It has been a long wait, but the iconic Rage Virus is back. The film is called 28 Years Later. It is not actually 28 years since the original movie came out. That was 23 years ago. But who is counting? What truly matters is that the much-loved horror series is finally here again. Unlike the first follow-up movie, 28 Weeks Later, this new film has been guided by the original creators: director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland. Their big idea is that the virus, which turns people into out-of-control, violent maniacs, is now contained mostly to Great Britain. People still call them "zombies" but they are not undead. They are simply infected.
While most of the UK is overrun by the Infected, there is a small island where survivors are safe, for now. Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer, Jack O’Connell, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson play these characters. If 28 Years Later has even half the suspense of its early glimpses and previews, it should easily be the best film in the series so far. And this will not be the last one. This movie is the first part of a new trilogy. The second part has already been filmed. Alex Garland said in Empire magazine that this story is "very narratively ambitious." He and Danny understood this. They tried to make it shorter, but its natural shape felt like a trilogy. That sounds exciting for fans of the franchise.
The Infected Have Changed: A Terrifying Evolution For The Rage Virus CreaturesHow New Visuals And Behaviors Make The Threats In This Film Even More Frightening
From what we have seen of the infected in 28 Years Later, I have no feeling this film will be scarier than the last two Movies in the franchise. The upcoming movie takes place almost three decades after the Rage Virus started spreading across the United Kingdom. While the rest of the world has mostly avoided or contained the virus, the UK has been haunted by the infected for many, many years. The characters in 28 Years Later have probably had many encounters with the infected over time. But it seems like these creatures have changed since the first two movies. This means the infected in 28 Years Later will be quite different from how they were shown in both 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. This was a smart choice by the people making the movie. It means the infected will still be able to frighten audiences in unexpected ways. So I think 28 Years Later could be much more scary than the first two films in this intense series.
Based on the early looks at 28 Years Later, it is clear the infected will be truly terrifying. This was already true in 2002’s 28 Days Later and 2007’s 28 Weeks Later. Those films showed the infected killing many main characters. Compared to some other scary films, the infected in these movies are so frightening because they truly seem full of rage. This makes the name Rage Virus very fitting. They will sprint full speed at survivors without hesitation. Because of this, it would be extremely hard to survive in the virus-ridden United Kingdom seen in 28 Years Later and the other films. As the third movie gets closer, it appears the infected have changed over the years. Since 28 Years Later happens almost three decades after the last movie, this makes sense. Sadly for the characters in the movie, the infected will be stronger and smarter than ever.
One glimpse of the film shows a creature larger than any previously seen in the franchise. This particular infected, and likely others like it, will certainly pose a big problem. Only a close-up picture of this infected has been shown. But it confirms that different types of infected will be seen in 28 Years Later. Also, the early previews suggest the infected have gotten smarter. They now stalk their targets instead of just running directly at them. This makes sense. If the virus was only in the UK, the infected would have been dealt with long ago if they were not changing and getting smarter. This change also makes sense for a long-awaited film in the series. It helps raise the tension.
Danny Boyle is back for the 28 Days Later sequel, 28 Years Later, and he is bringing new virus mutations and filming techniques to amp up the horror.
A Glimpse Into The Chilling Opening Scene And The Film's Core Story
Exploring The Leaked Sequence And What It Reveals About The Survivors' World
A part of the movie's opening scene has been seen online. It shows Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s character Jamie and his young son Spike looking through what seems to be an empty house. They find an infected man hanging upside down. He has a bag over his head and strange marks cut into his chest. Jamie tells Spike to "kill it," but the boy hesitates. This pause gives the infected time to break free from its restraints. This moment shows the harsh reality of their world. It also highlights the difficult choices the survivors must make.
According to the official plot summary, it has been almost three decades since the rage virus got out of a lab. Now, some people have found ways to live among the infected, despite strict isolation. One group of survivors lives on a small island. This island is connected to the mainland by a single, heavily guarded road. When one person from the group leaves the island on a mission to the dark mainland, they find secrets, wonders, and horrors. These things have changed not only the infected but also other survivors. Ralph Fiennes, who plays Doctor Kelson, gave more details. He said the story centers on a young boy who wants to find a doctor to help his dying mother. The boy leads his mother through the northern English land. But the infected are hiding in the forests and hills around them. The boy finds a doctor who seems strange, but who turns out to be good. This setup promises a very emotional and scary journey.
In the leaked scene, Jamie tells Spike he has an important lesson for him. He says it will get easier to kill the infected the more he does it. As the infected starts shaking violently and gets loose, Jamie yells at Spike to kill it. The boy holds back. Just as the infected stands up to attack, both Jamie and Spike fire at the same time and the creature drops dead. This part of the film shows the brutal training survivors must go through. It also makes you think about what kind of world these children are growing up in.
Jodie Comer has been busy promoting her new horror movie 28 Years Later while maintaining an intense wellness schedule. Her dedication to her work and health is truly something to see.
The Future Of The Franchise: A New Trilogy And The Return Of Cillian Murphy
What To Expect For The Second And Third Films In The Rebooted Series
Fans of the original film will be happy to know that Cillian Murphy will return as Jim, the main character from the first movie. However, he is not expected to appear until the second film in this new trilogy. Producer Andrew Macdonald confirmed that Murphy wanted to be involved. He said, "He is not in the first film, but I’m hoping there will be some Jim somewhere along the line." Murphy is currently involved as an executive producer. This is great news for fans who have been hoping to see Jim’s story continue. It also means the scope of this new series is much bigger than we might have first thought.
The original 28 Days Later was a massive success. It led to the sequel 28 Weeks Later, which many people liked, but Boyle and Garland were only involved as executive producers on that one. So, a lot of fans will see this new movie as the true continuation. Danny Boyle will direct this first film. Nia DaCosta was recently announced as the director for the second film, which might be called 28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Temple. Both movies were filmed one after another. Alex Garland is writing all three parts of this new story. Each movie is said to have a budget of around $75 million. This shows how much confidence the studios have in this franchise's return. It makes me excited to see what these talented filmmakers will do with this big story and budget.
The original film starred Cillian Murphy as a man who wakes from a coma after a bike accident. He finds that England has been taken over by "The Infected." The virus turns its victims into wild killers. Unlike typical "zombies," these creatures move with shocking speed. The man then sets out to find out what happened, meeting other survivors like Naomie Harris and Brendan Gleeson along the way. He also meets a dangerous army major played by Christopher Eccleston. This new trilogy has a lot to live up to. But with the original team back and a fresh take on the infected, I think it has a very good chance of impressing audiences and bringing new frights.