Cillian Murphy cast in thriller Blood Runs Coal

'Oppenheimer' actor Cillian Murphy has been cast in new epic thriller 'Blood Runs Coal'.

Cillian Murphy

Cillian Murphy has been cast in 'Blood Runs Coal'.

The 'Oppenheimer' actor will take the lead in an adaptation of Mark A. Bradley's book 'Blood Runs Coal: The Yablonski Murders and the Battle for the United Mine Workers of America' about a corrupt union leader who kills one of his rivals.

As reported by Deadline, the movie is being scripted as "a starring and producing vehicles for Murphy".

'Spectre' and 'Ford v Ferrari' scribe Jez Butterworth will pen the script alongside 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' writer John-Henry Butterworth.

The story is set in the late 1960s in the Pennsylvania coal mines, focusing on one of the most infamous union crimes in United States history.

The movie will focus on the life of Jock Yablonski, who championed better working conditions for miners.

He accused an election opponent of fraud, and was assassinated along with most of his family.

His son Chip Yablonski (Murphy) embarks on a journey of justice.

Meanwhile, 'Peaky Blinders' creator Steven Knight has confirmed Murphy will "definitely" be reprising his role as gangster Tommy Shelby in the big screen adaptation of the BBC drama.

Speaking to Birmingham World at the premiere of his new BBC series 'This Town', Knight said: "He definitely is returning for it. We're shooting it in September just down the road in Digbeth."

The Oscar-winner's return as Tommy Shelby is unsurprising as he has often talked about his interest in playing the character in a film as long as the script was of sufficient quality.

Cillian told Rolling Stone UK last year: "If there's more story there, I'd love to do it.

"But it has to be right. Steve Knight wrote 36 hours of television, and we left on such a high. I'm really proud of that last series. So, it would have to feel legitimate and justified to do more."