Cillian Murphy in Talks to Return in “28 Years Later III” as Sony Greenlights Third Film in New Trilogy
Yesterday, we wrote about the rave reactions to Nia DaCosta’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, the second film in a planned new trilogy from franchise creators Danny Boyle and Alex Garland. Now, it seems as if Boyle and Garland’s vision for their planned trilogy, no doubt boosted by reactions to DaCosta’s film (which Garland wrote), will come to pass. Sony is moving forward with the third installment, and to sweeten the pot, Cillian Murphy, star of the original 28 Days Later, is in talks to return to star.
Garland is currently working on the script for the third film, which Boyle has said he plans to direct. 28 Years Later, which premiered on June 20, 2025, was a critical hit and grossed $151.3 million at the box office. DaCosta’s The Bone Temple, set to hit theaters on January 16, 2026, is already one of next year’s very early must-sees, with critics lauding the boldness of its vision (more than one have pointed out how delightfully weird it gets), standout performances from Ralph Fiennes, reprising his role from 28 Years Later as Dr. Kelson, and Jack O’Connell, playing the demented Jimmy Crystal, the leader of a cult who are every bit as dangerous, if not more, than the infected. Alfie Williams plays Spike, the young boy in 28 Years Later who risks his life on mainland England to try and get his ailing mother, Isla (Jodie Comer), to Dr. Kelson for treatment. 28 Years Later ended with Isla dead, Spike being “saved” by the band of Jimmys, and Dr. Kelson embarking on a strange, potentially world-changing connection with the biggest, baddest infected of them all, Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry).
Boyle had initially hoped for a commitment to the trilogy from Sony, which won the rights to 28 Years Later after a bidding war. Sony committed to two, which were shot back-to-back. For Murphy to join the third film would be a major narrative and practical coup for all involved, bringing the franchise full circle back to its original star, who has gone on to carve out a sensational career, which recently included winning the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in Christopher Nolan’s 2023 film Oppenheimer.
For the upcoming The Bone Temple, perhaps the key was that DaCosta made the wise decision to make her own film within the franchise’s universe, rather than try to mimic what Boyle does. As Boyle told The Hollywood Reporter, “I remember her saying, ‘I’m not going to make a Danny Boyle movie.’ She was absolutely clear about that. And she hasn’t. She’s made her own movie and it’s very strong.”
For more on 28 Years Later, check out these stories:
Featured image: Cillian Murphy in “28 Days Later” (Photo by Sundance/WireImage)
