Danny Boyle has hinted that his 2002 zombie apocalypse horror 28 Days Later could be getting another sequel.
The original starred Cillian Murphy as a bicycle courier who awakens from a coma to learn of a highly contagious virus that has caused society to collapse, with aggressive zombies on the loose across London.
It was followed in 2007 by sequel 28 Weeks Later, with neither Boyle or Murphy returning and Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo behind the camera. That movie ended with the revelation that the virus has made its way overseas to Europe, so it’s possible that a third movie in the franchise would explore the Rage virus’s global impact.
‘I’d be very tempted [to direct it],’ Boyle tells NME. ‘It feels like a very good time [for it], actually. It might come back into focus, because one of the things that’s happening in the business at the moment is there has to be a big reason for you to go to the cinema, because there are less and less reasons.
‘It’s hard for companies distributing films and for cinema chains to show films – they’re struggling to get people into the cinema, unless it’s something like Top Gun: Maverick or Marvel. But a third part would get people in, if it was half-decent.’
Asked about returning to the franchise, Murphy tells NME: ‘It really stands up, which is amazing for a film that’s 20 years old. So yeah, I love the idea and it’s very appealing to me.’
Both the original and sequel enjoyed a slightly twisted resurgence in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic and with them making a decent haul at the box office, it’s easy to see why film producers and audiences want more action
London on screen: how the bridge scene in 28 Days Later was filmed.
Where does ‘28 Days Later’ land on our list of the 100 best British movies?