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28 Years Later
2025 film by Danny Boyle From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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28 Years Later is a 2025 post-apocalyptic coming-of-age[6][7][8] horror film produced and directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland. The third instalment in the 28 Days Later film series, following 28 Days Later (2002) and 28 Weeks Later (2007), it stars Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams in his feature film debut, and Ralph Fiennes.
Plans for a third film began shortly after the release of 28 Weeks Later. The project had numerous delays over the years regarding conflicts over the franchise film rights, stalling it into development hell. It gained traction in 2024, when series producer Andrew Macdonald bought the rights to the first film back from Searchlight Pictures, which he then sold to Sony Pictures on the provision the studio agreed to fund sequels. 28 Years Later marks the returns of Boyle, Garland and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle to the series, all of whom worked on the first film, with original star Cillian Murphy also serving as executive producer. It was shot back-to-back with its sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, set to be released in January 2026.
28 Years Later was released in the United Kingdom and the United States by Columbia Pictures through Sony Pictures Releasing on 20 June 2025. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and has grossed $150.4 million worldwide against its budget of $60 million.
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Plot
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In 2002, during the initial outbreak of the Rage virus,[a] a young boy named Jimmy Crystal flees his house in the Scottish Highlands as his family are attacked by the infected. He takes refuge in the local church with his father, a minister, but finds him praying in ecstasy, since he interprets the virus as a harbinger of the end times and the Day of Judgement. Jimmy's father bequeaths him a cross necklace and helps him to safety before submitting to the infected as they break in.
Twenty-eight years after its second outbreak,[b] the Rage virus has been eradicated from continental Europe, while the British Isles remain under indefinite quarantine with few survivors. A civilised community has subsisted on the holy island of Lindisfarne, defended naturally from Great Britain by a causeway that floods with the tide. Among them are Jamie, a scavenger; his wife, Isla, who has an unknown mentally debilitating illness; and their 12-year-old son, Spike. Jamie and Spike cross to mainland Britain for a coming-of-age hunting ritual.
On the mainland, the pair find an infected tied up and branded with the name "Jimmy", and they encounter a large pack of infected led by an "Alpha", an evolved infected that is stronger and more intelligent. They are forced into taking shelter overnight in the attic of a run-down cottage, where Spike observes foreign boats on quarantine patrol and a fire further inland. When the attic suddenly collapses, the Alpha pursues Jamie and Spike across the partially inundated causeway, until the village sentries defeat it with a ballista.
The village throws a party for Spike to celebrate his first kill. Spike becomes upset at Jamie's embellishment of their trip and leaves, discovering Jamie's affair with Rosie, the village schoolteacher. Back at home, he discusses the fire with family friend Sam, who reveals the existence of Dr Ian Kelson, a former GP in exile. The next morning, Spike confronts Jamie over his unwillingness to seek medical care for Isla and his infidelity. Jamie insists that Kelson, who he once witnessed burning corpses in an apparently ritualistic manner, is too mentally unstable to help. Unconvinced, Spike escapes the island with Isla.
The next day, Spike and Isla are rescued from a pack of infected by Swedish Navy seaman Erik Sundqvist, the sole survivor from a stranded NATO quarantine patrol boat, who joins their expedition. Isla discovers a pregnant infected and helps it to deliver an uninfected baby girl. A paranoid Erik shoots the infected mother and threatens to kill Isla and Spike alongside the newborn if they do not let him kill it, believing it to be infected, but the Alpha father appears and decapitates him.
Dr Kelson appears and subdues the Alpha, who he has named Samson, with a blowgun and morphine-xylazine dart. Kelson leads the group to a monument he has constructed out of human bones recovered from cremation. He explains the funerary concept of memento mori, expresses his disappointment at the villagers' misunderstanding of his undertaker-like efforts, and incorporates Erik's skull into the monument.
Examining Isla in the night, Kelson deduces that she has terminal cancer. As Spike struggles with the news, Kelson consoles him, advising him memento amoris - "remember you must love". Isla accepts her mortality and arranges her euthanasia, after which Kelson gives her skull to Spike to stand at the top of the monument.
When Samson infiltrates the sanctuary, Spike fends him off, saving Kelson's life. Kelson encourages Spike to go home with the infant. Instead, Spike leaves her at the village gate and returns to the mainland, still disillusioned. Jamie reads a note from Spike that reveals he has named the girl after Isla and promises he will return when he is ready. Jamie tries to follow but is blocked by the rising tide.
Twenty-eight days later, as Spike is pursued by a pack of infected, he is rescued by a cult styled after tracksuit-wearing Jimmy Savile,[9] and greeted by their leader, an adult Jimmy, with his now-inverted cross necklace.
