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So far, there are five published novels under George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series. Many fans have their own favorite among the bunch, and so does the author. In fact, he singled out the installment that traumatized all of us. Whether it’s because of that one particular event or for some other reason, he says it has the strongest plot.

Richard Madden and Oona Chaplin in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO

We don’t know if The Winds of Winter can surpass this, but it’s getting more exciting as readers anticipate what’s coming next for their favorite characters. Some events in the show were spectacular while others were utterly devastating, and we can only hope that Martin will do us a favor and fix the not-so-impressive parts of it.

George R.R. Martin reveals his favorite A Song of Ice and Fire...

Sky has unveiled a trailer for the explosive third instalment of multi-bafta-winning Sky Original, ‘Gangs of London.’

As chaos erupts in London after a spiked shipment of cocaine kills hundreds, fan-favourite characters collide with new faces bound by blood ties, sparking brutal power struggles, unexpected alliances, and fierce rivalries.

The former undercover cop turned gangster Elliot navigates his new role as a top-level criminal alongside the Dumanis, but the spiking throws their operations into disarray. The Wallaces, Luan, Lale, and the street gangs face devastating consequences as personal vendettas collide with professional power struggles bleeding into violent turf wars.

In the ruthless fight for control of London’s criminal underworld, no one is safe. This was no accident — it was a calculated attack. But who’s pulling the strings?

Cast reprising their roles this season include Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù as Elliot Carter, Joe Cole as Sean Wallace, Michelle Fairley in the role of Marian Wallace,...

Chaos is about to hit London hard. Gangs of London is coming back for a third season, and things are about to get even more brutal. Sky has just released the first trailer, and the new season lands this March.

A deadly shipment of cocaine causes mayhem when it’s spiked, killing hundreds. This shakes up the criminal world, bringing old enemies and new power players into the fight.

Elliot, once an undercover cop and now a rising gangster, struggles to hold his position as everything around him falls apart. The Dumanis face chaos in their business, and unexpected alliances form as everyone fights to stay on top.

Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù returns as Elliot Carter, with Joe Cole back as Sean Wallace. Michelle Fairley, Lucian Msamati, Brian Vernel, and Narges Rashidi are also returning. Other familiar faces include Pippa Bennett-Warner, Asif Raza Mir, Orli Shuka, Eri Shuka, Jahz Armando, and Fady Elsayed.

Perhaps the wildest and most traumatizing scene in Game of Thrones was the infamous Red Wedding. The whole world tuned in to the episode with utmost attention, unsuspecting of the horrors they will witness after Robb and Catelyn Stark met gruesome deaths at the hands of the Freys, the Boltons, and the Lannisters.

Michelle Fairley in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO

Fans were shocked and in denial, but no one was more broken than the actors themselves. Filming the scene was too difficult for the cast, especially after they had played their respective characters for so long.

How the death of Catelyn Stark traumatized Michelle Fairley

Michelle Fairley received critical praise for her performance as Catelyn Stark, the noble and loyal Lady of Winterfell. The actress confessed that she had a difficult time dealing with the aftermath of her character’s demise in Game of Thrones, any more than her preparation for the scene itself.

Catelyn Stark met a tragic fate in Game of Thrones after she was killed during the infamous Red Wedding scene, but unlike in the series where she was permanently silenced, George R.R. Martin found a way to revive her in the books.

Michelle Fairley in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO

The author previously revealed that the famed matriarch continues to be part of the story and that we’ll meet her again in The Winds of Winter, so we are hoping that he will address one of the most controversial decisions that she made when she was still human.

How Catelyn Stark betrayed Robb Stark in Game of Thrones

House Stark is known for their stoicism and unwavering loyalty, but there’s one scene involving Michelle Fairley’s Catelyn Stark in Game of Thrones Season 2 that might have contradicted these traits.

Related “It was stolen from history”: George R.

This article contains spoilers for many major fantasy TV shows!For every unforgettable moment in a fantasy TV show, there are just as many controversial moments that push viewers to their breaking point. Even the most popular fantastical TV series in history have included scenes that were so polarizing that audiences stop watching the show altogether. Typically, these plot points revolve around the introduction or exit of characters, as this can dramatically alter the series' dynamic and be devastating to witness. TV deaths often spark outrage when viewers feel that the character didn't deserve to be killed off and still had more to contribute.

There are many fantasy TV scenes that make no sense, but this is more excusable, as the complex magic systems and world-building in speculative fiction shows can become confusing. However, when a series makes a concrete and avoidable choice that alienates audience members, it's much more difficult to accept this.

