In the wake of his portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, Danny Boyle's popular post-apocalyptic zombie movie 28 Days Later.

Murphy's performance in Disco Pigs caught the attention of 28 Days Later's casting director, and the rest is history. His role as Jim in the 2002 film opened the door for other opportunities, including playing Murphy has appeared in various prominent movies over the years. But he will always be known for his roles in 28 Days Later and Peaky Blinders (and now Oppenheimer).

Cillian Murphy's Tommy Shelby Looks Likely To Die In The Peaky Blinders Movie

Murphy Reprises His Role As Tommy In The Immortal Man

Peaky Blinders (the TV show) ended in 2022, but its finale won't be the last time fans see Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby. Murphy, along with other cast , will return in The Immortal Man, a Netflix movie that continues Peaky Blinders' story and reportedly takes place during World War II. While exciting, there is a very real possibility that Tommy will die in the film.

As some may , Tommy nearly died during the last season of BBC's period crime drama, and many viewers expected him to. Nevertheless, Murphy's complex character survived — just to a release date for the Peaky Blinders movie, but many predict it will premiere by the end of 2025.

The Immortal Man Cast	Role
Cillian Murphy	Tommy Shelby
Stephen Graham	Hayden Stagg
Sophie Rundle	Ada Thorne, née Shelby
Ned Dennehy	Charlie Strong
Packy Lee	Johnny Dogs
Ian Peck	Curly
Rebecca Ferguson	TBA
Tim Roth	TBA
Jay Lycurgo	TBA
Barry Keoghan	TBA

Even if Murphy exits the Peaky Blinders universe after The Immortal Man, it is expected to live on. When asked about the future of Peaky Blinders, creator Steven Knight told The Playlist, "Yeah. And as long as there's an appetite for it and people want it, and I've got stories to tell, then why not?" He also described the movie as "a fitting end to the first chapter," implying there will be more to come, with or without Murphy.

Jim Could Die In The 28 Years Later Trilogy (He Was Meant To In The First Movie)

Murphy Is Credited As An Executive Producer For 28 Years Later

As for Jim in the 28 Days Later franchise, Cillian Murphy's breakout role might die in the third movie, 28 Years Later, which premieres on June 20, 2025. He died in the original film's alternate ending, after all. Murphy isn't expected to reprise his role as Jim in the post-apocalyptic horror movie, though. According to the producers, Murphy is solely an executive producer on 28 Years Later, not also a cast member. However, that doesn't mean that Jim can't die off camera, or that the producers aren't lying.

One-28-Years-Later-Scene-Makes-It-A-Totally-Different-Movie-Compared-To-28-Days-Later

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Another possibility is that Murphy returns and dies as Jim in the fourth 28 Days Later movie, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which has a scheduled release date of January 16, 2026. Whatever the case, there is no way the two sequels won't at least mention Jim. It wouldn't make sense, given the importance of Murphy's character in the franchise.

Cillian Murphy Killing Off Older Characters Makes Sense After His Oppenheimer Oscars Win

Murphy Won The Academy Award For Best Actor

It will undoubtedly be sad if both Peaky Blinders' Tommy Shelby and 28 Days Later's Jim die within the next two years. However, Cillian Murphy saying goodbye to two of his most important roles is inevitable, especially after he won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in Oppenheimer. The win opens the door for even more opportunities for Murphy. So, it's time for the actor to look forward instead of backward, and take on other roles that can challenge him.