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Cast
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- Alfie Williams as Spike, Jamie and Isla's 12-year-old son
- Jodie Comer as Isla, Jamie's wife who is battling a mysterious illness
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Jamie, a scavenger and Isla's husband
- Ralph Fiennes as Dr Ian Kelson, a former doctor and survivor of the outbreak
- Edvin Ryding as Erik Sundqvist, a Swedish soldier
- Chi Lewis-Parry as "Samson", a physically imposing Alpha leader of the infected[10]
- Christopher Fulford as Sam, a friend of Jamie's and a resident on the island
- Stella Gonet as Jenny, a member of the island's leadership council
- Jack O'Connell as Sir Jimmy Crystal, the leader of the Jimmy Savile-inspired "Jimmy" cult and a survivor of the original outbreak
- Rocco Haynes as Young Jimmy Crystal
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Production
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Development
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28 Years Later saw the returns of Danny Boyle and Alex Garland to their respective roles as director and screenwriter from 28 Days Later. Cillian Murphy, who portrayed the lead role of Jim in 28 Days Later, returned as an executive producer.
In June 2007, Fox Atomic confirmed development on a third 28 Days Later film, dependent upon the financial performance of 28 Weeks Later following its home video release.[11] In July of the same year, Danny Boyle said that the story for a third instalment had been mapped out.[12] By October 2010, Alex Garland stated that due to differences involving the film rights, the project had been delayed.[13] In January 2011, Boyle stated that he believed the project would be realised, confirming further developments for the story.[14] By April 2013, however, the filmmaker expressed uncertainty as to whether the movie would be made.[15] In January 2015, Garland addressed the project's status, confirming that while it had fallen into development hell there were serious discussions going on behind the scenes to produce the project. Reiterating that development was progressing, he stated that the script he was working on was tentatively titled 28 Months Later.[16] In June 2019, Boyle confirmed that he and Garland had been working on the third instalment.[17] In March 2020, Imogen Poots expressed interest in reprising her role from 28 Weeks Later,[18] followed by Cillian Murphy in May 2021.[19]
In November 2022, Boyle, Garland and Murphy all indicated their interest in making a sequel to 28 Days Later.[20] In June 2023, Boyle and Garland expressed in collaboration their intentions to "seriously" and "diligently" see the project enter production; while announcing that the script was now titled 28 Years Later, acknowledging the years it had taken to be developed. Boyle stated that he would like to serve as director, unless Garland chooses to.[21] By July of the same year, Murphy stated that he had recently discussed the possibility of a third film with Boyle; once again expressing interest in reprising his role if Boyle and Garland return to the franchise in their creative roles.[22]
In January 2024, it was announced that a third film titled 28 Years Later was officially in development; with plans for the project to be the first of a new trilogy of sequels. Danny Boyle directed the first instalment, with a script written by Alex Garland; while the latter will also write the scripts for each of the planned sequels. Boyle, Garland, Andrew Macdonald, and Peter Rice will serve as producers.[23][24] In February of the same year, Murphy discussed his potential involvement with the project; that same month, Macdonald had bought back the rights to the first film from Searchlight Pictures, promptly selling it to Sony Pictures for future distribution, as well as rights to future sequels.[c][25][26][27] In March 2024, Garland confirmed that he is writing a trilogy of sequel films.[28] The following month, Garland stated the film Kes was a major influence on his work for 28 Years Later.[29] Murphy was revealed as an executive producer later that month.[30]
The film was produced by Columbia Pictures,[31] and DNA Films,[32] with funding support from TSG Entertainment.
Casting
In April 2024, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer and Ralph Fiennes were cast to star,[33] with Jack O'Connell joining the cast in May.[34] It was initially reported that Cillian Murphy would reprise his role as Jim,[35][36] but in January 2025 the film's producer Andrew Macdonald confirmed he would not appear, though he remains an executive producer.[37] Erin Kellyman was added to the cast in June 2024.[38]
Filming
Principal photography began on 7 May 2024 in Northumberland,[39][40] with Anthony Dod Mantle serving as the cinematographer.[41] Filming wrapped on 29 July.[42]
The film was primarily shot using an iPhone 15 Pro Max,[43] in addition to action cameras, drones, and other digital and film cameras.[44] The use of small digital cameras harks back to filming the original 28 Days Later using the Canon XL-1 digital camcorder, which was manoeuvrable enough to film the deserted locales within the time limits allowed by officials.[43] The film was shot in a 2.76:1 aspect ratio, reminiscent of productions using Ultra Panavision 70, which was chosen to emphasise the unpredictability of the infected and to heighten tension by compelling viewers to "keep scanning" the wide frame.[45] Scenes were shot at 4K resolution at up to 60 frames per-second, and in some scenes the actors performed their own camera work.[46] Some shots employed a bullet time effect, created using a custom-built circular rig equipped with eight to twenty iPhone cameras.[45] This setup also allowed scenes to be filmed from multiple angles simultaneously, giving Boyle greater flexibility during editing.[45] Boyle explained that using iPhones allowed the crew to film with minimal equipment, providing easier access to the rural landscapes of Northumberland while minimising environmental impact and helping to preserve the area's natural appearance.[46] The iPhone's default camera software posed some challenges for filming because its automatic focus tended to prioritise the brightest or most prominent object in the frame rather than the intended point of dramatic focus, requiring manual overrides to achieve the desired cinematic effect.[46]
