You’ve probably seen the photos. It’s 2007. Cillian Murphy is sporting a shaggy, shoulder-length bob that screams "Swinging Sixties." Sienna Miller is beside him, looking every bit the bohemian dream in floral prints and effortless fringe. They’re in the middle of London, filming what everyone assumed would be a massive awards-season heavy hitter.
The movie was called Hippie Hippie Shake. It had everything going for it: a red-hot cast, a script based on Richard Neville’s scandalous memoir about the Oz magazine obscenity trials, and the backing of Working Title Films.
Then? Nothing.
The film vanished. It didn't just underperform; it literally never hit theaters. For years, fans have been digging through Reddit threads and obscure film blogs asking the same question: why haven't we seen Cillian Murphy and Sienna Miller on screen together in this "lost" masterpiece?
The Mystery of Hippie Hippie Shake
Basically, the production was a bit of a nightmare behind the curtain. Principal photography actually finished. Let that sink in. There is a fully edited version of a movie starring an Oscar winner and a British fashion icon sitting in a vault somewhere.
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The trouble started in post-production. Director Beeban Kidron and her husband, screenwriter Lee Hall, both walked away from the project citing "creative differences." That’s usually code for "the studio is hacking my vision to pieces," or vice-versa. According to reports from The Times back then, Kidron described the experience as "very wounding."
When the people who made the movie don’t want their names on it anymore, distributors get nervous. Universal Pictures eventually shelved it. There were rumors about tax write-offs—the idea that it was worth more to the studio as a loss than as a release—but honestly, it’s just a tragedy for cinema history. We missed out on seeing Murphy play a radical counter-culture editor during his 28 Days Later and Sunshine era peak.
A New Generation Takes the Torch
Fast forward to 2026, and the names Cillian Murphy and Sienna Miller are back in the same sentence, but with a weird twist. It’s not about them as a duo this time—it’s about the next generation.
Cillian’s son, Aran Murphy, is officially making his big TV debut. And who is he starring alongside? You guessed it: Sienna Miller.
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They are currently working on a massive HBO and Sky co-production called WAR. It’s a legal drama set in London involving rival law firms and a "divorce of the century." Sienna plays the lead opposite Dominic West, and Aran has been cast in a pivotal role as Gabriel. It’s kinda wild how the industry works. One decade you're playing the love interest of the father, and nearly twenty years later, you're sharing a call sheet with the son.
Why the Internet Still Obsesses Over the "Lost" Movie
There’s a specific kind of "what if" that haunts film fans. Because Hippie Hippie Shake was never released, it has attained this legendary status. Test screening reviews from 2008 and 2009 actually said the movie was good!
One viewer from the infamous Ain't It Cool News site praised the performances, specifically noting that Murphy and Miller had incredible chemistry. Miller reportedly gave one of her most raw, "un-made-up" performances as Louise Ferrier.
What most people get wrong about the "Scandal"
Back in the late 2000s, the tabloids were obsessed with the idea that something was going on between the two stars. They were spotted leaving the Groucho Club in a cab together at 3 AM.
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Honestly, it was just classic London nightlife. Cillian has been notoriously private and happily married to Yvonne McGuinness for decades. Sienna was the "It Girl" of the era, and the press tried to paint her as a homewrecker every time she grabbed a drink with a coworker. In reality, they were two actors working on a high-stress, troubled production who probably just needed a pint after a long day of reshoots.
The Cultural Impact of the Missing Oz Trial Film
The story they were trying to tell is actually super important. The Oz magazine trial was the longest obscenity trial in British history. It represented the clash between the old-guard "moral" establishment and the 1960s sexual revolution.
- Richard Neville (Murphy): The visionary, provocative editor.
- Louise Ferrier (Miller): The muse and girlfriend who became the face of the trial.
- The Controversy: A "Schoolkids" issue of the magazine that featured a sexually explicit parody of Rupert Bear.
By burying the film, Universal didn't just hide a movie; they hid a pretty vital piece of cultural history. While we might never get a 4K Blu-ray release of Hippie Hippie Shake, the interest in the Cillian Murphy and Sienna Miller collaboration remains high because of how much it promised to capture that specific lightning-in-a-bottle moment of the 60s.
How to Actually See the Footage (Kinda)
If you're desperate to see them together, you have to get creative. There isn't an official trailer, but there are "leaked" clips and sizzle reels that have floated around the internet for a decade.
- Check Alamy and Getty Images: There are hundreds of high-quality production stills that give you a feel for the movie's aesthetic.
- Search for "Hippie Hippie Shake Test Screening": Some old blogs still have detailed scene-by-scene breakdowns.
- Wait for HBO's WAR: While it’s not the same, seeing the Murphy family legacy continue with Sienna Miller in 2026 is the closest we’re going to get to a reunion.
The reality of Hollywood is that sometimes great art gets stuck in a legal or financial tug-of-war. We see Cillian Murphy now as this towering, "Oppenheimer-sized" figure of prestige, but looking back at his "lost" work with Miller reminds us that even the biggest stars have ghosts in their filmography.
Practical Steps for Fans
If you want to support the "release the cut" movement, your best bet is following the production of WAR. High ratings for Aran Murphy’s debut might just pique enough interest for a streaming service to finally buy the rights to Hippie Hippie Shake and let it see the light of day. Keep an eye on HBO’s 2026 release schedule for WAR to see the Miller-Murphy connection come full circle.