28 YEARS LATER: Cillian Murphy Officially Set To Reprise 28 DAYS LATER Role For Horror Sequel

28 YEARS LATER: Cillian Murphy Officially Set To Reprise 28 DAYS LATER Role For Horror Sequel

Following speculation that Cillian Murphy might be set to reprise his 28 Days Later role for Danny Boyle's long-awaited 28 Years Later, it's now been confirmed that he will return as Jim...

By MarkCassidy - May 18, 2024 09:05 AM EST
Filed Under: Horror
Source: Via FearHQ

We got word earlier this year that 28 Days Later director (Danny Boyle) and writer (Alex Garland) are teaming up for a series of sequels to the 2002 horror hit, and following the recent news that Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes have signed on to play the lead roles, it's been confirmed that Cillian Murphy will return for 28 Years Later.

There was speculation that Murphy, who won the Best Actor Academy Award for his performance in Oppenheimer, might be set to reprise the role of Jim from the original movie when he signed on as an executive producer, and Sony has now made it official.

"Yes, but in a surprising way and in a way that grows, let me put it that way," Sony Motion Pictures Group chairman Tom Rothman told Deadline when asked if Murphy would return. "This is Danny [Boyle] at his best, combined with a very commercial genre, like we had with Edgar Wright and Baby Driver. Sometimes when you put a real signature director into a commercial arena, it elevates it."

We don't know how substantial Murphy's part will be, but it sounds like he may only have a small role in the first movie and then more to do in the follow-ups.

28 Days Later was a massive success, and already spawned one less well-regarded (but still well worth watching) follow-up in 2007's 28 Weeks Later. Boyle and Garland were only involved as executive producers on that project, so a lot of fans are sure to view this new movie as the first true sequel.

Boyle will helm the first instalment, while Nia DaCosta was recently announced as the second film's director. The plan is to shoot both back-to-back. Garland will write all three. The budget for each movie is said to be in the $75 million range.

The first film starred Murphy as a man who wakes from a coma after a bicycle accident to find that England has been overrun by "The Infected." The virus turns its victims into raging killers, but unlike the usual "zombies," these creatures can move with frightening speed. The man then sets out to learn what's been going on, meeting fellow survivors played by Naomie Harris and Brendan Gleeson along the way, as well as a deranged army major played by Christopher Eccleston.

Plot details for 28 Years Later are still under wraps, but the timeframe would suggest that it will take place in a near-future setting, which means the movie might lean more towards sci-fi than straight-up horror.

"A group of misguided animal rights activists free a caged chimp infected with the "Rage" virus from a medical research lab. When London bike courier Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma a month after, he finds his city all but deserted. On the run from the zombie-like victims of the Rage, Jim stumbles upon a group of survivors, including Selena (Naomie Harris) and cab driver Frank (Brendan Gleeson), and joins them on a perilous journey to what he hopes will be safety."

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TheSuperMex
TheSuperMex - 5/18/2024, 9:13 AM
I rather he not comeback. I liked how both movies used new characters. I still want 28 Months later.
TheMetaMan
TheMetaMan - 5/18/2024, 9:21 AM
@TheSuperMex - Nah 28 years later is more authentic because it’s been years since the last instalment. The narrative shift in using new protagonists to tell a story worked well last time but now they have a chance to tell a grander story by bringing Murphy’s character back, essentially bringing the story full circle. It’s also a traditional principle to bring back an original protagonist from the first instalment of a franchise. It closes the loop. I’m excited. This film put Murphy on the map and it’s great that he gets to revisit this character after all these years. It’s nostalgic, going back to your roots type of thing.
Slotherin
Slotherin - 5/18/2024, 9:28 AM
@TheSuperMex - I wouldn't mind the original ending being canonized as much as I like him as an actor.
28 Months would be cool to see somewhere
Slotherin
Slotherin - 5/18/2024, 9:29 AM
@TheMetaMan - franchises go back all the time, they could still also do 28 Months, granted now it would probably need done in another medium
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 5/18/2024, 9:51 AM
@TheSuperMex - I wish Murphy, the young girl, and the black woman he met would come back. I wanna see how they're doing.
TheMetaMan
TheMetaMan - 5/18/2024, 9:57 AM
@Slotherin - Netflix lol
TheSuperMex
TheSuperMex - 5/18/2024, 9:58 AM
@TheMetaMan - seeing 28 Months Later would show the fall of civilization around the world. That is what I would like to see.
TheSuperMex
TheSuperMex - 5/18/2024, 9:59 AM
@lazlodaytona - I wonder if they will bring back the other actors from the original?
TheMetaMan
TheMetaMan - 5/18/2024, 10:22 AM
@TheSuperMex - Explaining the fall of civilisation could be done in one swift flashback in 28 years later dude. Just saying.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 5/18/2024, 11:59 AM
@TheSuperMex - I truly hope so too
Slotherin
Slotherin - 5/18/2024, 12:10 PM
@TheMetaMan - Netflix sounds good. Could do a brief series or shorts or something set in that world.
It would be for worldbuilding but nothing vital.
As you pointed out, explaining the fall can be done rather swiftly in a flashback, so I think a non-obligatory series would be a good compromise for what @TheSuperMex desires
bobevanz
bobevanz - 5/18/2024, 9:23 AM
The first one is a masterpiece and really reinvigorated the genre. While the second one wasn't the best, that opening is a 5 star banger.
TheMetaMan
TheMetaMan - 5/18/2024, 9:27 AM
@bobevanz - 28 weeks later is underrated imo. Not superior to its predecessor but it’s a damn good successor and almost equal in most cases. Tonally and creatively it’s consistent with the original which I liked and the suspense never lets up. The sense of dread is maintained throughout. It never felt silly, or OTT or underwhelming or convoluted. I think it compliments the original film and should be deemed equal to it.
ReverseFlasher
ReverseFlasher - 5/18/2024, 9:29 AM
“We don't know how substantial Murphy's part will be, but it sounds like he may only have a small role in the first movie and then more to do in the follow-ups.”