Filming mainly took place in the north of England, in the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber regions. Locations include Lindisfarne off the Northumberland Coast, Hexham, Bellingham, Kielder Forest, Rothbury (Northumberland), Newcastle upon Tyne (Tyne and Wear), Waskerley (County Durham), Melsonby, Ripon, Fountains Abbey, Aysgarth Falls, Redmire (North Yorkshire) and Bradford (West Yorkshire).[47][48][49][50][51] Some scenes were filmed at Plankey Mill Farm, near Langley and Bardon Mill (Northumberland).[48] In addition, some filming took place in Cheddar Gorge in Somerset in South West England.[52]
Although the real Sycamore Gap tree was felled by vandals in 2023, it was digitally reconstructed through visual effects for the film, as within the film's alternate timeline the vandalism is presumed to never have taken place.[53]
Music
In May 2025, Young Fathers was confirmed in composing the film's soundtrack, succeeding previous composer John Murphy.[54] The soundtrack was released on Milan Records on 20 June 2025.[citation needed]
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Release
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28 Years Later premiered in a special day-ahead preview on 19 June 2025 at the Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle upon Tyne, attended by director Boyle and local actor Williams, as well numerous crew, service providers and extras from across the surrounding Northumberland area who were involved in the location shooting of the film.[55] It was released in the United Kingdom, United States and Canada by Sony Pictures Releasing on 20 June 2025.[56]
The first trailer was released on 10 December 2024.[57] It features the 1903 poem "Boots" by Rudyard Kipling, recited by American actor Taylor Holmes in 1915. The trailer became #1 trending on YouTube, and in 48 hours had over 10 million views. Stuart Heritage, the film critic for The Guardian, particularly noted the use of Holmes's spoken-word recording of "Boots" and commented: "As of now, though, it's just about the most exciting film of 2025. And this is entirely down to its trailer."[58][59] The trailer's viral success led to Sony's decision to re-release the original 28 Days Later film on digital platforms on 18 December 2024.[60]
28 Years Later was released on digital platforms by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on July 29, 2025, and will be released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on September 23, 2025.
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Reception
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Box office
As of August 3, 2025, 28 Years Later grossed $70.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $80 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $150.4 million.[61][62]
In the United States and Canada, 28 Years Later was released alongside Elio, and was expected to gross around $30 million in its opening weekend from 3,444 theatres, with some estimates going as high as $45 million.[63][3] The film made $14 million on its first day, including $5.8 million from Thursday previews.[64] It ended up debuting to $30 million, finishing second behind holdover How to Train Your Dragon and becoming the highest opening weekend of the franchise.[65]
Critical response
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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of 373 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "28 Years Later taps into contemporary anxieties with the ferocious urgency of someone infected with Rage Virus, delivering a haunting and visceral thrill ride that defies expectations."[66] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 56 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[67] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale, while 52% of those surveyed PostTrak said they would definitely recommend it.[64]
Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph gave the film 5/5 stars, writing, "Call it Disemb-owell and Pressburger: an unholy hybrid of A Canterbury Tale and Cannibal Holocaust which Boyle was perhaps uniquely placed to pull off, and which stands as his finest film since 2008's Slumdog Millionaire".[68] Ed Potton of The Times also gave it 5/5 stars, writing, "The sense of hallucinogenic sweatiness won't be to everyone's taste but [Garland] and Boyle should be applauded for taking such big swings and having the flair and confidence to pull them off. It's an astonishing piece of work."[69] Rolling Stone's David Fear wrote, "Whether it all comes together as a satisfactory whole or is merely a sum-of-parts extension with little more to say is anyone's guess. Taken on its own, however, Boyle and Garland's trip back to this hellscape makes the most of casting a jaundiced, bloodshot eye at our current moment."[70]
The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey gave it 3/5 stars, describing it as "a post-Brexit, COVID-19-conscious take on this world, with ideas about nationalism, isolationism, and weaponised culture added to the mix. But it's punchy and simple once again."[71]
Kyle Smith of The Wall Street Journal was more critical, writing, "Mr. Boyle has made more than his share of memorable films, but he has also delivered some stinkers and unfortunately his new one carries the fragrance of a zombie underarm."[72] Adam Graham of The Detroit News gave it a D grade, calling it "an uneven mix of horror movie gnarliness and human melancholia that never finds even ground or a consistent tone, and may make viewers reel from genre whiplash."[73]
Rotten Tomatoes lists the film on its 100 Best Zombie Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer.[74]
Accolades
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Sequel
In April 2024, Nia DaCosta was reportedly in negotiations to direct a sequel to the film, the second part of a planned trilogy, with Boyle, Garland, Macdonald, Rice, and Bernie Bellew attached as producers.[80] In June 2024, via a copyright filing, the title of the film was seemingly revealed to be 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.[81][82]
On 18 August 2024, during a talk at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Macdonald confirmed DaCosta would be directing the sequel and said that principal photography was set to begin the following day. Macdonald also talked about potential plans for a third 28 Years Later film, saying "we hope there is going to be a third part" and "there is a trilogy".[83]
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Notes
- As depicted in 28 Days Later (2002)
- As depicted in 28 Weeks Later (2007)
- Film rights to Weeks remain at 20th Century Studios.
See also
References
External links
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