Teen Angst Turns Sinister in First Trailer for Cillian Murphy's Steve

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What is British reform school if not the perfect recipe for ominous teen angst?

In the first trailer for Steve, which follows headmaster Steve (Cillian Murphy) and some of his charges throughout one day at a British reform school, school hallways, cloudy pastoral landscapes, and lots of rainy skies serve as a backdrop for what seems to be a more psychological exploration of Steve and his charges. There’s a focus on one student in particular—named Shy (Jay Lycurgo)—whose troubled mind draws out some of the dangers lurking in Steve’s own psyche. Throughout the trailer, Steve seems to unravel beneath the pressure of running the school, even as he offers Shy guidance and assures him that he isn’t alone.

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Steve is based on a novel written by Max Porter, who also wrote the screenplay for the film, called Shy. That the film version is named after the headmaster played by Cillian Murphy and not the teenage boy who serves as the focus of the novel raises some questions. Perhaps the film wanted to give a larger role to Cillian Murphy. Perhaps focusing on the teacher instead of the student more closely aligns Steve with something like Dead Poet’s Society, shifting some of the story away from teen angst territory and towards a more familiar narrative about a good intentioned but psychologically fatigued middle-aged man. Considering that Porter’s novel was praised for its depiction of the mind of a troubled teenager, characterized by Shy’s tumultuous inner monologue, one can’t help but wonder if the decision to make Shy into more of a supporting character will make it difficult for the film to strike the same chord.

The setting and aesthetic of Steve are reminiscent of Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn, which also took place at a British boarding school and featured some very angsty teens with not much respect for authority. But where Saltburn had more of a glossy finish and aligned with the popular dark academia aesthetic, Steve looks much grittier and more grounded. The most thrilling turn of the trailer happens toward the end, when a fire alarm sends a crowd of students rushing down a school hallway screaming “fire” over and over. A very exhausted-looking Steve waits in the doorway of a classroom as the students engulf him. He plugs his ears and a repetitive, whispered monologue takes over. It’s an eerie conclusion to the trailer that suggests that the tone of the film might aim for something more ambitious than its predecessors, balancing general angst with something more psychologically troubling.

Directed by Tim Mielants, who just worked with Murphy in the excellent Small Things Like These last year, and written by Max Porter, Steve will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and release on Netflix on Oct. 3, 2025. Check out the first trailer below.

Teen Angst Turns Sinister in First Trailer for Cillian Murphy’s Steve