creatives to make this film, and found exceptional partners in Artists Equity, a studio led by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck – actors and filmmakers I have admired for many years.”
In addition to Damon – who collaborated with Murphy in Oppenheimer – Affleck, and Murphy himself, the film is also being produced by Drew Vinton, Kevin Halloran, Michael Joe, as well as Jeff Robinov. Artists Equity is financing the project alongside Screen Ireland.
Of course, Matt Damon isn’t the only creative Cillian Murphy has reunited with. Small Things Like These is being helmed by Peaky Blinders director Tim Mielants; while the screenplay has been penned by serial Murphy collaborator Enda Walsh.
Principal photography for Small Things Like These is currently underway in Ireland with an anticipated release window of mid-to-late 2024. In the meantime, revisit the Oppenheimer trailer below.
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