Follows headteacher Steve battling for his reform college’s survival while managing his mental health. Concurrently, troubled student Shy navigates his violent tendencies and fragility, torn between his past and future prospects.

Directed by: Tim Mielants
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Jay Lycurgo, Tracey Ullman, Simbi Ajikawo, Emily Watson.
Written by: Max Porter
Rating: R
Running time: 93 minutes
Genre: Drama
Theatrical Release: September 2025
Streaming: October 3, 2025
Country: Ireland/United Kingdom
Studio: Netflix
Website: https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/steve-cillian-murphy-cast-release-date-news

Set in the mid-’90s, Steve is a reimagining of Max Porter’s Sunday Times bestseller “Shy.” The film follows a pivotal day in the life of head teacher Steve (Cillian Murphy) and his students at a last-chance reform school amid a world that has forsaken them. As Steve fights to protect the school’s integrity and prevent its impending closure, he grapples with his own mental health. In parallel to Steve’s struggles, we meet Shy (Jay Lycurgo), a troubled teen caught between his past and what lies ahead as he tries to reconcile his inner fragility with his impulse for self-destruction and violence.