Cillian Murphy will star in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, one of the most anticipated movies of the year. The movie, which will come out in theaters on July 21, will follow the life of theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who is often credited as the “father of the atomic bomb.”

The film will center around Oppenheimer’s involvement in the creation of nuclear weapons as director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during the Manhattan Project in World War II. Apart from Murphy, the cast includes Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, Benny Safdie, Michael Angarano, Josh Hartnett and Kenneth Branagh.

It’s the fourth collaboration between Nolan and Murphy. He has also appeared as the Scarecrow in The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005–2012), as well as having roles in Inception (2010) and Dunkirk (2017). However, if you want to watch one of his first films in which he had a lead role, and also has the apocalyptic vibes of Oppenheimer, check our recommendation below.

28 Days Later, the apocalyptic film with Cillian Murphy that you can stream

Murphy starred in the 2002 post-apocalyptic horror film 28 Days Later. It was one of the most successful films, critically and commercially, of that year. It follows a bicycle courier who awakens from a coma to discover the accidental release of a highly contagious, aggression-inducing virus has caused the breakdown of society.

Apart from Murphy, Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston, Megan Burns, and Brendan Gleeson appear in supporting roles. You can watch it on Prime Video, via the Cinemax subscription. It’s also available to rent or buy on Prime Video, and iTunes.

It’s one of Murphy’s most celebrated performances, and it even led to his role in Nolan’s Batman Begins. In a recent profile on the New York Times, the director explained that he saw a picture of him in a newspaper article about the film and was “struck” by his presence; so he asked him to audition for the title role in Batman. However, he got to play the villain and started one of his most productive working relationships.