The 28 Years Later Series: How Danny Boyle's New Films are Changing the Infected World

Danny Boyle and his twin sister received a unique treat for their eleventh birthday. Their parents took them to see Movies for the first time. Boyle and his father watched the WWII film Battle of the Bulge. His sister and mother saw The Sound of Music. The musical had won Best Picture the previous year. Boyle was hooked.

Growing up in a working-class household near Manchester, England, no one could have predicted what would unfold. Five decades later, in 2008, he had his own best-picture-winning film, Slumdog Millionaire. He also created a fast-paced style. He has utilized it in a variety of films. These include drug-fueled dark comedies like Trainspotting, zombie-infested horror films like 28 Days Later, and true-life dramas like 127 hours. He has also produced challenging sci-fi films like Sunshine and feel-good musicals like Yesterday. This list only touches the surface.

Danny Boyle returns to theaters with 28 Years Later. This $60 million sequel comes more than 20 years after he and writer Alex Garland revolutionized the zombie film genre. They did this with the $8 million film 28 Days Later. The two spent years experimenting with concepts. They surprised Hollywood in early 2024. They took two scripts into town. A bidding battle started. Sony finally decided to release 28 Years Later and its sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, in order. There is also the possibility of a third film if they are successful. This job reunited Boyle with Sony's film head, Tom Rothman. Prior to this, Rothman had collaborated with the director on eight films, including Slumdog.

Rothman understands that, while 28 Years Later is based on a well-known story, Boyle and Garland's collaboration made the proposal tough to turn down. He sees it as part of what Sony refers it as "auteur horror." These are director-led films, such as Robert Eggers' Nosferatu and Ryan Coogler's Sinners. "I have unbounded respect for Danny Boyle's talent and his integrity," Rothman told reporters. He recalls reading the scripts while bidding. "One was cooler than the next," he remembers.

Unpacking the plot of "28 Years Later" for new and returning viewers

How the new film sets up a terrifying future and explores several types of threats

From the moment I saw the well-made trailer for 28 Years Later, I was eager to see what Boyle and Garland had done. The film picks up years after the virus struck the United Kingdom. It focuses on a little settlement of survivors off the coast of Scotland. I worried if it would be confusing to enter this planet so long after the main events. But 28 Years Later begins with a terrible scene. This depicts what it was like when the Infected started running rampant across the country. After then, a few paragraphs describe what has happened afterward. The virus has remained in the United Kingdom. It has wiped off most of its inhabitants. That is all the audience should know.

From there, 28 Years Later follows a young kid named Spike (Alfie Williams) and his parents, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Isla. None of these characters appeared in the previous films. They are entirely new creations with their own stories. It's simple to follow even if you have no prior knowledge of the older flicks. Ralph Fiennes also plays a mystery new character. Even when Jamie and Spike travel to the mainland on a mission, Jamie teaches Spike what he needs to know about the Infected. We see Spike's very first assignment. He learns right alongside us. When it comes to its setting and story, 28 Years Later is highly welcoming to those who haven't seen the previous films.

Unlike several major film series, 28 Years Later is not filled with minor nods and connections to previous storylines. If there were any major hidden gags, they got right by me. This film does not attempt to be a "legacy sequel." It establishes an entirely new setting and characters. The Infected bears the most resemblance to previous films. Even they feel new. I may have missed some minor nods, but that means I didn't need to know them to enjoy the picture. This makes the film a welcome addition to the series. It prioritizes new characters and locations while remaining connected to the universe it has already established.

The film begins in the Scottish Highlands, at the beginnings of the outbreak. Boyle and writer Alex Garland return to their 2002 film, 28 Days Later. Some children are watching television while their parents work to stop the infection. These movies may not call them zombies, but they are plainly intended to be. The house is quickly overwhelmed. Except for tiny Jimmy (Rocco Haynes), all of the children die. He rushes to the church to locate his preacher father (Sandra Batchelor). But Jimmy's father does not wish to protect him. He views the virus as a judgment day and embraces the new zombie leaders. Jimmy hides while his father is taken over and infected.