In the Heart of the Sea chronicles the true events of the 1820 sinking of the whaling ship Essex, with some details left out, including one that might have saved more of the crew in real life. The 2015 historical adventure drama movie directed by Ron Howard is based on Nathaniel Philbrick's 2000 non-fiction book In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex. The novel recounts the story of the Essex sinking and all the men who survived it. However, the film passes over one crucial piece of information from the true story.

In August 1819, the Essex set sail from Nantucket on a two-and-a-half-year journey to hunt whales. A little over a year into their voyage, a whale attacked the ship, killing many of the crew and forcing the survivors to retreat to smaller boats. Unfortunately, they were thousands of miles from the nearest land, stranded in the Southern Pacific Ocean.

While it’s true that there were so many deaths in Game of Thrones, there were also times when characters were resurrected. In fact, this was an issue that George R.R. Martin regretted as the showrunners of the hit series decided to alter one major character’s fate.

Michelle Fairley in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO

It’s been almost six years since the show ended, but fans are still bitter about the changes made that subsequently ruined many great characters. In fact, this one figure that has been permanently killed in the series continues to exist in Martin’s book.

Lady Stoneheart’s arc is pretty much alive in George R.R. Martin’s The Winds of Winter

Working on adaptations has its ups and downs, and one of the many things that showrunners consider is the constraints of translating books to the screen. While it’s understandable that...

Fantasy is a versatile genre since the creation of new worlds and magic systems allows writers and creators to establish new rules and logic that suit the storyline. However, this doesn't mean that fantasy TV shows are immune from adding plot points that make no sense and don't help further the overall narrative. Many of these choices have to do with the character's choices being inconsistent or the series breaking its own rules about how the fantastical elements work. Since speculative fiction fans are willing to suspend their disbelief, these shows sometimes push the boundaries of logic too far.

There are plenty of fantasy movie scenes that make no sense, and TV series are just as susceptible to these mistakes. Often, these confusing moments happen because there are so many contradicting storylines or there's an external element that's out of the writers' control. To compensate for actors suddenly leaving or...

George R.R. Martin did not design the most brutal deaths in his Game of Thrones saga out of his own whim, at least not the way the characters died. Their fates were based on historical events and real-life figures, and this included the infamous Red Wedding scene from Season 3.

Michelle Fairley in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO

While the author planned Robb and Catelyn Stark’s deaths from the beginning since he wanted to catch the readers off-guard and make his story unpredictable, he fashioned the scene after two possible accounts in Scottish history.

George R.R. Martin explains guest right tradition and its significance in the Red Wedding scene

George R.R. Martin introduced the concept of bread and salt, also known as guest right, in A Song of Ice and Fire. It is one of the basic rules of civilization in Westeros and every religion holds guest right...

Years before Cillian Murphy won an Oscar for Oppenheimer and Tom Holland's Marvel movies broke box office records, the two renowned actors starred together in In the Heart of the Sea, which is now streaming on Netflix. The 2015 historical adventure film featured many other notable stars. However, Murphy and Holland are undoubtedly two of the most in-demand actors in 2025, with Murphy coming off his Academy Award win for Best Actor and Holland's everlasting success with Spider-Man and beyond.

Now, Murphy is set to return for 28 Years Later, the third film in the 28 Days Later series, as an executive producer. Murphy will also reprise his iconic Peaky Blinders role in The Immortal Man, a continuation of the BBC show. Meanwhile, Holland is among the star-studded cast of Christopher Nolan's next movie, an adaptation of The Odyssey. And Holland will return in the upcoming untitled fourth Spider-Man film.

In the Heart of the Sea includes an incredible cast led by Chris Hemsworth. Based on In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick, the movie follows a crew whose ship sinks after encountering a giant whale. In the Heart of the Sea received mixed reviews when it premiered in 2015 and has a 42% Rotten Tomatoes score. Despite the divisive response the movie got, the performance of the actors is one of its saving graces.

Directed by Ron Howard, In the Heart of the Sea is a film adaptation of the story that inspired Moby Dick. In the Heart of the Sea stars Chris Hemsworth, along with other renowned actors such as Cillian Murphy and Brendan Gleeson.

Actor

Character

Chris Hemsworth

Owen Chase

Benjamin Walker

George Pollard Jr.

Cillian Murphy

Matthew Joy

Tom Holland

Young Thomas Nickerson

Brendan Gleeson

Old Thomas Nickerson

Ben Wishaw

Herman Melville

Michelle Fairley

Mrs.

