Film director Danny Boyle has offered exciting hints about the upcoming third instalment in the revived 28 Years Later horror franchise, following the release of the second film, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.
A Franchise Reborn with a Dark Twist
The newly released sequel, The Bone Temple, directed by Nia DaCosta, plunged audiences back into the post-apocalyptic British landscape ravaged by the Rage Virus. The film introduced a particularly sinister new threat: a cult of Jimmy Savile lookalikes led by the sadistic Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal, portrayed by Jack O'Connell.
Despite its grim themes, the movie concludes on a note of hope. Survivors Spike (Alfie Williams) and Jimmy Ink/Kelly (Erin Kellyman) escape the cult thanks to the sacrifice of Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes). In a pivotal final scene, the film cuts to a remote cottage where Cillian Murphy's original protagonist, Jim, now lives with his daughter. Spotting the fleeing pair from his window, Jim grabs equipment and vows to help, directly linking the narratives of the original 2002 film 28 Days Later and the new trilogy.
Boyle Confirms the Path Forward for Part 3
Prior to the release of The Bone Temple, it was confirmed that Boyle and writer Alex Garland would proceed with 28 Years Later Part 3. Speaking at the film's premiere in London on January 17, 2026, Boyle teased what fans can expect.
"I think the casting is obvious from the end of this one," Boyle told Metro. "You're kind of like, oh right, I see! But that is lovely and delightful. And it's weird to end a horror film with delight, but you do feel delight because you think, oh, there'll be another one, will there? And he [Murphy] might be in it."
Boyle had previously confirmed that Murphy would return in a minor capacity in The Bone Temple before resuming a main role in the third and final film of the new trilogy.
New Directorial Vision and Future Threads
Boyle, who directed the first new sequel 28 Years Later, handed directorial duties for The Bone Temple to Nia DaCosta, a decision he praised. He recounted her confident pitch: "She said, 'I'm not going to make a Danny Boyle film, you know.'... she should make her own film."
Boyle highlighted the benefits of a fresh perspective, especially from a female director, for the middle chapter of a planned three-film series. This sentiment was echoed by star Alfie Williams, who appreciated DaCosta's "new perspective" and experimental ideas, and by Chi Lewis-Parry, who plays Alpha Samson.
The third film is expected to weave together several narrative threads, including:
- The further development of Alpha Samson's (Chi Lewis-Parry) path towards a potential cure for the Rage Virus.
- The return of Spike's father, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson).
- The fate of the mysterious baby born of an Infected female, left by Spike in the previous film.
- The story of the pregnant woman who escaped the 'Jimmys' cult in The Bone Temple.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is currently showing in cinemas across the UK, setting the stage for the highly anticipated conclusion to the trilogy.
