After his thought-provoking and sometimes polarizing films like The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, and Interstellar, movie fans were interested to see what writer/director Christopher Nolan would come up with next. Warner Bros. was so confident in his abilities, they set a release date for his next project before any details about the subject, story, or cast had been publicly revealed.

That film was revealed last year to be Dunkirk, a fictional story set during the WWII evacuation of that titular French city. Nolan has chosen to write about Operation Dynamo, the against-all-odds British military operation that rescued 330,000 British and French Allied soldiers who were surrounded by German forces. Many scenes will be filmed in the actual locations involved in the real life war.

While Nolan has set out to cast several young, lesser-known actors, he’s also recruited Kenneth Branagh (Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit), Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies), and Tom Hardy (who worked with Nolan on both The Dark Knight Rises and Inception). Dunkirk cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema is a vet of Interstellar, and it looks like Nolan is adding another former film collaborator to the cast. The Wrap reports that Cillian Murphy, who appeared in The Dark Knight trilogy as well as Inception, will join the ensemble cast of the new film.

Murphy’s recent resume includes the real-life Moby-Dick tale In the Heart of the Sea with Chris Hemsworth, and British TV series Peaky Blinders. Perhaps best known for Nolan’s films, the Irish actor is also recognized for his big screen work in 28 Days Later, Red Eye, and his Golden Globe-nominated role in Breakfast on Pluto. In addition to Dunkirk, Murphy’s upcoming work includes another WWII thriller, Anthropoid, alongside 50 Shades of Gray star Jamie Dornan.

Additional actors cast for Dunkirk include Jack Lowden, Aneurin Barnard, One Direction’s Harry Styles, and newcomer Fionn Whitehead. It’s not clear yet what role Murphy might have in the film, but his usual understated intensity – aided by his distinctive blue eyes – guarantee he’ll be a striking presence in the film. A talented actor capable of portraying a wide range of characters, Murphy’s biggest challenge may be dusting off his lapsed skills at speaking French.

Dunkirk opens in U.S. theaters on July 21st, 2017.

Source: The Wrap