There rarely comes a show as popular and fan-favorite as Game of Thrones that managed to capture the collective attention and intrigue of almost the entire world. Viewers sat with bated breath every week to watch the gruesome story continue where every fork in the road led to completely different outcomes.

Penned by George R.R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire is a legendary saga that details the lives of multiple characters in the fictional continent of Westeros.

With some prominent houses consolidating power in the region, the characters are always on the prowl for more power. At the same time, there were some plot points in the show that left fans agape, much like the Red Wedding where Robb and Catelyn Stark meet their tragic ends.

George R.R. Martin’s initial plans instead of the Red Wedding Credits: Michelle Fairley in Game of Thrones / HBO

Catelyn Stark...

“Small Things Like This” is a drama movie starring Cillian Murphy with Eileen Walsh, Michelle Fairley, and Emily Watson.

“Small Things Like This” is an Irish drama that plunges viewers into a world of pervasive melancholy. Set in County Wexford, Ireland, the film stars Cillian Murphy in a role that demands his full dramatic range.

The narrative follows Bill Furlong, a man whose encounter with a girl in a nearby convent forces him to confront his traumatic past. This discovery serves as a catalyst, unraveling the threads of Furlong’s life and the societal fabric around him.

Murphy’s portrayal of Furlong is central to the film’s impact. His performance carries the weight of the character’s inner turmoil, often conveying more through silent expressions than dialogue. The actor’s presence dominates the screen, overshadowing the supporting cast in a way that feels intentional rather than unbalanced.

Visually, “Small...

It’s always exciting when a TV show takes a massive risk that really pays off, but it can be insanely frustrating when these surprising writing decisions fall flat on their face. While huge twists, impulsive character decisions, or unusual storytelling choices can keep things interesting, they also have the potential to alienate audiences and lead to storylines that the writers opt to quietly discard rather than continue telling an unpopular plot. This has been a problem across comedy, drama, and even fantasy series that have tried something new with their storyline, only to have viewers flat-out reject the risk.

Many of the best TV shows of all time have taken massive risks, only for them to not work out and have to backtrack on their storylines. This has seen previously deceased characters inexplicably return to life, established backstories being badly rewritten, or even final seasons that ruined the legacy...

Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series spotlighting the scripts behind awards season’s most talked-about movies continues with Small Things Like These, Cillian Murphy’s first film after winning the Oscar for his starring role in Christopher Nolan’s Best Picture-winning Oppenheimer.

Enda Walsh, the Tony Award-winning Irish playwright and director, adapted the script for the film from Claire Keegan’s 2021 Booker Prize-nominated novel, which was selected as a final Oprah’s Book Club Pick in 2024. The book itself might seem short at 128 pages, but the story is rich within the context of the silent complicity of Ireland in the 1980s.

The film, directed by Tim Mielants, opened in the U.S. on November 8 after it world premiered earlier in the year as the opening-night film at the Berlin Film Festival. Emily Watson, who plays a formidable nun, won the Silver Bear for Best Supporting Actress at the festival. Eileen Walsh,...

The Red Wedding took out two fan-favorite Game of Thrones characters with one blow, although avid readers of George Rr Martin’s novels knew what would be coming after the tragic deaths of Robb and Catelyn Stark. The late matriarch was resurrected in A Song of Ice and Fire, but she was no longer the empathic mother that we know.

Credits: Michelle Fairley in Game of Thrones / HBO

Catelyn’s return as Lady Stoneheart did not happen in the television show due to the showrunners’ creative choices, leaving leagues of fans disappointed since her storyline as a villain was exciting to witness and explore.

Huge missed opportunity for Games of Thrones as they chose to exclude Lady Stoneheart

Michelle Fairley’s performance as Catelyn Stark was lauded and loved by fans, and seeing her depart from Game of Thrones after the demise of her character was quite painful for loyal viewers.

Avid fans of Game of Thrones certainly know the infamous story of the unaired pilot episode where everything went wrong. The narrative, as well as some of its cast members, did not work for the project in the way showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss hoped, so the next wisest thing to do was to scrap the episode.

Credits: Jason Momoa and Emilia Clarke in Game of Thrones / HBO

It remains a mystery what happened in that ill-fated chapter of the show, but what they unanimously agreed on was that it was a total mess. The Emmy-winning HBO series almost never happened, but it took one person to turn things around.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau reveals the man who chose to keep Game of Thrones

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is widely recognized for his exemplary performance as Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones. The expert swordsman who has a controversial relationship with his sister...

In the brutal world of Game of Thrones, honor and vengeance often go hand in hand, shaping the fates of its characters in ways unexplainable. Among the many intriguing characters the GoT universe holds, none embody the duality of loyalty and retribution the way Lady Stoneheart does.

