After landing one of Hollywood's most famous roles—the new baddie in Batman—Murphy tells Esther McCarthy he's set for movie mayhem.

He's landed the role of the new Batman baddie, has a growing army of female fans, and is poised to follow in the footsteps of Colin Farrell as one of Tinsel Town's hottest leading men.

But last month Cillian Murphy got a sharp reminder of how fickle the movie business really is. A thriller called Red Light Runners that he was filming in London was suddenly pulled after three and a half weeks of filming, leaving the young actor out of pocket and out of work.

He was in good company however—co-stars left high and dry by the film's demise include Harvey Keitel and Peter O'Toole.

While he's being touted as our next big thing, Cillian is acutely aware of how tough the acting business can be.

"That's the movie business for you," shrugs the 29-year-old. "I still have a lot to learn."

"Just before Christmas, the film was pulled. There were some bad vibes that I picked up but it was still a big surprise."

"It was a money problem. I never got paid. I don't know if I will. It bothered me at the time but now sure f**k (sic) it," he says.

The Corkonian will surely take some consolation from the fact that his next film is set to catapult him into the big league.

After being in major contention to play Batman in Hollywood's latest story about the much-loved comic book hero, Cillian lost out to Christian Bale.

But it may have been the best twist of fate that has yet happened in his career. For this weekend he confirmed he will play the main and as-yet-unnamed baddie in the $135 million film, a potentially juicier role.

Playing Batman's evil rival did no harm at all to the careers of Jack Nicholson, Danny De Vito, or Michelle Pfeiffer and Cillian is thrilled at the prospect.

"I've been cast as the main villain of the piece which is great because Batman is the coolest of all the super heroes," says the star.

"It's a long shoot and it starts next month, but I'm looking forward to it. One of the main reasons I'm doing it is because Christopher Nolan, who made Memento, is directing it. He's a great guy."

While most actors would jump at the opportunity to become a major star, Murphy chooses his roles cautiously.

And with roles in films like Cold Mountain, Intermission, and Girl With a Pearl Earring, as well as a brilliant lead performance in 28 Days Later... under his belt, he seems to have the Midas touch.

Although he's aware of the heat around him, Cillian is a bit reluctant to label himself the next big thing.

He worked with Colin Farrell on Intermission last year and the pair are on friendly terms, but can he act his way to superstardom like Colin?

"It has got to the stage where I get shown more scripts but I'm still there hoping that the good ones turn up," he said. "I still get offered some awful s*ite and have to chase the good roles that I really want to do."

Cillian first discovered his flair for acting when he joined the drama society while studying law at UCC.

"It was seven years ago. I went for law because there were hardly any hours," he says. "It was never really important to me."

At that time his real passion was music and he was a regular on Cork's local live circuit, playing guitar and singing with a Frank Zappa-influenced band called Sons of Mr. Greengenes.

"We played all around Cork and it was my main ambition, I was really into it. Since I was a kid it was what I wanted to do, it was hugely important to me at the time," he says.

Performing a play on the Aran Islands is a world away from the glamour of a Batman movie. But before he joins the caped crusader this spring, he's returning to the stage. Fans of the actor will get an opportunity to see him play Christy Mahon in Synge's much-loved Playboy of the Western World.

The Druid production is touring Ireland from this month, playing everywhere from Dublin's Gaiety Theatre (opening Feb. 23) and major towns like Castlebar and Tralee, to more remote places such as The Aran Islands, Geesala in Co. Mayo, Dun Choain in Co. Kerry, in a scheme designed to trace the steps of Synge's play.

It couldn't be more unlike the bright lights of Hollywood and that's the way Cillian likes it.

"I started out in theatre doing plays like Disco Pigs and you don't get as many good parts in film so doing this is great," he says. "Christy is just a brilliantly written character and this is very close to being a perfect play.

"There's a lot of diversity that this game offers you if you're lucky, like I've been."

Based in London for the past three years, he says he can't see himself moving to Los Angeles.

"I've done the casting thing over there but I don't think it's for me. I could go to New York but not L.A."

The huge success of 28 Days Later... in the U.S. has led to offers and he's got a couple of possible roles after Batman that, like most actors, he's staying coy about until terms are finalised.

"It's not like I have a big career strategy or anything," he explains. "The only criteria is I'd like to be able to look back and not go: "Oh Jesus, I can't believe I did that."