Danny Boyle’s long-awaited zombie sequel 28 Years Later is one of the most anticipated movies of 2025. Here’s everything we know about the new installment.
28 Years Later is one of the most anticipated movies of 2025, and I’ll just go right ahead and proclaim it to be one of the year’s best and most exciting as well. And why wouldn’t it be? For starters, it’s going to drop us back into the gorgeously horrific post-apocalyptic world that director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland so eloquently (and terrifyingly) created in 28 Days Later (2002). It’ll also mark a huge moment we fast-zombie fans have been waiting over 20 years for: the reteaming of Boyle and Garland on a long-awaited sequel to the film that popularized the fast-zombie craze of the 21st Century. While both were somewhat involved with 2007’s 28 Weeks Later—an installment, not a sequel, the director and screenwriter stepped back from their traditional roles and instead served as executive producers. Now, they’re back together at the helm and are bringing us much more than just a long-awaited sequel. Here’s everything we know about 28 Years Later.
What’s the plot of 28 Years Later?
Details and set photos recently hit the scene suggesting that 28 Years Later will be set in Britain 28 years into this terrible ravenous Rage Virus plague. Many have hoped for a story focusing on the continuation of Jim’s life, our protagonist in 28 Days Later, but this new installment is taking a different approach and instead will follow a young boy seeking a doctor to help his dying mother. Both Boyle and Garland have described it as a coming-of-age British zombie movie—which, in thinking about it, is what 28 Days Later was in more ways than one.
On his quest, the boy leads his mother through, over, and across beautiful English terrain, but of course it is littered with The Infected, who hide out in the forests, hills, and woods. No doubt those moments will be hair-raising and heart-pounding. But the boy eventually finds a doctor, despite how very strange and odd he seems. Is this doctor a force for good, or is something more sinister lurking beneath the surface?
During an appearance on the ReelBlend podcast, Garland explained that the film will also explore slightly more subtle things to do with landscape and humans and nature: “It’s to do with the passage of time, and thinking about what effect the passage of time would have. … Is it what you would traditionally call a post-apocalyptic state? Or has something else begun to manifest? Time is really at the core of the engine of the film.”
While this synopsis implies that most of the movie will be set in the UK, recently released set photos showing a NATO soldier suggest that the nation has been unable to independently restore order, which, if you remember, mirrors a key storyline in 28 Weeks Later. While the ending of 28 Days Later gave an optimistic conclusion that suggested The Infected were no more, the virus returned in 28 Weeks Later, which saw the contained civilization crumble, London returned to chaos, and the virus spreading throughout Paris on its way for all of Europe. The questions now become: are there more asymptomatic hosts like we saw in Weeks and has the virus mutated? And if so, how?
Who is the cast of 28 Years Later?
Not only will Cillian Murphy reprise his role as Jim, but Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, and Erin Kellyman (Willow) will also star. And rumor also has it that Jack O’Connell (Unbroken) will star, but the word is mum on his role. There is supposed to be “a key mystery character” whose arc will expand and play out across a trilogy, so maybe it’s him.
I’m sorry, Keeley. What? A trilogy?
Yep, you heard me … and we’ll get to that in a second.
Back to Jodie Comer: Following her star-making and Emmy-winning role in Killing Eve, she has stayed busy starring in such films as Free Guy (2021) opposite Ryan Reynolds, in Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel (2021), and recently in The Bikeriders (2023) opposite Tom Hardy and Austin Butler.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is on fire right now following his scene-stealing role in Bullet Train (2022), and he will star in the upcoming Marvel pic Kraven the Hunter (2024). He’s also taking a bow on Christmas Day in upcoming gothic-horror pic Nosferatu.
It has been revealed that Oscar-nominated Ralph Fiennes will play the doctor. Fiennes is best known for his roles in The Constant Gardener (2005), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), The King’s Man (2021), and, of course, the Harry Potter franchise. He is always a joy to watch.
The cast of 28 Years Later is beginning to take shape, though character roles are still largely shrouded in mystery. We do know, though, that in addition to reprising his role as Jim, Murphy will also take on the role of executive producer alongside producers Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, and original 28 Days Later producer Andrew Macdonald. As it stands, Murphy is the only character from 28 Days Later confirmed to be returning while none of the cast from 28 Weeks Later are involved.
Now what’s this about 28 Years Later being a trilogy?
Yes, my friends, ‘tis true. Director Danny Boyle confirmed to Deadline that 28 Years Later is, yes, a sequel to 28 Days Later, but more importantly it’s also the first film in a new trilogy based on the iconic horror films he helped launch. Production on 28 Years Later began in May 2024 and wrapped recently in August. Immediately thereafter, producer Andrew Macdonald confirmed that the second installment in the trilogy was in production, suggesting that it will be a direct continuation of the events in Years.
The second installment of the trilogy will be called 28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Temple. Boyle only planned to direct 28 Years Later, so for the second film, he passed the torch over to Candyman and The Marvels director Nia DaCosta. Industry scoopers at Film Updates have confirmed that the second movie has already wrapped production, so there’s a hot chance we’re looking at closely released titles. To secure story cohesion, Garland wrote the screenplays for both installments of 28 Years Later and is slated to write the last trilogy entry as well. As of now, no plot deets are available for The Bone Temple, but you know as soon as they are, we’ll be letting you know.
When will 28 Years Later be released?
Sony Pictures has officially announced that 28 Years Later will hit theaters on June 20, 2025. The zombie threequel’s date officially puts it in theaters just in time for the franchise’s 22-year anniversary in the United States, with the original 28 Days Later having first seen its domestic release on June 27, 2003. Before seeing 28 Years Later though, we highly recommend you refamiliarize (or familiarize) yourself with the story, fear, horror, beauty, nightmares, humanity, and overall messages embedded in 28 Days Later. Just like in Days, I’d say to expect plenty of adrenaline, excitement, intense drama, heart-pounding action and thrills, and, of course, that breathtaking aesthetic juxtaposition of beauty and horror Boyle is known for manifesting. Expect 28 Years Later to revitalize and re-popularize the fast-zombie craze in a major way.
Is there a trailer yet?
A teaser trailer, yes, and it looks intense. We’re eating our popcorn, counting down the days, so stay tuned!
28 Years Later will be released globally in theaters on June 20, 2025. Keep an eye on this page for more updates!
