Will Cillian Murphy Appear in28 Years Later? All About the Third Installment in the Zombie Franchise — and Its New A-List Cast

Mar. 15, 2025

Aaron Taylor Johnson as Jamie in ‘28 Years Later’ (2025).Photo:Sony Pictures

Sony Pictures

It’s been 21 years since the Rage Virus wreaked havoc on the world in28 Days Later.

Thankfully, fans won’t have to wait much longer to see how much of humanity has survived when the infection returns on June 20, 2025, in the upcoming film28 Years Later.

But28 Years Laterisn’t just a follow-up to28 Days Later,it’s also the start of an entirely new trilogy.

“We’re making, hopefully, three more28films with the first one called28 Years Later,” producer Andrew Macdonald said during the Edinburgh International Film Festival in August 2024, perTHR. “Then we’re just about to start, tomorrow morning, actually, part two. And then we hope there’s going to be a third part and it’s a trilogy."

After years of wondering what happened to the original survivors, the news of a third installment left fans with more questions than answers. Here’s everything we know so far about28 Years Later— and whether or not Murphy will reprise his role as Jim.

What is28 Years Laterabout?

Aaron Taylor Johnson as Jamie in ‘28 Years Later’ (2025).Sony Pictures

Set exactly 10,228 days after a rage-inducing virus escaped from a biological weapons factory and crumbled the foundations of modern society,28 Years Laterfollows a group of survivors quarantined on a heavily guarded island in Britain. They, like other small factions around the globe, have managed to find a way to live amongst the infected.

But when one man ventures on a mission into the unprotected mainland, he “discovers secrets, wonders and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well,” per the film’s synopsis. As the ominous tagline suggests, “Time didn’t heal anything.”

One of the film’s stars,Ralph Fiennes, gave a bit more insight into the plot in an October 2024 interview withIndieWire. He said28 Years Latersees a young boy searching for a doctor to help his dying mother.

“He leads his mother through this beautiful northern English terrain,” Fiennes said. “But of course, around them hiding in forests and hills and woods are the infected. But he finds a doctor who is a man we might think is going to be weird and odd, but actually is a force for good.”

Is Cillian Murphy in28 Years Later?

Director Danny Boyle, stars of the film Naomie Harris and Cillian Murphy, and producer Andrew Macdonald at the premiere of ‘28 Days Later’, at the new Odeon Kingston cinema in the UK.Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty

Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty

The 2003 film starred Murphy as Jim, a bicycle carrier who wakes up from a coma after the outbreak begins. He wasn’t in28 Weeks Laterand though some fans believed he appears in the upcoming film’s trailer as a zombie, producer Andrew Macdonald toldEmpirethat Murphy is not in28 Years Later.

“[On] this, we wanted him to be involved and he wanted to be involved. He is not in the first film, but I’m hoping there will be some Jim somewhere along the line,” Macdonald said in January 2025.

According to Macdonald, Murphy is “involved at the moment as an executive producer,” and the producer hopes he “we can work with [Murphy] in some way in the future in the trilogy.”

Which new cast members are joining28 Years Later?

Aaron Taylor-Johnson attends “Kraven The Hunter” at Espacio G69 on December 03, 2024 in Madrid ; Ralph Fiennes attends “The Return” Premiere at at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on December 03, 2024 in New York City ; Jodie Comer attends the 27th SCAD Savannah Film Festival on November 02, 2024 in Savannah, GA.Patricia J. Garcinuno/WireImage ; Dominik Bindl/Getty ; Dia Dipasupil/Getty

Patricia J. Garcinuno/WireImage ; Dominik Bindl/Getty ; Dia Dipasupil/Getty

Several big names are coming to the franchise.Jodie Comer,Aaron Taylor-Johnsonand Fiennes star in28 Years Lateras a trio of survivors fighting for their future.

Comer toldTotal Filmin May 2024 that she was “struck” when she saw the first film in the franchise.

“I remember seeing28 Days Laterand I was so struck with how it was so rooted in reality, and it was more about the exploration of us as a species and our behavior and how we react,” theKilling Eveactress said. “It felt like there was a lot of emotional truth within the film that really anchored it. That’s also what I felt when I read this script.”

Where is28 Years Laterbeing filmed?

A scene from ‘28 Years Later’ (2025).Sony Pictures

At the Edinburgh International Film Festival, producer Macdonald said all three28films will be shot in Northumberland and Yorkshire, two counties in northern England. According toBBC, specific filming locations include Fountains Abbey, Studley Royal and areas inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park, where a “bone temple” set was reportedly constructed.

In a June 2024 interview withElle, Comer said she was heading to Newcastle to begin rehearsals for28 Years Later. To prepare for her character’s Geordie accent, the actress watched old clips of English singerCheryl Coleas a judge onThe X Factor.

When will28 Years Laterbe released?

Edvin Ryding as E. Sundqvist in ‘28 Years Later’ (2025).Sony Pictures

According tothe movie’s website,28 Years Laterwill be released in theaters on June 20, 2025.

The film’s sequel,28 Years Later II: The Bone Temple, has no release date. However, Fiennes toldIndieWirethat two of the three films have already been shot and Murphy was seen filming in September 2024.

Is there a trailer for28 Years Later?

But it does ask viewers a haunting question that sets the stage for post-apocalyptic life: “What will humanity become?”

Where can I watch the28 Days Laterfranchise?

Though28 Years Laterwill be released in theaters on June 20, 2025, the first two films in the franchise are available to stream now.

As of January 2025,28 Days Laterand28 Weeks Latercan be rented or purchased on Prime Video.

How did28 Weeks Laterleave off?

Robert Carlyle, Imogen Poots, Harold Perrineau and Jeremy Renner at the party of ‘28 Weeks Later’ at MAddox Club on April 26, 2007 in London, England.Gareth Davies/Getty

Gareth Davies/Getty

In 2007, Robert Carlyle,Rose Byrne,Jeremy RennerandHarold Perrineaustarred in28 Weeks Later, a standalone sequel to28 Days Laterwith an all-new cast.

The end of the film showed that despite the government’s attempts to contain the Rage Virus in Britain, the infection had spread to the rest of continental Europe.

Not much has been revealed about the plot of28 Years Later, but there’s a chance the film will explore how the virus continued to spread — and how much of humanity has survived.

source: people.com