Netflix‘s upcoming emotional drama STEVE explores institutional decay, mental health, and youth turbulence. The movie, which was directed by Tim Mielants and based on Max Porter‘s best-selling 2023 novella “Shy,” was written by Porter. Set during a single pivotal day in the mid-1990s—the film captures the intense struggles of two key characters—Steve and Shy—who are both trying to survive in their own broken ways.
Cillian Murphy stars as Steve, the headteacher of a reform college that’s on the verge of collapse. Steve is battling both bureaucratic forces threatening to shut down the institution and his own mental health. Meanwhile, Jay Lycurgo plays Shy, a deeply troubled teen whose violent impulses clash with his vulnerability and yearning for change. The cast also includes Tracey Ullman, Simbi Ajikawo (Little Simz), Roger Allam—and Emily Watson, rounding out a powerhouse lineup.
The movie is set to hit select U.S. theaters in September 2025, followed by a global release on Netflix on October 3, 2025.
WHERE WAS “STEVE” (2025) FILMED?
The entire filming of Steve took place in the UK. The main filming started on May 24, 2024, and ended on July 5, 2024. Big Things Films produced the movie. Author Max Porter shared photos from the set on social media, including a nostalgic Polaroid of Murphy and Lycurgo.
Bath, Somerset – Main Filming Hub
An important part of the movie was filmed in Somerset, England’s historic city of —Bath. With its Georgian architecture and rustic backdrops, the city fit the film’s reform college atmosphere. Scenes were filmed in the streets and in different educational-style buildings that helped make it look and feel like an alternative school from the mid-1990s.
Cillian Murphy was spotted on set in July 2024 wearing a character-appropriate look: a scruffy blue suit, a white shirt with a prominent brown stain, and an unkempt beard. Photos from the set showed the actor in a black dry robe, hiding from both the weather and curious passersby. A production assistant held an umbrella over him during breaks to shield him from the unpredictable British summer rain.
This gritty, subdued, and painfully real aesthetic matches the film’s emotional and psychological tone. Bath’s atmosphere fit the film’s themes of decay, isolation, and hope in despair.
Behind-the-Scenes Glimpse
On Instagram, author Max Porter posted a picture from behind the scenes from the last day of filming. The Polaroid picture of Porter, Murphy, and Lycurgo on set together marked the end of filming. This personal touch made the close working relationship between the writer and the cast even stronger. Murphy later shared that the story “just broke my heart,” citing it as the kind of material he’s drawn to as both an actor and a reader.
MORE LOCATIONS FOR “STEVE” TO BE UPDATED SOON
While Bath, Somerset remains the confirmed and primary filming location for Netflix’s Steve, more details on additional shooting spots—possibly elsewhere in the UK—are expected to be revealed as the release date approaches. Stay tuned as more filming locations emerge, especially from cast or production team updates closer to the film’s global launch.
Stay tuned with netfilming.com for more exclusive updates, filming location insights, and behind-the-scenes stories.
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