The ‘Red Wedding’ in Game of Thrones | Credits: HBO

However, Catelyn Stark’s revival as Lady Stoneheart never made it to HBO’s adaptation, not only altering the narrative but also missing one of the best revenge stories created by George R.R. Martin.

George R.R. Martin wrote the best revenge story for Catelyn Stark that Game of Thrones overlooked Michelle Fairley as Catelyn Stark | Credit: Game of Thrones / HBO

Geroge R.R. Martin has an impeccable ability to craft unforgettable characters and Catelyn Stark’s reinvention as Lady Stoneheart is one of them. In A Song of Ice and Fire, the Stark...

The Red Wedding was one of the most violent sequences in Game of Thrones, and its effect still lingers with fans even after all these years. For one, it wiped out two of the main protagonists in the show in the blink of an eye, and worse, the subsequent scene made everyone’s stomach turn seeing Robb Stark’s desecrated corpse paraded out in the night.

Credits: Richard Madden and Oona Chaplin in Game of Thrones / HBO

The audience was left dumbstruck after that episode, although not as devastated as the author himself. George R.R. Martin avoided writing that chapter until he finished the entire book. He knew from the start that Robb had to go, even though he was one of the heroes.

George R.R. Martin avoided writing the Red Wedding chapter

George R.R. Martin provided an explanation as to why he wanted to kill off Robb...

The best Aaron Taylor-Johnson movies prove he is one of Hollywood's most exciting young actors. Born Aaron Johnson in 1990, he began his film career as a child actor in the early 2000s. He broke out into stardom with his performance as the young John Lennon in the biopic Nowhere Boy in 2009. During that star-making production, he met his now-wife, Sam Taylor-Johnson, who made her directorial debut with the film. Since then, Aaron Taylor-Johnson has appeared in all manner of Hollywood productions, from a litany of comic book adaptations to elaborate costume dramas.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is continuing his career streak as a Hollywood leading man with 2024's Kraven the Hunter,where he's playing the titular character as part of Sony's Spider-Man Universe (Ssu), in the same multiverse as Venom and Morbius. He is also slated to appear in David Leitch's The Fall Guy alongside Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt,...

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The Empress is a German historical romantic drama series created by Katharina Eyssen. Based on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, the Netflix series follows Elisabeth of Bavaria as she falls for and marries the Emperor Franz of Austria. This marriage pushes Elisabeth into the stressful life of an Empress. What started as a love story becomes so much more as time goes on, and the duties of the Emperor and Empress begin to create distance between Elisabeth and Franz. We see Elisabeth fall in love, deal with the consequences of being an Empress, and put Royal duties first to become a beloved Royal figure among her subjects. The Empress stars Devrim Lingnau, Philip Froissant, Melika Foroutan, Johannes Nussbaum, and Elisa Schlott. So, if you loved the royal intrigue, historical drama, and compelling characters in The Empress,...

Gangs of London viewers are getting their first look at season three of the British crime drama series. Sky has released a teaser trailer showing what will come when the series returns in 2025. Season two finished airing on AMC+ in December 2022. The series was renewed for a third season in October 2023.

Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Paapa Essiedu, Lucian Msamati, Michelle Fairley, Orli Shuka, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Brian Vernel, Narges Rashidi, Asif Raza Mir, and Valene Kane star in the Gangs of London series, which follows the battles between several gangs in the city of London.

Read More…...

Series three of Gangs of London will air on Sky next year, and the trailer for it has landed. Right here, in fact.

After revitalising action cinema with the two astonishing martial arts films in The Raid franchise – his directorial debut, Merantau, is well worth tracking down too – Gareth Evans turned to television, co-creating Gangs of London with Matt Flannery in 2019.

A sprawling crime saga, the show follows the Wallace family as they grapple to keep control of their criminal empire. And we’ve had two series of it so far, with plenty of memorable moments to talk about.

The show became known for its notoriously violent action scenes, which are as visceral and gory as anything seen in a big screen slasher. Unsurprisingly, given Evans’ involvement, the work that went into those scenes was really quite something.

The show is now in its third series. Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù returns as lead character Elliot Carter,...

AMC’s Gangs of London are back in action: UK broadcaster Sky has released a teaser trailer for Season 3 of the high-octane crime drama, which airs on AMC here in the United States.

“As chaos erupts in London after a spiked shipment of cocaine kills hundreds, fan-favorite characters collide with new faces bound by blood ties, sparking brutal power struggles, unexpected alliances, and fierce rivalries,” per the official Season 3 synopsis. (Press Play above for a sneak peek.)

