28 Years Later has begun filming in England. What else can we learn about Danny Boyle’s new trilogy?
Fans of the 2002 movie 28 Days Later and its follow-up 28 Weeks Later have been ready seventeen years for an additional entry within the franchise, hoping we’d sometime see a film known as 28 Months Later. We’re not getting that one, however 28 Days Later director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland are at the moment engaged on reviving the franchise, they usually’re going to make this revival well worth the wait. Not solely are we getting a brand new film known as 28 Years Later, however we’re really getting an entire trilogy of sequels! Sony has reported that the movie is about for a June twentieth, 2025 launch date. The movie started capturing in late May across the Northeast of England. But what else can we learn about this 28 Years Later sequel trilogy.
LONG IN THE WORKS
Way again in 2009, we heard that Paul Andrew Williams (The Cottage) was on board to direct 28 Months Later… however that challenge didn’t make it into manufacturing. Since then, we’ve heard Boyle and Garland point out 28 Months Later each occasionally. They would say there was an ideal thought for the sequel, then later say it’d by no means occur. In a 2022 interview, Boyle stated Garland had already written the script, and it’d lastly be the time to make it right into a film. In the center of 2023, the collaborators confirmed to Inverse that they had been having severe talks concerning the sequel, which they had been calling 28 Years Later. Garland stated, “A number of years in the past an thought materialized in my head for what can be actually 28 Years Later. Danny all the time preferred the thought.“ Boyle added, “So we’re speaking about it fairly severely, fairly diligently. If he doesn’t need to direct it himself I’ll be effectively up for it if we will execute a equally good thought.“
28 Weeks Later wasn’t as profitable as its predecessor, making $65.8 million on a finances of $15 million vs. 28 Days Later‘s $84.6 million on a budget of $8 million. That’s a part of the explanation why one other sequel hasn’t occurred sooner – together with the truth that Garland wasn’t overly happy with the 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later, which he didn’t write. Garland informed Inverse, “I resisted [making a sequel] for a very long time as a result of there have been issues about 28 Weeks that bugged me. I simply thought, ‘F*ck that. I’d somewhat attempt to write a special story in a special world.’“ Now he’s prepared to write down not only one however three new tales within the 28 Days Later world. No plot particulars have been revealed.
DIRECTORS
Alex Garland is predicted to write down the scripts for all three of the 28 Years Later motion pictures, however apparently didn’t need to direct them. Danny Boyle will solely be directing the primary one. For the second movie, presumably titled 28 Years Later Part 2, he’ll be passing the helm over to The Marvels and Candyman director Nia DaCosta. Production on DaCosta’s sequel will start instantly after Boyle wraps filming on his. They wished to have the sequel director signed on earlier than filming on the primary film begins, as they need to “make sure each director is on the same page in regard to the story while also having time to bring their own vision to life.”
CILLIAN MURPHY
In 28 Days Later, Cillian Murphy performed bicycle courier Jim, who wakes up from a coma to search out himself in an apocalyptic England (type of much like the beginning of The Walking Dead, which started in comedian e book kind across the similar time the film was launched) that’s overrun by individuals who have been contaminated by a rage virus. Boyle and Garland went by a number of endings for the movie earlier than touchdown on the one movie-goers noticed in theatres – and that ending was the one one the place Jim survived. So he’s nonetheless on the market, able to reside by one other rage virus nightmare 28 years later. If Boyle and Garland determine to place him within the story.
While doing the press rounds for Oppenheimer final 12 months, the Oscar profitable Murphy informed Collider, “I was talking to Danny Boyle recently, and I said, ‘Danny, we shot the movie at the end of 2000.’ So I think we’re definitely approaching the 28 Years Later. But like I’ve always said, I’m up for it. I’d love to do it. If Alex [Garland] thinks there’s a script in it and Danny wants to do it, I’d love to do it.“ Despite the fact that Murphy is willing to reprise the role of Jim and is returning as an executive producer on 28 Years Later, we still haven’t heard confirmation that he’ll actually be in the movie. While talking to Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast a couple months ago, Murphy said (with thanks to Coming Soon for the transcription), “It’s for (Danny Boyle and Alex Garland) to speak about, I suppose, but I think it’s been brewing for a while. The first movie was so important for me, as an actor. I love working with those guys. Alex has an idea. And Danny directing is just huge. Watch this space.”
In the tip, it appears to be like as if Murphy will probably be again, with Sony chief Tom Rothman teasing his return to the franchise in a “surprising way”.
WILL JIM BE ONE OF THE INFECTED?
While some may assume meaning Jim has change into one of many contaminated within the 28 years for the reason that first movie, the actor did point out that his return will probably be in a means that grows. Presumably, meaning he’ll have a smaller position within the first film of the trilogy, however play a much bigger half within the subsequent two movies. That doesn’t imply he WON’T be contaminated although, because it’s attainable Jim might play a member of the contaminated who begins to regain his humanity, sort of in a means that might pay tribute to probably the most well-known zombie of the all, Day of the Dead‘s Bub.
CAST
While we wait to listen to what Murphy’s position will probably be, different casting information has been popping up. Industry scooper Daniel Richtman had shared the rumor that Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) and Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy) had been in talks to play the lead roles. Deadline has since reported that they’ve heard Comer is certainly within the solid, together with Aaron Taylor-Johnson (The Fall Guy) and Ralph Fiennes (Skyfall). There has been no additional phrase about Hunnam’s involvement, and it appears to be like like he’s not on the docket. However, lately Jack O’Connell (Unbroken) was added to the solid in a supporting position, with the excitement being that his character is supposed to emerge as a lead in follow-up motion pictures. Details on the characters these actors is likely to be enjoying are, in fact, being stored underneath wraps.
DISTRIBUTION
There was a bidding struggle over the distribution rights to the 28 Years Later trilogy, with Warner Bros. and Sony rising as the ultimate opponents – and Sony taking the win ultimately. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Each movie will have a budget in the $60 million range but it’s unclear how goalposts or compensation may have changed during the high-stakes negotiations. A theatrical release was of great import to the filmmakers.” Sony had an edge on this race on account of the truth that it’s headed up by Tom Rothman, who was once at Fox and labored with Boyle on eight completely different motion pictures there. Release dates haven’t but been introduced.
Boyle and Garland are producing 28 Years Later. Bernie Bellew can also be producing, as are unique producer Andrew Macdonald, and Peter Rice, who was the pinnacle of Fox Searchlight Pictures when that firm backed 28 Days Later. As talked about, Murphy is government producing.
And that’s every little thing we all know concerning the 28 Years Later trilogy at this level. Are you trying ahead to those movies? Let us know by leaving a remark beneath.
