"That's Tommy Shelby": Netizens compare Cillian Murphy's new Oppenheimer look with Peaky Blinders

Ahead of its premiere next month, Oppenheimer makers have dropped another picture of the movie's lead man, Cillian Murphy. The Irish actor plays the titular character of J. Robert Oppenheimer, who is considered the "father of the atomic bomb."

In the new image, the expressions of remorse and regret can be seen plastered over his face, proving the emotional range Cillian Murphy is capable of showing. Unsurprisingly, the photo has taken social media by storm.

As soon as Discussing Film shared the image on Twitter, users took immediate notice and hailed Cillian Murphy's ace facial mien. Most of them compared the look with that of Thomas Michael Shelby, the protagonist in Peaky Blinders, also played by the said actor.

Fan reacting to new photo shared by DF. (Photo via Twitter/Sportskeeda)

Helmed by Christopher Nolan in his 12th directorial, the upcoming feature has been taken from American Prometheus, a biography of Oppenheimer, penned by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. Published in 2005, the book captures 25 years of the theoretical physicist’s life.

American Prometheus, which consists of 721 pages, won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in the 'Biography or Autobiography' category among several others. Oppenheimer is slated to hit theaters on July 21, 2023, clashing head-on with Greta Gerwig's fantasy doll-based movie, Barbie.

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"Peakenheimer": Fans get reminded of Peaky Blinders upon seeing Cillian Murphy's latest Oppenheimer look

A frequent collaborator with Nolan, Cillian Murphy has worked with him in films like The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012), Inception (2010), and Dunkirk (2017). But this is probably the first time the Irish Times Theatre Awardee is the main man for one of his directorials.

So the success of Oppenheimer rests a lot on the actor’s shoulders, but given Cillian Murphy's skills, chances are very low that he will disappoint. The marketing team is also doing its part, the latest being sharing an image of the actor as the titular scientist.

Discussing Film, a pop culture portal, dropped the same online, which took netizens on a Peaky Blinders nostalgia trip. Many of them commented how the Cork native looks exactly like Tommy Shelby of the BBC period drama series.

Fans reacting to new photo shared by DF. (Photo via Twitter/Sportskeeda)

Fans in awe of new photo shared by DF. (Photo via Twitter/Sportskeeda)

Fans reacting to new photo shared by DF. (Photo via Twitter/Sportskeeda)

Apart from the Golden Globe Award nominee, the nuke-based movie also stars:

• Emily Blunt as Katherine "Kitty" Oppenheimer
• Matt Damon as Leslie Groves
• Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss
• Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock
• Josh Hartnett as Ernest Lawrence
• Kenneth Branagh as Niels Bohr
• Gary Oldman as Harry S. Truman

Rami Malek, Benny Safdie, Michael Angarano, Gustaf Skarsgård, and Casey Affleck, among many others, play crucial supporting characters.

The film’s box office rival, Barbie, has enlisted Greta Gerwig as the director and Margot Robbie in the titular role.