Box Office: Amid Peaky Blinders' creator bidding for the upcoming film to release in theaters, a look at Cillian Murphy’s last three big-screen hits

As the Peaky Blinders movie nears release, a look at how Cillian Murphy’s last three films performed at the box office, reinforcing his strong commercial appeal in cinemas.

Written by Seema Sinha , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Mar 10, 2025 | 05:38 PM IST | 9.1K

Picture Courtesy: Getty Images

As anticipation builds for the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie, creator Steven Knight has made his desire for a proper theatrical release—rather than a direct Netflix debut—clear to the world. While the crime drama series ran for six critically acclaimed seasons on the streamer between 2013 and 2022, the big-screen gig starring Cillian Murphy is set to bring back Tommy Shelby for another chapter.

Knight recently shared that filming wrapped on December 13, confirming a star-studded cast that includes Barry Keoghan, Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth, and Stephen Graham. With the screenplay penned by Knight himself and Tom Harper helming, there’s significant buzz around the project.

While we wait to see if Netflix allows the venture to hit the silver screen first, here’s an analysis of how Murphy’s last three theatrical outings have performed at the box office.

What do we intend to achieve with this analysis, you ask? Well, the piece is just an attempt to put on record the Academy Award-winning actor’s commercial appeal. We don’t need to mention his critical acclaim again after noting he’s an Oscar winner, do we?

How Cillian Murphy’s Last Three Films Fared at the Box Office

Oppenheimer (2023) — USD 975 million

Murphy’s biggest success to date, Oppenheimer became a global phenomenon in the summer of 2023, battling directly with Margot Robbie’s Barbie. Directed by Christopher Nolan, the film chronicled the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb. Murphy’s gripping performance as the titular character earned him his first Best Actor Academy Award. The film’s nearly USD 1 billion global business solidified the Irish actor as a major box office draw.

A Quiet Place Part II (2021) — USD 297 million

Stepping into the post-apocalyptic horror franchise, Murphy played Emmett, a man surviving the alien invasion alongside Emily Blunt’s Evelyn Abbott. Despite pandemic-related challenges, the film did exceptionally well, nearly grossing USD 300 million—proving that audiences will always find their way to theaters for a high-stakes Murphy-led thriller.

Dunkirk (2017) — USD 527 million

Another Christopher Nolan collaboration, Dunkirk was a war epic centered around the World War II evacuation. Murphy convincingly played a shell-shocked soldier rescued at sea. With stunning visuals and a gripping narrative, Dunkirk grossed over half a billion dollars worldwide and remains one of the most successful war films ever.

As the Peaky Blinders movie nears release, Murphy’s box office track record makes a strong case for its theatrical debut. Knight remains optimistic, and so do the fans.