28 YEARS LATER Producer Reveals Whether Cillian Murphy Returns As Jim; Danny Boyle Will Direct Third Movie

28 YEARS LATER Producer Reveals Whether Cillian Murphy Returns As Jim; Danny Boyle Will Direct Third Movie

We finally have a definitive update on Cillian Murphy's 28 Years Later status, along with new details about this movie and Danny Boyle's plans to helm the planned third instalment (on one condition...).

By JoshWilding - Jan 10, 2025 09:01 AM EST
Filed Under: Horror
Source: Empire (via Fear HQ)

When the first trailer for 28 Years Later was unleashed, it's fair to say almost everyone convinced themselves into believing they'd spotted Cillian Murphy as one of the rage-infected zombies. 

That was later debunked, of course, but will we see Murphy's Jim in Danny Boyle's long-awaited follow-up to 28 Days Later and - the slightly less well-received - 28 Weeks Later? Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like this movie is going to mark an on-screen reunion for the actor and filmmaker. 

Producer Andrew Macdonald tells Empire Online (via FearHQ.com), "[On] this, we wanted him to be involved and he wanted to be involved. He is not in the first film, but I’m hoping there will be some Jim somewhere along the line."

"He’s involved at the moment as an executive producer," Macdonald adds, "and I would hope we can work with him in some way in the future in the trilogy." That means he could appear in Nia DaCosta's already-shot sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple or a third instalment which, according to the site, will be helmed by Boyle and hinges on the sequel's success.

"This is very narratively ambitious. Danny and I understood that," writer Alex Garland noted. "We tried to condense it, but its natural form felt like a trilogy."

Apparently, when 28 Years Later begins, the UK's survivors have been left to fend for themselves with the rest of the globe left relatively unaffected. The action takes place on Holy Island, a.k.a. Lindisfarne, an island connected to the UK mainland by a causeway that's only accessible when the tide comes in. 

Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Jamie, Jodi Comer's Isla, and their 12-year-old son Spike (played by Alfie Williams) will be the movie's leads. 

"It’s a closed and necessarily very tight community," Boyle revealed. "There are very strict defence laws, obviously, to survive that long in what is effectively an ongoing hostile environment. They’ve created a successful community, as they see it." However, when Spike is taken to see what's become of his home country, things - unsurprisingly - go badly wrong.

Back to Murphy and and Boyle admitted that he might have made a mistake including a zombie in the trailer who looks so similar to Jim. 

"I showed my girlfriend the trailer and she said, 'People will think that’s Cillian,'" the director recalled. "I said, 'Don’t be silly.' I ignored her. So I’ve eaten a bit of humble pie since."

28 Years Later arrives in theaters on June 20, 2025. You can check out a new look at Ralph Fiennes' survivor in the X post below.

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KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 1/10/2025, 9:14 AM
I was about to say "Chandler, ya gotta stop this 💩."

Josh, ya gotta stop this 💩.

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Conquistador
Conquistador - 1/10/2025, 9:16 AM
I'm looking forward to the movie, but i really am starting to dislike studios planning trilogies before the first one has even been seen to be appreciated or hated.

It is what it is i guess.
Apophis71
Apophis71 - 1/10/2025, 9:30 AM
@Conquistador - Double edged sword, if you have a story you feel needs a trilogy what do you do, make one that is completely self contained which may hinder that longer narrative (plus may be a weaker, less well recieved first film as as result) and make the next couple feel like milking the cow IF the first makes enough to greenlight them or do you intentionaly set them up (and pre-announce) as a three part story from the get go where the first is obviously a first act not it's own standalone thing.

In regard to this however, it is already the third film not the first so not exactly the same scenario as a completely new IP. Similar goes with Dune, they tried making a single standalone film of the first book and it is so lore heavy failed, badly (even if I still enjoyed it) so next time around set out from the start to split the same story into two films with the plan to follow up with a third film for what comes next (again differs from a new IP as was an established one with several original books and several times more canon to them by other authors).
Conquistador
Conquistador - 1/10/2025, 9:56 AM
@Apophis71 - Dune part one did not fail, and that is a prime example of how to do it.

It was never marketed as part 1. If you were blind to all the promotions and reviews you only found out after sitting down to watch the movie.

I enjoyed it too, but it's Box Office response was a casualty of the pandemic and WB choosing to release it on HBOMAX on the same day as cinemas.

I know it's not the first, but the last one was nearly 20 years ago.

If they're a good story teller they can make a self contained film, with an open ending that can lead into an even better sequel. That way the hype and interest can starts fresh for the next one rather than right before the first one was even shot.
HashTagSwagg
HashTagSwagg - 1/10/2025, 9:17 AM
The kid and Kraven's pregnant lady who gives birth at some point will meet a hooded blue eyes white dragon by the end of the movie and at the beginning of the second film Kraven's lady will hand blue eyes the baby and he will toss it over the cliff like Mark Hamill tossed that lightsaber.
UncleHarm1
UncleHarm1 - 1/10/2025, 9:53 AM
@HashTagSwagg - Is "hooded blue eyes white dragon" some kind of yugioh euphemism for a penis?
HagridsHole1
HagridsHole1 - 1/10/2025, 9:57 AM
We've already seen him filming scenes for both the first film and the second...
DocSpock
DocSpock - 1/10/2025, 9:58 AM

Sometimes it's best to be drunk and not understand anything. I will go see the movie and hope it's good.

JayLemle
JayLemle - 1/10/2025, 11:00 AM
The creators managed to give us a new trilogy for a 20-something year old film. I think they can find some screentime for Cilian Murphy.

On a side note, I'm HOPING Nia's Part II will be good. While I thought The Marvel's was ok, I realized I got caught up in the DeCosta hype. The Marvels really is a miss. I don't want that bad magic crossing into Part II.

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