More from TVLineCBS' Watson Trailer Flashes Back to Sherlock Holmes' Death - WatchTVLine Items: Super/Man Release Date, Einstein Adds Rosa Salazar and...

Sky has unveiled a first-look teaser and images for the explosive third instalment of multi-bafta-winning Sky Original, ‘Gangs of London.’

As chaos erupts in London after a spiked shipment of cocaine kills hundreds, fan-favourite characters collide with new faces bound by blood ties, sparking brutal power struggles, unexpected alliances, and fierce rivalries.

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The former undercover cop turned gangster Elliot navigates his new role as a top-level criminal alongside the Dumanis, but the spiking throws their operations into disarray. The Wallaces, Luan, Lale, and the street gangs face devastating consequences as personal vendettas collide with professional power struggles bleeding into violent turf wars.

In the ruthless fight for control of London’s criminal underworld, no one is safe. This was no accident — it was a calculated attack. But who’s pulling the strings?

Gol First Look Gol First Look Gol First Look

Cast reprising their...

The Gangs of London will return to battle it out for control of the city's criminal underworld in 2025, and Sky and AMC+ have now released the first teaser for season 3 of the brutally-violent BAFTA-winning series.

The Gareth Evans and Matt Flannery-created crime drama has seen a spike in popularity since the first two seasons have been made available to stream on Netflix, and fans are eager to find out what happened to our main characters following the intense events of the previous batch of episodes.

In the season 2 finale, Sean Wallace and cop-turned-criminal Elliot engaged in a savage battle which culminated with the former close to death and hanging from a crane.

The season 3 teaser confirms that Sean survived (he does that), but now seems to be behind bars. As for Elliot, he appeared to lose any spark of his former self that remained following the death of his father,...

Sky and AMC are getting down and dirty this Wednesday with a Season 3 teaser trailer and first-look pics for Gangs of London. Today’s evocative images paint a vivid picture of the one-person-army gangster saga, which tells the story of London being torn apart by the turbulent power struggles of its international gangs and the sudden power vacuum that’s created when the head of London’s most powerful crime family is assassinated.

Gangs of London, starring Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Joe Cole, Michelle Fairley, Lucian Msamati, and Brian Vernel, takes audiences to the U.K. capital, where drugs and a power struggle corrupt from the inside out. Pippa Bennett-Warner, Narges Rashidi, Asif Raza Mir, Orli and Eri Shuka, Jahz Armando, and Fady Elsayed return for the intense drama’s third season, with new cast members Andrew Koji, Richard Dormer, and T’Nia Miller. Phil Daniels, Ruth Sheen, and Mat Fraser join the madness as guest stars.

The blood-soaked violence of Sky and AMC+’s BAFTA-winning Gangs of London continues: a first-look teaser and images for season three were unveiled on Wednesday.

The show, starring Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, Joe Cole, Michelle Fairley, Lucian Msamati, and Brian Vernel, was a hit with viewers, gripped by the drug-fuelled chaos in the U.K. capital.

Also returning to the action is Pippa Bennett-Warner, Narges Rashidi, Asif Raza Mir, Orli and Eri Shuka, Jahz Armando and Fady Elsayed. New players include Andrew Koji, Richard Dormer, and T’Nia Miller with guest stars Phil Daniels, Ruth Sheen, and Mat Fraser also joining this season.

A plot synopsis for the latest instalment of the violent crime drama reads: “Former undercover cop turned gangster Elliot navigates his new role as a top-level criminal alongside the Dumanis, but the spiking throws their operations into disarray. The Wallaces, Luan, Lale, and the street gangs face devastating consequences as...

Many infuriating scenes in Game of Thrones made viewers want to tear their hair out, and according to George Rr Martin, there’s a single story that genuinely devastated readers enough to burn his book. As a writer, this is painful to hear, but it also proves how effective Martin is as an author.

Credits: David Bradley in Game of Thrones / HBO

The famed HBO series was one of the most highly anticipated shows in the last decade, and no matter how much fans expressed their hate or anger towards it, they still watched with eagerness. It was the same scenario when it came to the novels.

George Rr Martin on Writing the Red Wedding Scene

George Rr Martin knew fans who read his books or watched the television adaptation have a love-hate relationship with the franchise. He is known as a serial killer of his own fictional characters, and...

