28 Years Later: The Anticipated Sequel and Its Impact on Danny Boyle's Career

The Potential Impact of 28 Years Later

The development of the 28 Years Later sequel from the original creators of the groundbreaking zombie film 28 Days Later could replicate one of the most significant accomplishments of one of 2015's biggest box office hits. 28 Years Later will reunite writer Alex Garland and director Danny Boyle, who will be returning to the roles they played in the creation of one of the most universally-acclaimed zombie films of all time, 2002's 28 Days Later. The film was one of the first to depict 'fast zombies', and was celebrated for both its stunning visuals and poignant political allegory. With the original writer and director returning for a planned trilogy, expectations are justifiably high for 28 Years Later. It remains to be seen if Cillian Murphy's Jim is one of the characters that 28 Years Later will bring back, but even if he doesn't return, the long-awaited sequel will have plenty of avenues for success. One of the biggest accomplishments that the movie could achieve would be directly related to its director Danny Boyle, and it could repeat a phenomenon that was observed with one of the biggest hits of the last decade.

Which characters could come back for 28 Years Later

It could lead to a career resurgence for Danny Boyle. 28 Years Later could be the major movie that brings Danny Boyle back to both the box office and the critical limelight. After making his first major mark on the film industry with 1996's Trainspotting, Boyle was one of the more successful directors of the 2000s. He was responsible for box office and critical hits like Millions, Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours, in addition to his horror masterpiece 28 Days Later. In the last decade-plus, Boyle has continued to direct and produce, and has a number of critical successes to his name in that time frame. However, he has largely flown under the radar in the American movie industry. A resurgence for Boyle would directly reflect the effect that 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road had on George Miller. Miller made his debut with the original Mad Max in 1979, and he was responsible for both of its sequels. Since then, he has directed, written, or produced only six movies and one documentary, four of which belonged to the Babe and Happy Feet franchises. Mad Max: Fury Road revitalized his perception as one of the premier action filmmakers in the industry, and he'll cement that status further with the release of the fifth film in the Mad Max franchise in 2024, Furiosa.

Why It's Good That 28 Years Later Has Taken So Long. The return of the original creative team should yield a quality sequel. While 28 Weeks Later was fairly successful at the box office and with critics, it did not reach the heights of its predecessor. It's possible that the lesser roles of Danny Boyle and Alex Garland--who both acted only as executive producers on the sequel--directly contributed to the sequel's inferiority. While it's been 19 years since the two collaborated on 28 Days Later, the fact that the threequel did not get made until both men were available and enthusiastic about returning to the franchise bodes well for the film's quality. Danny Boyle returning to the director's chair for 28 Years Later should result in a high-quality follow-up, and could elevate him to the top of the film industry once again.