Cillian Murphy has been a defining presence in Christopher Nolan's films for nearly two decades, but the actor will not appear in Nolan's next epic, The Odyssey. That does not mean Murphy is any less eager to see what the filmmaker does with Homer's ancient Greek poem. Speaking at the Toronto International Film Festival, where he was promoting his new film Steve, Murphy addressed his absence from the highly anticipated project with humor and genuine enthusiasm.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Cillian Murphy has appeared in six Christopher Nolan movies, including Oppenheimer, which earned him the best actor Oscar.
• Murphy will not be in Nolan's upcoming adaptation of The Odyssey.
• At TIFF, Murphy coined the term ROMO: 'Relief of missing out' when asked about feeling left out.
• He said he 'can't wait to see' Nolan's take on the classic myth and called Nolan 'one in a million.'
• Murphy remained tight-lipped about the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie.
• His new film Steve, directed by Tim Mielants, premiered Sept. 5 at TIFF and earned strong reviews.

A Long and Storied Collaboration

Murphy first worked with Christopher Nolan on 2005's Batman Begins, playing the villainous Dr. Jonathan Crane, also known as Scarecrow. He returned for The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, making him one of the few actors to appear in all three films of Nolan's Batman trilogy. He then appeared in Inception as Robert Fischer, a role that required both emotional vulnerability and a carefully calibrated performance within Nolan's intricate dream-within-a-dream structure.

In 2017, Murphy took on a smaller but striking role in Dunkirk as a shell-shocked soldier, a departure from his more polished previous roles. But it was Oppenheimer that cemented the partnership as something truly special. Murphy played J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist known as the father of the atomic bomb. The film swept the Oscars, with Murphy winning best actor for a performance that was as interior as it was monumental.

Given that history, fans might have expected Murphy to be first on Nolan's call sheet for The Odyssey. Instead, the actor is taking a break from the director's orbit, a decision that appears to be entirely amicable. Murphy's comments in Toronto suggested that he carries nothing but admiration and anticipation.

What Murphy Said About 'The Odyssey'

While sitting down with his Steve collaborators at the festival's media studio, Murphy was asked what he thought of Nolan's upcoming project. He responded with a smile and a joke: 'Is there a trailer? I have ROMO: Relief of missing out.' Murphy quickly clarified that the joke was not a sign of distance or disappointment. On the contrary, he said he was genuinely excited to see what Nolan would deliver.

'No, I can't wait to see it. If any director in the world could tackle 'The Odyssey,' it's going to be Christopher Nolan,' Murphy said. 'I am so excited to see it. He is one in a million. He's been a huge part of my life as an actor. I can't wait to see what he does with it.'

The Odyssey is one of the most ambitious projects Nolan has ever attempted. Based on Homer's epic poem, the film will recount Odysseus's long journey home after the Trojan War, encountering mythological creatures, temptations, and divine obstacles. The scale of the story seems tailor-made for Nolan, whose filmography is defined by grand concepts, breathtaking set pieces, and complex narratives. The cast already includes an all-star lineup, with Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o and Robert Pattinson among those attached.

Universal Pictures has slated The Odyssey for release on July 17, 2026, and the film is expected to be shot in IMAX, a format Nolan has championed for years. For audiences who admire both Nolan and Murphy, the news that Murphy won't appear may be disappointing, but Murphy himself appears untroubled. His ROMO comment captures a rare sense of calm missing out on a blockbuster.

The 'Peaky Blinders' Movie Mystery

Murphy was also asked about the long-rumored Peaky Blinders film, a continuation of the beloved BBC series in which he played Thomas Shelby for six seasons. As with any high-profile project, Murphy kept his cards close to his chest. Asked about the movie, he simply said, 'Oh, I can't tell you.' That cryptic response will only fuel more speculation among fans, but it also suggests that something is indeed in the works.

The Peaky Blinders series ended in 2022 with a finale that left the door open for more stories. Creator Steven Knight has spoken openly about wanting to make a feature film, and Murphy has often hinted that he would return if the script were right. His refusal to reveal any details at TIFF suggests that plans may be more advanced than previously known, but Murphy is not one to spoil surprises.