This was my first thought seeing they announced his role in the sequel first. You can practically feel the producers/studios note: “But is there any way we can get Cillian in the first one too? Even just for a scene or two?”
Origame
Origame - 5/18/2024, 9:38 AM
Will he keep the haircut?
DocSpock
DocSpock - 5/18/2024, 9:44 AM

I am all in for this.

As long as the rage zombies aren't turned into deranged prostitute transgender left-handed anarchist Western civilization hating terrorist supporting criminal a$$holes who are just bent on destruction.




TheSuperMex
TheSuperMex - 5/18/2024, 10:00 AM
@DocSpock - no one wants to hear about your fetishes.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 5/18/2024, 10:07 AM
@TheSuperMex -

Dallas.
IAmAHoot
IAmAHoot - 5/18/2024, 9:50 AM
Consensus seems to be somewhere on this spectrum.

User Comment Image
DocSpock
DocSpock - 5/18/2024, 10:05 AM
@IAmAHoot -

Red eye was an excellent movie.

IAmAHoot
IAmAHoot - 5/18/2024, 10:09 AM
@DocSpock - I thought it was a pretty nifty little thriller. Type of movie I could put on anytime to either watch directly or have on in the background, and I'll always be satisfied.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 5/18/2024, 10:17 AM
@IAmAHoot -

I first saw it when I got stuck with old grunt Granddad babysitting detail with 2 nieces & my Grandweasel.(Ages 13-15) I took them to this & filled them with extra heinous junk food. We all loved the movie, and it was a masterstroke of revenge I got on their parents.

Sabre81
Sabre81 - 5/18/2024, 6:24 PM
@IAmAHoot - Or a movie you'd watch on a plane...
IAmAHoot
IAmAHoot - 5/18/2024, 10:20 PM
@Sabre81 - Legitimately, I don't think they'd show that movie on a plane. A year or so ago I was on a cross-country flight, and decided to watch Anchorman 2. If yo've seen the movie, you would hysterically know about Doby the shark, and I was excited to see those parts of the movie (it's literally the very opening). But every bit of Doby was entirely cut out. I had to imagine that they didn't want people thinking about sharks over open water, even on a flight over cross-country land. All the same, they ain't showing Red Eye.
Sabre81
Sabre81 - 5/19/2024, 1:15 AM
@IAmAHoot - They did?!? Oh yes I've seen Anchor-man 2 and would not even imagine the movie without the shark scenes. Yeah, why cut them out if you're going cross country! People are afraid just to be afraid.

I noticed the other day that the girl who gets eaten by the shark in the opening scene in Jaws died the other day. She was 77 years old so that's not a bad run.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 5/18/2024, 9:55 AM
Sign me up baby
dracula
dracula - 5/18/2024, 10:23 AM
Too bad they skipped 28 months later

What will come after years

28 Decades later
AnthonyVonGeek
AnthonyVonGeek - 5/18/2024, 7:07 PM
@dracula - they’ll do a prequel to 28 Years Later and call it 28 Months Later 🤣
dracula
dracula - 5/18/2024, 7:30 PM
@AnthonyVonGeek - then after that a prequel to the original

28 hours later

Where we learn the origin of the outbreak

?si=di5z3M-DKL6Z4MgL

Sandra bullock is patient zero
grif
grif - 5/18/2024, 1:52 PM
ticket bate. everyone knows him now.
marvel72
marvel72 - 5/18/2024, 1:58 PM
Should have held off the release of the movie until it was actually 28 Years Later.
Sabre81
Sabre81 - 5/18/2024, 6:25 PM
I liked Dracula. Pity I killed him. Boo [frick]ing hoo.
AnthonyVonGeek
AnthonyVonGeek - 5/18/2024, 7:08 PM
Loved the first 2 so I’m excited to see where the story goes and how messed up civilization will be.
Order66
Order66 - 5/19/2024, 10:55 AM
Idc. Give me Peaky Fooking Blinders instead.
seth3esq
seth3esq - 5/21/2024, 4:11 PM
I'm going to have to insist Naomi return as well. I said what I said

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