Danny Boyle says the next 28 Years Later film is hoped to begin filming next year, a tentative timetable that keeps the franchise moving after concerns were raised by the last sequel’s box office showing.
The update matters because fans have been looking for proof the story is still alive after 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple earned just over $58 million worldwide, well below the $151 million taken by its predecessor. Boyle said the project has not slipped away; it has just run into the calendar. “We ran out of time this year – we literally ran out of time. So it’ll be, hopefully, next year,” he said, adding that “there’s the enthusiasm there and Alex Garland has done a wonderful script for it.”
The film, currently untitled, would be the fifth entry in the franchise and is expected to bring back Cillian Murphy’s character from the original 28 Days Later. Murphy has already said he would be excited to return if asked, and his limited role in The Bone Temple was designed to set up a bigger part in the next film. Garland is writing the script now, while Boyle said the shoot is being shaped by a practical obstacle as much as a creative one: it is set in part of Britain where filming is only possible at certain times of year. “It’s set in an area of Britain [where] you can only film in certain times of the year,” he said, explaining that the team simply missed its window this year.
That leaves the franchise in a familiar position: still popular enough to keep fans watching, but not yet locked into a firm production start. The 28 Days Later films have been topping streaming charts, and 28 Days Later and The Bone Temple are both available on HBO Max, which has helped keep the series in view even as the latest box office fell short. For now, the answer to the question around the next film is cautiously simple: Boyle wants cameras rolling next year, but the schedule is still a hope, not a green light.
