Sony Moving Forward with Third ‘28 Years Later’ Movie

The news comes on the heels of positive buzz about the second, ‘28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,’ and Alex Garland is now writing the third script.

(L to R) Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his son Spike (Alfie Williams) in Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later'. Photo: Sony Pictures. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Preview:

Sony is giving the thumbs up to a third ‘28 Years Later’ movie.
Alex Garland is writing the script.
Cillian Murphy may appear in the film.

Good news for anyone who enjoyed director Danny Boyle’s return to the world of ‘28 Days Later’ with this year’s ‘28 Years Later’: he and collaborator Alex Garland will get to complete their trilogy, according to Deadline.

The news comes as studio backers Sony are seeing very positive early buzz for the second film in the planned trilogy, ‘28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,’ directed by Nia DaCosta.

What’s the story of ‘28 Years Later’?

(L to R) Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his son Spike (Alfie Williams) in Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later'. Photo: Sony Pictures.

‘28 Years Later,’ as the title suggests, picks up nearly three decades since London –– and the rest of the UK–– was overtaken by a virus that turned its victims into rage-filled monsters who savage their victims in 2002's '28 Days Later'.

While the “Z” word is never used, the Infected, for all their fast speed, are certainly a take on the zombie genre.

‘28 Weeks Later’, which was directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, picked up the story months later as the country is slowly cleared of the infected, with evacuated civilians returning –– even as the danger persists.
Boyle’s recent movie explores what life is like for the people who are making a go of living in the country –– and the fact that while the Infected are still a threat, the original movie’s theme of man’s inhumanity to man, even in the case of a unifying situation, also emerges.

The story of young Spike (Alfie Williams), the main survivor we met in that film will continue in the ‘Bone Temple’ alongside that of Ralph Fiennes’ Dr. Kelson, who has his own dealings with the infected. And it’ll also have more of a focus on the weird Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell), the weird warrior who pops up at the end.

Who is involved in the third ‘28 Years Later’ movie?

Cillian Murphy in 2002's '28 Days Later.' Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Alongside the returning cast, Garland –– who has written and produced the movies so far –– is back on script duty, and there is the distinct possibility that Boyle might also direct this one.

Plus, Oscar winner Cillian Murphy –– who played Jim in the original ‘28 Days Later’ (and –– spoiler alert –– shows up in ‘The Bone Temple’) is likely to have a meatier role in the new film.

When will the third ‘28 Years Later’ movie be in theaters?

The third movie has yet to be formally announced by Sony, but since ‘The Bone Temple’ was shot shortly after ‘28 Years Later,’ that will be in cinemas sooner rather than later: January 16, to be exact.

Nia DaCosta (director, '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple') at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.