28 Years Later: Danny Boyle Will Direct Third Movie, Cillian Murphy’s Involvement Clarified
plans to direct the third movie in the new trilogy.
28 Years Later — which serves as a sequel to 2002’s 28 Days Later and 2007’s 28 Weeks Later — will be released in theaters in June 2025. Directed by Boyle (who helmed the first entry in the franchise), the movie stars Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, and more.
28 Years Later is intended to be the first film in a new trilogy of movies. The sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, is being helmed by Nia DaCosta, who previously made 2018’s Little Woods, 2021’s Candyman, and 2023’s The Marvels.
According to Empire Magazine, Boyle plans to return to direct the third, still untitled movie in the trilogy; however, that movie won’t go into production until 2025’s 28 Years Later is released.
When the 28 Years Later trailer was released, fans were convinced they spotted Cillian Murphy’s Jim character as one of the infected. It was later revealed that this is not Murphy and, instead, a different character played by Angus Neill.
It was previously announced that Murphy is executive producing 28 Years Later. Sony Motion Pictures Group’s Tom Rothman also told Deadline in May 2024 that Murphy will be back “in a surprising way” for the sequel.
Now, however, producer Andrew Macdonald told Empire Magazine that Murphy’s character won’t be in Boyle’s 2025 movie.
“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,” MacDonald said. “He’s involved at the moment as an executive producer, and I would hope we can work with him in some way in the future in the trilogy.”
28 Years Later will be released in United States theaters on June 20, 2025, from Sony Pictures Releasing. Nia DaCosta’s The Bone Temple follows on January 16, 2026.
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