The Cillian Murphy-Led Historical Drama Small Things Like These. (Photo Credit – Instagram)

So, who’s been counting down the days for Small Things Like These? Cillian Murphy’s latest flick is finally here, and trust me, it’s worth the hype. Based on Claire Keegan’s novel, this movie will hit you right in the feels with its blend of hope, quiet heroism, and raw emotion. It dropped in theaters on November 1, just in time for the weekend—perfect for your movie plans.

In this one, Cillian plays Bill Furlong, who stumbles on some dark secrets while delivering coal to a local convent. He finds a terrified girl named Sarah locked away, begging for help. It turns out that her story is eerily similar to Bill’s past. Her name even matches his mom’s—talk about creepy. As Bill digs deeper, trying to figure out what’s happening,...

Talisa Stark (Oona Chaplin) is a show-only character in Game of Thrones and I think she is one of the notable improvements the HBO series makes over George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books. It can be hard for the dedicated Game of Thrones fanbase to think back on the series with any sort of objectivity. One of the most disappointing TV experiences of my life was driving 20 minutes to a watch party for Game of Thrones season 8, episode 3, "The Long Night" and seeing arguably one of the most nonsensical episodes of television I'd ever watched.

But let's get past that, because there are seasons and episodes of Game of Thrones that surpass anything on television save those of the most hallowed moments of prestige TV. David Benioff and D. B. Weiss may be hated names now, but it's unfair to deny that they made...

After his Oscar-winning, pitch-perfect role in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, people have been eagerly awaiting Cillian Murphy’s next role. Instead of taking on something big to follow up the near $1 billion grossing, Best Picture winner, Murphy has instead chosen to go smaller – much, much smaller in Small Things Like These. This film tells an appropriately small, intimate story that works mostly as a showcase for Murphy’s acting ability, which is just as sharp as before.

Small Things Like These Review

Small Things is a co-production of Artists Equity, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s production company, and Big Things FIlms, Cillian Murphy’s brand new company. Serving as the first project of which Murphy has produced, this film has a particularly special feeling to it.

An adaptation of Claire Keegan’s 2021 novel, this follows Bill Furlong (Murphy), a coal merchant living in a small Irish town in the mid-80s.

This review was originally published on October 22, 2024, as a part of our Middleburg Film Festival coverage.

Based on the novel by Claire Keegan, Small Things Like These is a quietly profound and meaningful film that shows us the story as it unfolds rather than tells it. Through well-placed flashbacks and a kind-hearted protagonist in Cillian Murphys Bill Furlong, director Tim Mielants film is not only a loyal movie adaptation thanks to Enda Walshs lovely script but a poignant story about the way the threat of powerful institutions keeps people from saying or doing anything to help out of fear. Mielants film does a lot with little dialogue, setting the stage for something rich and thought-provoking.

Small Things Like These

Director Tim MielantsRelease Date November 8, 2024Writers Claire Keegan, Enda WalshCast Faye Brazil, Sarah Morris, Louis Kirwan, Liadan Dunlea, Aoife Gaffney, Zara Devlin, Aidan O'Hare, Cillian O'Gairbhi, Tom Leavey, Joanne Crawford, Clare Dunne,...

Small Things Like These is a movie adapted from Irish author Claire Keegan's novel of the same title. The film will star Irish actor Cillian Murphy, who is coming off the heels of his Academy Award-winning performance in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. The movie is directed by Belgian director Tim Mielants, which seems to be a perfect follow-up after Oppenheimer for Murphy. The film debuted in February at the Berlin Film Festival and gained a high Rotten Tomatoes score.

The story of Small Things Like These takes place in 1985 in Wexford, Ireland, around Christmas time. The film focuses on "Magdalene laundries" or asylums in Ireland, usually run by the Catholic Church. These laundries originally housed former sex workers but later also became a place for women who were the victims of rape. Sometimes, the women housed were social outcasts, abuse victims, and orphans. The women housed in these laundries became known as "fallen women.

Cillian Murphy follows his Academy Award-winning lead turn in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer with an aptly named film a fraction of that size. Director Tim Mielants’ adaptation of Claire Keegan’s 2021 novel Small Things Like These stars Murphy as not a man who became Death, destroyer of worlds, but as...

Director Tim Mielants's new movie is being met with critical acclaim thus far, but theatrical and streaming viewing options for Small Things Like These remain scarce. Based on a novel by Claire Keegan, this historical drama shows a coal merchant discovering dark secrets kept by a convent in the town of New Ross, Ireland, around Christmas 1985. The release of this Cillian Murphy movie will show the actor returning to the big screen alongside actors Eileen Walsh, Michelle Fairley, Emily Watson, Clare Dunne, Helen Behan, Liadn Dunlea, Agnes O'Casey, Mark McKenna, and Zara Devlin. This film's release comes after Murphy's Academy Award-winning performance in Christopher Nolan's historical epic Oppenheimer.

