Will Cillian Murphy Appear in 28 Years Later? All About the Third Installment in the Zombie Franchise — and Its New A-List Cast

It’s been 21 years since the Rage virus ravaged the world 28 days later.

Luckily, fans won’t have to wait much longer to see how much of humanity survives when the infection returns on June 20, 2025 in the upcoming film 28 years later.

Director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland teamed up to create the original 2003 zombie apocalypse film starring then-unknown actor Cillian Murphy. Although they acted only as producers on the independent sequel from 2007 28 weeks later (directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, who wrote the screenplay with Rowan Joffé, Enrique López Lavigne and Jesus Olma), The Hollywood Reporter confirmed in January 2024 that Boyle and Garland were returning for a third installment.

But 28 years later is not just a sequel 28 days later, it’s also the start of a whole new trilogy.

“We’re doing, hopefully, three more 28 films with the first so-called 28 years later”, said producer Andrew Macdonald during the Edinburgh International Film Festival in August 2024, po THR. “Then we’re just starting, tomorrow morning, actually, the second part. And then hopefully there will be a third part and it will be a trilogy.”

After years of wondering what happened to the original survivors, news of a third installment left fans with more questions than answers. Here’s everything we know about it so far 28 years later — and whether Murphy will reprise his role as Jim.

What is 28 years later about?

Aaron Taylor Johnson as Jamie in ’28 Years Later’ (2025).

Sony pictures

Set exactly 10,228 days after a rage-inducing virus escaped from a biological weapons factory and toppled the foundations of modern society, 28 years later follows a group of survivors in quarantine on a heavily guarded island in Britain. They, like other small factions around the world, have managed to find a way to live among the infected.

But when one man ventures on a mission to an unsheltered land, he “uncovers the secrets, wonders and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but also the other survivors,” according to the film’s synopsis. As the ominous tagline suggests, “Time hasn’t healed anything.”

One of the film’s stars, Ralph Fiennes, gave a little more insight into the plot in an October 2024 interview. IndieWire. he said 28 years later sees a boy looking for a doctor to help his dying mother.

“He’s taking his mother through this beautiful terrain of northern England,” Fiennes said. “But of course, those around them who are hiding in the woods and hills and forests are infected. But he finds a doctor who is a man who we might think would be strange and unusual, but actually the power is good.”

Is Cillian Murphy there? 28 years later?

Director Danny Boyle, stars Naomie Harris and Cillian Murphy and producer Andrew Macdonald at the premiere of the film ’28 Days Later’ at the new Odeon Kingston cinema in the UK.

Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty

In the 2003 film, Murphy played Jim, a bike porter who wakes up from a coma after the start of an epidemic. He wasn’t in there 28 weeks later and although some fans believed that he appeared as a zombie in the trailer for the upcoming film, producer Andrew Macdonald told Empire that Murphy is not in 28 years later.

“[On] this, we wanted him involved and he wanted to be involved. He’s not in the first movie, but I hope there will be some Jim somewhere along the line,” Macdonald said in January 2025.

According to Macdonald, Murphy is “currently involved as an executive producer” and the producer hopes that “we can work with [Murphy] kind of in the future in the trilogy.”

What new cast members are joining 28 years later?

Aaron Taylor-Johnson attends “Kraven The Hunter” at Espacio G69 on December 3, 2024 in Madrid; Ralph Fiennes at the premiere of “The Return” at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on December 3, 2024 in New York City; Jodie Comer attends the 27th SCAD Savannah Film Festival on November 2, 2024 in Savannah, GA.

Patricia J. Garcinuno/WireImage; Dominik Bindl/Getty; Dia Dipasupil/Getty

Several big names are coming to the franchise. Starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Fiennes 28 years later as a trio of survivors fighting for their future.

Comer said Total movie in May 2024 that she was “struck” when she saw the first film in the franchise.

“I remember seeing 28 days later and I was so amazed at how it was so rooted in reality, and it was more about exploring us as a species and our behavior and how we react,” Killing Eve said the actress. “There seemed to be a lot of emotional truth in the film that really rooted it. That’s what I felt when I read this script.”

Where is it 28 years later is being filmed?

A scene from the movie ’28 years later’ (2025).

Sony pictures

At the Edinburgh International Film Festival, producer Macdonald said all three 28 the films will be shot in Northumberland and Yorkshire, two counties in northern England. According to the BBC, specific filming locations include Fountains Abbey, Studley Royal and areas within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, where a “bone temple” set was reportedly built.

In an interview from June 2024 EllaComer said she was going to Newcastle to start rehearsals 28 years later. To prepare for her character’s Geordie accent, the actress watched old clips of English singer Cheryl Cole as a judge on The X factor.

When will 28 years later be released?

Edvin Ryding as E. Sundqvist in ’28 Years Later’ (2025).

Sony pictures

According to the film’s website, 28 years later will be released in theaters on June 20, 2025.

Continuation of the film, 28 Years Later II: Temple of Bonesno release date. However, Fiennes said IndieWire that two of the three films have already been filmed, and Murphy was seen on set in September 2024.

Is there a trailer for 28 years later?

Yes, the first trailer for 28 years later it was released in December 2024. Set to a recording of Rudyard Kipling’s war poem “Boots” by former silent film star Taylor Holmes, the two-minute teaser doesn’t give away much of the plot.

But it asks viewers a nagging question that sets the stage for post-apocalyptic life: “What will humanity become?”

Where can I watch 28 days later franchise?

A scene from the movie ’28 years later’ (2025).

Sony pictures

Still 28 years later will be released in theaters on June 20, 2025, the first two films in the franchise are now available to stream.

From January 2025 28 days later and 28 weeks later can be rented or purchased on Prime Video.

How is it 28 weeks later leave?

Robert Carlyle, Imogen Poots, Harold Perrineau and Jeremy Renner at the ’28 Weeks Later’ Party at MAddox Club on April 26, 2007 in London, England.

Gareth Davies/Getty

In 2007, Robert Carlyle, Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner and Harold Perrineau starred in the film 28 weeks laterindependent sequel 28 days later with an all-new cast.

The end of the film showed that despite the government’s attempts to contain the Rage Virus in Britain, the infection had spread to the rest of continental Europe.

Not much has been revealed about the plot 28 years laterbut there’s a chance the film will explore how the virus continued to spread — and how much of humanity survived.

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Source: HIS Education