What is the best Cillian Murphy movie?

From Oscar-winning gravitas to indie arthouse turns and blockbuster villainy, this lineup spans the full range of his craft. Which performance takes the crown?

1

Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan's 2023 biopic in which Murphy plays J. Robert Oppenheimer, winning him the Academy Award for Best Actor.

1000pts

2

Dunkirk

Nolan's 2017 WWII epic in which Murphy plays a shell-shocked soldier rescued at sea.

689pts

3

Red Eye

Wes Craven's 2005 airborne thriller starring Murphy as a charming assassin opposite Rachel McAdams.

597pts

4

Inception

Nolan's 2010 sci-fi heist thriller with Murphy as Robert Fischer, the target of the dream-sharing team.

596pts

5

The Dark Knight

Nolan's 2008 Batman sequel where Murphy reprises his role as Dr. Jonathan Crane, the Scarecrow.

596pts

6

Sunshine

Danny Boyle's 2007 sci-fi film with Murphy as the physicist leading a mission to reignite the dying sun.

596pts

7

Breakfast on Pluto

Neil Jordan's 2005 tragicomedy with Murphy as a transgender woman searching for her birth mother in 1970s Ireland/London.

517pts

8

Batman Begins

The 2005 Batman origin film in which Murphy plays the villain Scarecrow alongside Christian Bale.

423pts

9

Free Fire

Ben Wheatley's 2016 dark comedy where Murphy plays an IRA arms buyer whose deal descends into a warehouse shootout.

423pts

10

28 Days Later

Danny Boyle's 2002 zombie-outbreak film that gave Murphy his breakout lead role as Jim.

423pts

11

28 Years Later

The 2025 revival of the zombie franchise that launched Murphy's career, with Murphy returning in a pivotal role.

423pts

12

A Quiet Place Part II

The 2020 horror sequel featuring Murphy as a survivor who shelters the Abbott family.

310pts

13

In Time

A 2011 sci-fi thriller where Murphy plays a relentless Timekeeper hunting Justin Timberlake's character.

310pts

14

The Wind That Shakes the Barley

Ken Loach's 2006 Irish War of Independence drama starring Murphy, which won the Palme d'Or.

310pts

15

Small Things Like These

A 2024 Irish drama starring Murphy as a coal merchant confronting the Magdalene laundries' abuses.

172pts