Though Tim Mielants is a relatively unknown director in the United States, his new movie won over distributor Lionsgate and audiences at the Berlin International Film Festival, scoring a whopping 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. So far, reviews for Small Things Like These...

Following his Oscar win for Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy returns to cinemas in this powerful new drama. Today we’re fortunate to present these cast interviews for Small Things Like These. Directed by Tim Mielants, the cast includes Cillian Murphy, Eileen Walsh, Michelle Fairley, Clare Dunne, Helen Behan, Emily Watson.

Hayley Donaghy asks the questions.

The film hits UK and Irish cinemas on November 1st.

Plot:

Cillian Murphy delivers a stunning performance as devoted father Bill Furlong in this film based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Claire Keegan. While working as a coal merchant to support his family, he discovers disturbing secrets kept by the local convent — and uncovers truths of his own — forcing him to confront his past and the complicit silence of a small Irish town controlled by the Catholic Church.

The post Small Things Like These Interviews: Cillian Murphy, Eileen Walsh & more on their...

Major television deaths are almost always sad, but they're especially devastating when viewers barely get to spend time with the character in question. While the death of a longtime favorite dramatically impacts the show and its audience, the demise of smaller players can hit just as hard.

This is especially true when they've made a good impression, igniting hopes that they'll take on a more prominent role in the story. In some cases, they're met with an early end instead, leaving viewers to wonder what their character arc could have looked like if they'd lasted longer than a handful of episodes.

Syrio Forel (Miltos Yerolemou) Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

Game of Thrones' Syrio Forel is the perfect example of a fan-favorite character who makes an impression in just a few episodes. Syrio is introduced in season 1's "Lord Snow," when Ned tasks him with training Arya in the art of swordplay.

Small Things Like These, starring and produced by Cillian Murphy, opens today in the UK and Ireland before bowing November 8 in the U.S. The Tim Mielants-directed drama opened the Berlin Film Festival in February to great acclaim, with Emily Watson’s turn as a formidable nun scooping the Silver Bear for Best Supporting Actress.

In the 1985-set film, Murphy stars as Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and devoted father who discovers disturbing secrets kept by the local convent — and uncovers truths of his own — forcing him to confront his past and the complicit silence of a small Irish town controlled by the Catholic Church.

This is the first feature production from Murphy and his recently minted Big Things Films banner, which he runs alongside partner Alan Moloney. It’s a film close to the Oscar winner’s heart with the source material being a best-selling novel by Claire Keegan...

The fantasy genre shines on television, as the episodic nature of TV shows allows for plenty of time to focus on world-building and magic systems while still providing character development. However, all the moving parts and expectations surrounding fantasy TV series make it difficult for a show to hit the mark in every aspect of the story. Common issues arise with fantasy TV shows that continue for too long, running out of ideas and growing repetitive before the finale. In a perfect show, there can't be any major problems or too many moments that make viewers quit the series.

Many of the best fantasy TV shows of the 2020s are almost perfect and could prove themselves to be the best of the 21st century before their stories end. More often than not, great fantasy shows are based on books, giving the seasons structure and providing a strong storyline for the script.

Cillian Murphy is many things. Oppenheimer, Tommy Shelby, Scarecrow, Fischer, and many more. However, the actor is also a gentleman who is moved by the things he sees and reads.

Matt Damon and Cillian Murphy in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer | Credits: Universal Pictures

So naturally, Murphy talked about how he was overcome when he went on to read one iconic short story from a renowned author. The actor couldn’t hold it together while on a train after he read the amazing novel by Claire Keegan.

Cillian Murphy Was Moved By Claire Keegan’s Novel

After winning an Oscar award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Oppenheimer, Murphy has not stopped working. And from the new Peaky Blinders film to Small Things Like These, Murphy does not plan to stop anytime soon either.

Cillian Murphy’s film Small Things Like These | Credits: Big Things Films

His 2024 flick is...

Thanksgiving may promise a bounty on the dinner table, but the multiplex still looks bare. Continuing this year's theme, our November film preview features another relatively light month at the movies. Still, it’s quality over quantity, and if you ignore Red One, the $250 million attempt at turning Christmas lore into a Marvel movie,...

For book readers (and show viewers who coveted spoilers), one of the biggest twists in Game of Thrones was one that didnt happen: the non-appearance of Lady Stoneheart, which had been expected around the end of season 4 of the show. In the books, Lady Stoneheart is the resurrected form of Catelyn Stark, who was brought back to life by Beric Dondarrion a few days after she was killed at the Red Wedding. Taking place in the Epilogue of A Storm of Swords, its one of the most shocking twists in the books, though the show had its reasons for not doing it.

Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss didnt want to bring Michelle Fairley back to Game of Thrones cast for a small, non-speaking part, and risk undoing the impact of her death at the Red Wedding. They also wanted to keep their powder dry for Jon Snows resurrection, which...

Fantasy TV shows can change quickly, and when big plot twists and narrative changes are written into the story, they have a major impact. The magic systems and rules of the realities that these fantastical worlds exist in allow the writers and creators to experiment with story and character dynamics, leading to episodes that change everything for the series. These episodes typically incorporate a tone shift and switch the show's focus to a new set of character dynamics. Altering a series so drastically can either save and prolong its run or be the beginning of the end for the show.

The fantasy TV shows that deserved more seasons rarely get the chance to reinvent themselves and adapt to significant change. However, a long-running series must quickly adjust when actors decide to leave the show or a detailed story arc has reached its end. While it can be daunting to take...

Fantasy TV shows are some of the most innovative in the television sphere and require lots of worldbuilding to get their premises off the ground. This means that if a fantasy series ends too soon, critical pieces of lore and character-building might never be revealed. Ending on a cliffhanger is a significant disappointment for audiences who watch magical TV shows, as these series usually have high stakes, so the characters' lives might hang in the balance. In many cases, even if a show is universally beloved by critics and audiences, this doesn't mean it will be saved from cancelation.

Like fantasy, many promising sci-fi TV shows were canceled too soon, as speculative fiction isn't always a crossover hit with a large number of audience members. Even if a series isn't canceled and reaches its planned length, there still might be more that the writers and characters could explore with further stories.

Game of Thrones star Michelle Fairley is one of the most renowned British actors around. Other than the fantasy drama, where she played the role of Caitlyn Stark, Fairley has been a part of many other projects – TV, movie, and theater included. But even with all her talent and prowess on stage and screen, the actress is one of the most camera-shy people when she is not working.

Michelle Fairley in Game of Thrones | Credit: HBO

Johnny Depp is another actor who does not like being in front of the camera unless he is working. According to him, once your work is done, your part in that project is over. Both Depp and Fairley have similar views on the matter. They also prefer not to watch themselves on the screen and rarely see the projects they have done in their career so far.

Michelle Fairley Takes a Page Out of...

It's been over a year since Oppenheimer was released in theaters, and Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy's next movie, Small Things Like These, is the perfect follow-up. Cillian Murphy has been active in the film industry for nearly three decades, but he's never been in the spotlight as prominently as he was in 2023 after playing the titular role in the Oppenheimer cast. For playing historic physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy took home a Golden Globe, an Academy Award, and received immense acclaim for starring in his first almost-$1 billion-grossing movie.

Murphy has received consistent praise throughout his career, most widely recognized for his supporting roles in Christopher Nolan's movies, like Scarecrow in The Dark Knight trilogy, and supporting characters in Inception and Dunkirk. He also led the cast of the critically acclaimed crime drama TV series Peaky Blinders for all six seasons and will be following up on the...

In 2019, George R.R. Martin watched, along with the rest of the world, as "Game of Thrones" ended not with a bang but with a whimper. According to the author, who penned the source material "A Song of Ice and Fire," he could have physically appeared in the final season if he'd wanted to ... but he declined the offer when it came from showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

"David and Dan invited me to a cameo in one of the final episodes, which I was tempted to do," Martin told Entertainment Weekly back in February of 2019, before the series finally concluded. "But I didn't think just for the sake of a cameo I could take the time to return to Belfast." Martin lives in New Mexico full time, and to be fair to the author, that's a really long trek to make just for a short appearance. There's also the...

Game of Thrones surprisingly didnt include Lady Stoneheart, the reanimated form of Catelyn Stark after her death at the Red Wedding. Cat is among the many deaths at the Red Wedding in both the show and the books, but the epilogue of Martins third novel, A Storm of Swords, reveals she had been found in the river and brought back to life by Beric Dondarrion, who gave his life for hers.

This is not the Catelyn people knew before, though. Her throat is cut, her face is scarred, and she doesnt speak. She is, in effect, a zombified version, now going by the name Lady Stoneheart, and out for revenge. Its one of the biggest twists in the books, and readers anticipated it happening in the TV series, which wouldve allowed Michelle Fairley to remain as part of Game of Thrones cast. Alas, it didnt happen for various reasons - and the Red Wedding itself,...