Cillian Murphy's Return and the Future of the 28 Films

Discover how the original star will play a key role in the next sequels.

Cillian Murphy, who played Jim in 28 Days Later, will reprise his role in the forthcoming flicks. Boyle confirmed that Murphy will appear in The Bone Temple, directed by Nia DaCosta. He will play a larger role in the third film if it is made. It's good to know Jim will be a part of the future. This is something fans have long desired. It provides a direct link to the very first film. This gives the new films a sense of continuity with the original series.

Boyle and Garland chose to make these two new films consecutively for logistical reasons. Boyle was unable to direct the second one because he needed to finish the first one before showing it. So they hired Nia DaCosta to direct The Bone Temple. Boyle thought she did an excellent job. They are currently trying to raise funds for the third movie. Boyle stated that if they receive the funds, he will direct that one. He even joked about a message from Sony president Tom Rothman appearing on his screen. He hoped it was a generous offer for the third movie.

Nia DaCosta has previously produced large franchise films such as The Marvels. She was clear about the fact that it wouldn't feel exactly like her own movie. Boyle and Garland allowed her to pursue her own project. Boyle recalls her stating, "I'm not going to make a Danny Boyle movie." He stated that she was extremely explicit about that. She didn't. She made her own film, and it is really powerful. Boyle stated that she understands what she wants to achieve now and how she intends to do it. She informs you upfront. The actors really liked her. Boyle even joked that he was jealous that they seemed to prefer her over him.

The film leaps forward 28 years. We don't speak with Jimmy again until the very end. The primary character, Spike (Alfie Williams), is 12 years old. He leads a fairly peaceful existence on an island free of the virus. He lives with his parents, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Isla (Jodie Comer). 28 Years Later alters the ending of 2007's 28 Weeks Later slightly. In that film, the infection traveled to France and possibly further. Only the still-contained United Kingdom has an infection concern.

The Film's Ending And The Wild Possibilities Of What Comes Next

What the cliffhanger means for the future of the 28 Years Later series.

The new film contains some huge surprises, particularly in its final act. Anyone expecting a typical zombie film could be disappointed. Those people should have reviewed the original 28 Days Later. It would remind them of the types of stories Boyle and Garland tell. The first film seemed to tell one type of story. It was about people attempting to survive a zombie attack. But it developed into something very else. A troop of soldiers provided safety. This was a ruse to encourage women to commit horrific deeds. Even while the infected inflict havoc in 28 Days Later's last chapter, the true battle is between two healthy humans: Cillian Murphy's Jim and Christopher Eccleston's Major Henry West. The film demonstrated that people were the true risk. This concept has been used extensively in numerous shows subsequently. The Walking Dead is a great example.

28 Years Later offers a new twist. It's also disturbing. Spike and Isla fight against the infected. Erik (Edvin Ryding), a Swedish NATO soldier, helps them. They pick up a kid after Erik murders an infected mother, who gives birth to a healthy child. They eventually find Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes). He is not the insane person Jamie warned Spike about. He does appear odd. To protect himself from the virus, he covers himself with iodine. But he has a valid purpose for gathering dead bodies. He utilizes the skulls to construct his bone shrine. This tower remembers the deceased and serves as a reminder to everyone that we will all die. It's horrifying to witness him change Erik's head into a skull after he's slain. However, there is a peculiar beauty to it.

That is not the only lesson Spike learns about death. Kelson investigates Isla. He delivers a sad but not surprising diagnosis. She has cancer in the breasts, lymph nodes, and brain. She is too far along for treatment. Yes, the real twist in 28 Years Later is that movie is actually a terrible cancer story. Spike finds it difficult to accept that the doctor will be unable to help his mother. But Isla had already predicted her fate. She waited for someone else to tell her son. Spike and Isla say farewell. Kelson snatches her away. When he returns to Spike he has Isla’s skull. The boy places it on top of the bone temple. The end is both touching and disturbing. It is not where anyone would expect this movie to go. Spike and Kelson have one more encounter with an infected. But it is a bloodless scene. The baby, whom Spike names Isla, goes to the village. The boy decides to go off on his own living among the infected in the wild.

