If you’re looking for your next thought-provoking film watch, this might just be it. Cillian Murphy has described his latest project, Steve, as a story that “broke his heart”.

Based on Shy, the novella by Max Porter, the movie takes place in a young offenders’ institution, tackling boyhood, mental health and male fragility. Cillian will play title character Steve, the devoted headteacher of the school, while the story also parallels with Shy, a teenage boy who grapples with violent impulses and self-destructive behaviour.

Thanks to recent casting news, we’ve learned that Little Simz will also appear in the film alongside Cillian, as well as rising star Jay Lycurgo in the role of teenager Shy. The movie marks the first release from Cillian’s own production company, Big Things Films, launched with his long-time collaborator Alan Moloney.

Speaking to Deadline about reading the story for the first time, Cillian said back in 2024: “I just adore Max’s writing and the thing his writing does for me… it’s something I’ve always chased down in writing — is something that has an actual visceral effect on you, an emotional effect. Max gave me that book in a proof edition before he finished it… it just broke my heart. They’re the sorts of things I love as a reader and as a performer, so I really wanted to do something with him.”

Here’s everything we know about Steve, from casting news to release dates.

What is Steve about?

Steve is based on the short novel Shy, which is told from the perspective of a troubled teenage boy who has found himself in a young offenders’ institution. The film adaption will centre on the perspective of the school’s headteacher, Steve, who also struggles with his mental health – though the storyline will flip between both Steve and teenager Shy.