28 Years Later: The Return of the Zombie Craze
A look at the long-awaited sequel to 28 Days Later, its impact on the zombie genre, and what to expect from the creative duo of Alex Garland and Danny Boyle.
The Legacy of 28 Days Later
Over two decades after the release of the genre-defining zombie film 28 Days Later, director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland are returning to the realm of horror with the long-awaited 28 Years Later.
28 days later 10 scariest post apocalyptic scenarios
28 Days Later follows an average bicycle courier named Jim (Cillian Murphy) who awakens from a month-long coma to find all of London has been besieged by a zombie rage virus. Eschewing the tropes of earlier zombie media, the walkers of 28 Days Later were faster, meaner, and more frightening than their predecessors.
Cillian Murphy walking through a deserted London street in 28 Days Later
The success of 28 Days Later helped to bring the zombie film back into vogue, and is directly responsible for movies like the Dawn of the Dead remake, spoofs like Shaun of the Dead, and the ongoing Walking Dead universe.
Cillian Murphy as Jim in 28 Days Later
The Confirmation of 28 Years Later
A sequel to the 28 Days Later series has been bandied about for years, and it has now been confirmed that original creative pair Alex Garland and Danny Boyle are finally developing a second sequel entitled 28 Years Later.
28 Years Later is the first of a planned trilogy that will continue the post-apocalyptic story even further into the ravages of the rage virus and explore its impact on human society.
At this juncture, the film is merely in the developmental phase so no casting has been done yet, and a release date is not on the horizon. In fact, the long-awaited horror sequel hasn't even landed a studio yet.
The Creative Team Behind 28 Years Later
Perhaps the most exciting detail about the recently-announced 28 Years Later is that the original creative duo behind the first film will be returning. Alex Garland wrote the script for 2002's 28 Days Later, and it was his unique take on zombies that helped to redefine what they meant in the 21st century.
Likewise, Danny Boyle will helm the project and the Oscar Award-winning director has come a long way since his gritty horror masterpiece in 2002. Though 28 Days Later is often considered one of Danny Boyle's best movies, he also snagged awards for movies like Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting, and 127 Hours.
It is unclear if Boyle will also direct the planned sequels to 28 Years Later.
