Exclusive: 28 Days Later Star Reveals One Surprising Condition for Long-Awaited Sequel

Cillian Murphy, star of Oppenheimer and a well-known actor, expressed his keen interest in doing a sequel to the zombie horror film 28 Days Later, with just one condition met. Despite achieving fame through his leading role in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer in 2023, Murphy has been acting in major movies for more than twenty years. His breakthrough came with his role in the 2002 film, and since then, he has delivered exceptional performances in notable films such as Inception, where he played Robert Fischer, the Dark Knight trilogy as the Scarecrow alongside Christian Bale, and also as Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders. Although he has found success across different genres, the Irish actor recently revealed his willingness to return to the apocalyptic setting of London.

28 Days Later director Danny Boyle and science fiction writer Alex Garland have expressed interest in returning to the zombie franchise. Murphy is also enthusiastic about the possibility of reprising his role as Jim, but has one condition. "I'm onboard. I would be delighted to do it," Murphy told Collider. "However, I would only do it if Alex [Garland] believes there's a compelling script and if Danny [Boyle] is interested in directing it. I'm fully committed if those conditions are met."

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Although there is a sequel to 28 Days Later titled 28 Weeks Later, Murphy's character is absent in it. The absence of Garland and Boyle's involvement could possibly explain why 28 Weeks Later did not have the same impact as its predecessor. Garland expressed dissatisfaction with how the story unfolded. In terms of earnings, 28 Weeks Later did not perform as well as the original, making $65.8 million compared to 28 Days Later's $84.6 million. Initially, fans were anticipating a sequel titled 28 Months Later, but due to the underperformance of the first sequel, production was delayed.

Despite the mediocre performance of 28 Weeks Later, there is still considerable enthusiasm for another sequel, especially if Boyle, Garland, and Murphy collaborate once again. Murphy even has a suggestion for when the sequel should be set. Since the movie finished filming in 2000, Murphy believes that 28 Years Later would be the most suitable option. Interestingly, Murphy's suggested title aligns with a project that Garland is reportedly developing alongside Boyle, although no specific details have been disclosed by either party.

There have been no concrete details about a potential sequel to the fast-zombies universe movie, 28 Days Later, although all parties involved are open to its development. However, fans have suggested that there is a perfect opportunity for a follow-up titled 28 Years Later, with a release date set in 2028. This popular film is currently available on Blu-Ray.

Source: Collider