Cillian Murphy Returns to 28 Days Later Franchise in Upcoming Sequel The Bone Temple; See Details

Fans of the 28 Days Later series have exciting news. Cillian Murphy will return to the franchise after more than two decades. Director Danny Boyle confirmed Murphy will appear in the sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple set for release in January 2026.

Murphy played Jim, the lead character in the original 2002 film 28 Days Later. He will reprise his role in the second part of the new trilogy. The first film in the new series, 28 Years Later, arrives in theaters on June 20, 2025. Murphy serves as an executive producer for these new films.

“He is in the second one. I shouldn’t give away too much. I’ll get killed,” Boyle told IGN about Murphy’s return. The director also hinted Murphy will have a bigger role in the potential third film if the series continues. The team has planned a trilogy but needs the first film to succeed before making the final part.

The new trilogy follows different characters while keeping connections to the original story. Alfie Williams plays a 12-year-old boy named Spike who appears across all three films. Other new cast members include Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes. The team filmed the first two movies back-to-back for continuity.

28 Years Later takes place long after the rage virus outbreak shown in the first films. Survivors have formed small communities trying to live with the ongoing threat. The Bone Temple continues this story with Murphy’s character returning after his long absence from the series.

Murphy recently won an Oscar for his role in Oppenheimer. His return to the horror franchise has generated strong interest among fans. The first trailer for 28 Years Later became one of the most watched horror trailers ever with over 60 million views.

The original 28 Days Later became a cult classic for its fresh take on zombie movies. It showed a bicycle courier waking from a coma to find London empty due to a virus outbreak. The 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later continued the story but without Murphy’s character.

Sony Pictures now owns the rights to the franchise. They plan to release the films close together with just seven months between the first and second parts. The quick turnaround was possible because both movies were filmed at the same time.

Nia DaCosta directs The Bone Temple after working on Candyman and The Marvels. Boyle returns to direct the first film 28 Years Later. Writer Alex Garland, who created the original, wrote all three new scripts. The team aims to push the series in new directions while keeping what made it special.

“You know that thing about sequels, you want to push it on and take huge risks,” Boyle said about their approach. The studio supported their vision despite some unconventional choices like delaying Murphy’s return until the second film.

The budget for each new film is around $75 million. This is much higher than the original which cost only $8 million. The increased scale shows the studio’s confidence in the revived franchise.

Fans speculated about Murphy’s return after seeing the first trailer. Some thought they spotted him among the infected characters. Boyle clarified these rumors while keeping most details about Jim’s return secret.

The films shoot in various UK locations including Northumberland and Yorkshire. Crews used iPhone cameras along with traditional equipment for some scenes. This unusual technique follows Boyle’s experimental style from earlier projects.

Young Fathers composed the music for 28 Years Later, marking their first film score. Hildur Guðnadóttir will handle music for The Bone Temple. Both choices show the filmmakers’ interest in fresh creative voices.

Also Read: Cillian Murphy Explains Delay in Peaky Blinders Movie Development

With Murphy’s return confirmed, anticipation grows for both upcoming films. The June release of 28 Years Later will determine if the full trilogy gets made. Early reactions to the trailer suggest strong interest from horror fans worldwide.

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