28 Years Later has one more surprise for its final scene. Of course we move forward another 28 days. A slightly dirtier Spike seems to be doing well. He is better with his bow and arrow. He can hit infected with precise shots when they come at him. There are too many coming. He has to run. He runs down the road until he hits a barricade of rocks. Suddenly a new face appears. It is a grown-up Jimmy. Jack O’Connell plays him. He looks a lot like a certain famous English media person. His followers appear. They are a group of young people in different colored tracksuits with blond hair. Spike cannot say no to their help. He watches them take out the infected. Their fighting style looks a little like parkour and a lot like Power Rangers. The different colors certainly make you think of Power Rangers. Spike’s Power Rangers action figure appears in an early scene. Besides the violent parts it is a surprisingly cheerful scene. It is a wild change in tone that you have to see to believe. After putting character drama before zombie chaos 28 Years Later ends on the silliest note imaginable. It is also a cliffhanger.

What The Future Holds For The World Of The 28 Films

Looking Ahead To More Sequels And The Exciting Plans For This Zombie Franchise

We know O’Connell plays adult Jimmy. We know almost nothing else. Of course we have heard things from the filmmakers and cast before the film came out. We know the character now goes by Sir Jimmy Crystal. He seems to lead a group that might be styled after the famous personality Jimmy Savile. This might sound upsetting. But the claims against Savile appeared after his death in 2011. This was almost ten years after the rage virus started. So it is not a problem in this world. The group has also likely been influenced by Power Rangers and Teletubbies. This makes sense with the multicolored tracksuits. Watching Tinky Winky Dipsy Laa-Laa and Po was one of the last normal things Jimmy did. People online say the group members are named variations of Jimmy: Jimmy Ink Jimmy Snake Jimmy Jimmy and Jimmima among others. Could Cillian Murphy’s Jim have joined them?

Yes Murphy is returning in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Nia DaCosta directs this sequel. It is set to come out in January 2026. It filmed at the same time as Boyle’s movie. The advertising for 28 Years Later has not made it clear that it is just the first movie in a planned trilogy. The third movie has not been approved yet. Boyle has said that Murphy has a part in The Bone Temple. He has a bigger part in the last film of the series if it happens. But no one is shouting this from the rooftops. People have grown tired of movies that feel unfinished. Think about how Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One did at the box office. Many people blamed the film saying it was an incomplete story. The "Part One" has since been taken away but the damage was done. To its credit 28 Years Later does not feel like the first chapter of a story for most of its runtime. Only in that crazy final scene do you get the feeling that this story is just starting. Unfortunately Jimmy’s arrival is such a sudden change. His brief appearance ends up being a frustrating tease. The promise of so much more plot makes the rest of the movie seem like it was just setting things up for what this trilogy is really about.

If Jimmy and his group are any indication the next movie will move away from cancer drama. It will be stranger and more disrespectful than the turns 28 Years Later takes. Nia DaCosta said at a CinemaCon event in March "While it's very much informed by 28 Days Later, the script for The Bone Temple is very different." She also said "I was able to let my freak flag fly." There will also be dark parts. The Jimmy group might be killing infected. But they are not necessarily good. When Spike and his father first go to the mainland in 28 Years Later they find an infected person tied and hanging upside down. "JIMMY" is carved into his body. This is not a good sign for the group Spike ends up with. But while the possibilities for the sequel are inviting it is hard not to feel a bit put off. 28 Years Later holds the rest of the story just out of reach. People have waited almost twenty years for Boyle and Garland to pick up this story. Now they are asked to wait more months to see where it goes. And they must wait an unknown amount of time to find out how it ends.