Cillian Murphy to Star in Crime Thriller ‘Blood Runs Coal’

The ‘Oppenheimer’ Oscar winner is aboard the new film for Universal, which chronicles a fascinating, tragic true-life tale of corruption and justice.

Oscar® nominee Cillian Murphy arrives on the red carpet of the 96th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Credit/Provider: Mike Baker / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Preview:

Cillian Murphy will play a lawyer on a crusade in ‘Blood Runs Coal’.
It’ll be based on Mark A. Bradley’s book.
Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth will adapt the script.

Cillian Murphy is certainly having a giant moment by any definition of the word. After years plugging away in supporting roles, TV and indies, he’s now an Oscar winner thanks to his performance in ‘Oppenheimer’ and is being courted for all manner of roles.

Universal, which financed and distributed the multi-award-winning Christopher Nolan bio-drama, was so eager to be back in business with its star that it set up a new project, true crime movie ‘Blood Runs Coal’ for him to lead and produce a couple of days before the Academy Awards.

And, like ‘Oppenheimer’, it’ll see him at the core of a compelling real-life story.

Oppenheimer

"The world forever changes."

R3 hr 1 minJul 17th, 2023

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What’s the story of ‘Blood Runs Coal’?

Cillian Murphy accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role during the live ABC telecast of the 96th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Credit/Provider: Phil McCarten ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

The new movie will adapt Mark A. Bradley’s 2020 book ‘Blood Runs Coal: The Yablonski Murders and the Battle for the United Mine Workers of America’.

Taking place at the coal mines of Pennsylvania in the 1960s, it chronicles one of the most infamous crimes in the history of organized labor.

Jock Yablonski, a second-generation miner whose father died in an explosion underground, had been looking to improve conditions in the mines where he worked. He ended up running for president of his mining union against the corrupt, uncaring incumbent Tony Boyle, who regularly stole union funds for his own needs, including his re-election campaign.

When Yablonski dared to run against him on a platform of exposing his wrongdoing, Boyle ordered him killed, and Yablonski died along with most of his family one new year’s eve.

Yet brothers Chip and Kenneth Yablonski had not been home the night of the murders, and Chip, a labor attorney, took up a crusade to have Boyle investigated. Boyle ended up charged with hiring a hitman and was sentenced to three life sentences following his conviction in 1974. He died in prison just over a decade later.

Murphy would play Chip in the film, which writing duo Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth are aboard to script. There’s no director aboard just yet.

What other potential work does Cillian Murphy have?

Cillian Murphy in 2002's '28 Days Later.' Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Murphy’s got quite the to-do list right now. He’s also produced and starred in historical drama ‘Small Things Like These’ and is attached to a Netflix film called ‘Steve’, directed by ‘Small Things’ filmmaker Tim Mielants.

And according to ‘Peaky Blinders’ creator Steven Knight, Murphy will return to play gang leader Tommy Shelby in the film continuation of that crime series, which ran for six seasons between 2013 and 2022.

Finally, Murphy has boarded ‘28 Years Later’, the next sequel to 2002 zombie thriller ‘28 Days Later’, which was one of his big breakout roles. As of right now, he’s an executive producer, but we’d be shocked if he didn’t return to his lead role of Jim in the new movie from Danny Boyle and Alex Garland.