When 28 Years Later was first announced, it was part of a trilogy, although only two films were shot back-to-back. With second entry The Bone Temple releasing soon, we’ve got an exciting update about part three.
Series creator and 28 Years Later director Danny Boyle previously explained that financing issues were delaying the third film, but now it’s finally, definitely happening.
As reported by Deadline, Sony (which made 28 Years Later and The Bone Temple) has always had the option to do part three, but has now decided to properly greenlight it.
The news comes following the $150+ million box office takings of 28 Years Later, and fan screenings of The Bone Temple, which was helmed by the Candyman remake director Nia DaCosta.
The third film doesn’t have a title yet, and we don’t know when it’ll be filmed, but fingers crossed it won’t be too far away.
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One thing we do know is that Cillian Murphy, who played Jim in the original 28 Days Later, is set to return for part three (and is also in The Bone Temple).
We don’t know how big a role Boyle is expecting him to play, but he has said that Spike (played by Alfie Williams) is the main character across all three films.
After leaving his community in the first film, The Bone Temple sees him brought into the violent gang run by Jack O’Connell’s Jimmy Crystal.
Ralph Fiennes’ Dr Kelson is also playing a bigger role in The Bone Temple, having been a secondary, yet important, character in 28 Years Later.
Sony Pictures
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Early reactions to the second film have been, as Deadline put it, “electric”.
Those who got to attend early screenings have praised DaCosta for putting her directorial stamp on the series. O’Connell and Fiennes’ performances have also been praised along with the film itself for being the series’ most brutal, while also adding to the lore and texture.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple will release on 14 January in the UK and 16 January in the US.
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Joe Anderton is a freelance news writer at Digital Spy, having worked there since 2016. In his time, he’s covered a host of live events and interviewed celebrities big and small. A big fan of TV and movies both mainstream and obscure, Joe also enjoys video games and in particular PlayStation. Joe currently does not use Twitter, but he only ever used it to tell people to watch the film Help! I’m a Fish.