The New Film 'Steve' and a Defining Turn

Murphy's reason for being in Toronto was Steve, a film directed by Tim Mielants and written by Max Porter. The movie had its world premiere on Sept. 5 at TIFF and tells the story of a reform school teacher who gives too much of himself to his students. Murphy stars in the title role, alongside Tracey Ullman, Jay Lycurgo and Simbi Ajikawo. The project has already generated awards-season buzz, with critics highlighting Murphy's raw, restrained performance.

Some critics have called Steve an inversion of the typical inspirational teacher drama. Rather than offering easy sentimental uplift, the film digs into the painful emotional cost of care and the quiet failures that can haunt an educator. Murphy's performance has been praised for its humility and willingness to disappear into the ensemble. One review noted that the recent collaborations between Murphy and Mielants show how much the actor still has to offer beyond his Oscar-winning turn in Oppenheimer.

For many viewers, Oppenheimer may be the performance of Murphy's career, but his earlier work in oddities like Breakfast on Pluto demonstrated a taste for strange, small, personal stories. Steve continues that pattern. It is a small film, but it carries an emotional weight that rivals anything in Murphy's more blockbuster-oriented roles. The actor's willingness to play a scruffy, exhausted, self-sacrificing schoolteacher speaks to a career built on restless choices rather than simple fame.

A Career Defined by Fearless Choices

Murphy has never followed a conventional path. After early success in independent Irish and British films, he made a memorable leap into Hollywood with 28 Days Later, which introduced him to international audiences as a survivor wandering through a post-apocalyptic London. From there, his career could have gone in any number of directions. He chose to balance big-studio projects with smaller, riskier work.

He played a jazz trumpeter in Red Eye, a transgender woman in Breakfast on Pluto, and an ambitious businessman in Inception. He also spent years on television with Peaky Blinders, turning Thomas Shelby into one of the most iconic television characters of the 21st century. That combination of television stardom and film prestige made him an unusual actor, known enough to open a movie but unpredictable enough to disappear inside any role.

His work with Christopher Nolan has been a throughline in that career, a kind of quality control that pushed Murphy to think bigger even when his characters were small. In Dunkirk, he had barely any dialogue but conveyed a soldier's trauma with his eyes alone. In Oppenheimer, he carried the entire film with a quiet, swirling intensity that left audiences and critics shaken. The fact that he can step away from Nolan's next event film without any apparent fear of career slippage says a great deal about his standing and his priorities.

Looking Forward to 'The Odyssey' From the Outside

Murphy might not be on set for The Odyssey, but he will likely be in a theater on opening weekend. His enthusiasm for Nolan's work is genuine, and his ROMO joke hints at a mature perspective in an industry often ruled by anxiety and fear of being left behind. In Hollywood, actors often worry about their next franchise or about being replaced in a director's stable of regulars. Murphy appears to feel none of that pressure.

Instead, he is comfortable with being an audience member for Nolan's mythic retelling. He knows better than anyone how much craft Nolan brings to every frame, and he seems to savor the opportunity to simply watch and enjoy. 'I am so excited to see it,' he repeated in Toronto. For a man who has been in six Nolan films, that excitement feels less like professional courtesy and more like genuine fandom.

The lead-up to The Odyssey will continue through 2026, with new cast announcements, first-look images, and a trailer likely to dominate conversation. Murphy may even see a trailer before most people, if only because Nolan tends to share early cuts with close collaborators. Until then, Murphy's ROMO stands as a playful challenge to the FOMO culture that surrounds every major Hollywood production. It is a reminder that missing out can sometimes be a relief, especially when the project on screen promises to be a monumental achievement.

As the festival wrapped and Murphy moved on to the next round of conversations about Steve, his comments about The Odyssey lingered. The actor has never been one to overexpose himself or chase headlines, so his decision to speak openly and warmly about Nolan was a rare gift to fans. He gave the quote of the festival, coined a phrase, and made it clear that his relationship with Nolan remains as strong as ever.

Whether the Peaky Blinders movie arrives, whether Steve becomes an awards favorite, or whether he reunites with Nolan for a seventh project somewhere down the line, Murphy has already proven that he can navigate fame, art, and friendship with remarkable grace. For now, he is happy to wait for The Odyssey, happy to root for his old collaborator, and happy to live with his ROMO.

Source: MSN News