Photo: Sony Pictures
The long-awaited sequel to the horror classics 28 Days Later (2002) and 28 Weeks Later (2007) is set to hit theaters next summer. Fans recently got their first glimpse of 28 Years Later through a chilling new trailer.
One standout moment in the trailer sparked excitement and speculation—a figure resembling Cillian Murphy’s character, Jim, from the original film appears briefly behind Jodie Comer's character in a field. Jim, a bike courier who improbably survived the apocalyptic events of the first movie, seems far worse for wear in this potential return.
The trailer opens with children in a house watching Teletubbies before chaos ensues.(Photo: Sony Pictures)
Fans have long hoped Murphy would reprise his role in the franchise, but his name is notably absent from promotional posters. However, he is listed as an executive producer on the Sony Pictures website, adding fuel to the speculation.
The latest installment features a star-studded cast, including Killing Eve's Jodie Comer, The Fall Guy's Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes of Conclave. The trailer shows the trio fighting off hordes of zombies while navigating a grim, post-apocalyptic landscape.
Set nearly three decades after the events of the original, 28 Years Later explores the aftermath of the deadly "rage virus" outbreak, which began in a biological weapons lab. A group of survivors has managed to evade infection by living in isolation on a small island. But when one of them ventures to the mainland, he uncovers horrific secrets about how the virus has evolved—affecting not just the infected but the survivors as well.
Is this a zombiefied version of Cillian Murphy? (Photo: Sony Pictures)
The tagline ominously declares, “Time didn’t heal anything.”
The trailer opens with an eerie juxtaposition: children gathered around a television showing a classic Teletubbies episode. The cheerful theme song plays, but it takes on a sinister tone as the scene shifts to chaos. The action intensifies with flashes of combat, accompanied by a haunting recitation of Rudyard Kipling’s poem Boots.
Images of devastation follow—a church with shattered windows, a rural island marked by wooden crosses and rosary beads, and graffiti on a farm building that reads, “Behold he is coming with the clouds,” paired with the name “Jimmy” in white paint. Fans wonder if this cryptic reference points to Murphy’s Jim.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is seen stalking through fields with a bow and arrow, while gruesome imagery—including a pile of skulls—adds to the tension. The zombie-like figure resembling Jim makes a fleeting appearance, leaving viewers guessing about his identity. Meanwhile, Comer is shown cradling a baby, hinting at personal stakes amid the horror.
Social media erupted with reactions to the trailer. Some fans joked about Murphy’s rumored cameo, with one remarking, “Method acting that would even shame Christian Bale,” while others lamented that the brief shot felt like a spoiler.
The franchise's red and white logo is used for the third film. (Photo: Sony Pictures)
The original 28 Days Later, penned by Alex Garland and directed by Danny Boyle, has often been credited with reigniting interest in the zombie genre, despite Boyle’s insistence that it wasn’t a traditional zombie film. The sequel, 28 Weeks Later, directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, expanded the universe with a cast that included Jeremy Renner, Rose Byrne, and Robert Carlyle.Garland and Boyle return for 28 Years Later, taking on writing and production duties to bring the chilling saga full circle. Fans eagerly await to see how the story unfolds and whether familiar faces will return to confront the horrors of this apocalyptic world.
