28 Years Later Director Confirms When Cillian Murphy Will Appear (but There’s a Catch)

Back when 28 Years Later, hitting theaters on June 20, was really starting to take shape there was much speculation that Cillian Murphy would be returning as Jim from 28 Days Later. To an extent, this speculation would pan out to reality. Though not in 28 Years Later, but rather 2026’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. This has now been confirmed by 28 Days Later, 28 Weeks Later, and 28 Years Later director Danny Boyle himself, in an interview with Business Insider. Boyle is sitting out directing The Bone Temple, which will instead be helmed by Nia DaCosta of Candyman (2021) and The Marvels fame, but he is serving as producer (Boyle will then return as director for the third and final installment of this 28 Years Later trilogy).

Speaking of the third film, what are the chances it ends up getting made? Like with most other things, it comes down to money. Specifically, how both 28 Years Later and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (which were filmed back-to-back) perform at the box office.

When Might Murphy’s Jim Pop Up in 28 Days Later: The Bone Temple?

According to Boyle, “He [Murphy] is in the second one.” The Trainspotting director remained tight-lipped on details though, saying “I shouldn’t give away too much. I’ll get killed.”

It sounds as though most of Murphy’s screentime is going to be relegated to the third 28 Years Later film. As for The Bone Temple, it seems as though he’ll more be teased in the film’s final moments, not entirely unlike how Geoffrey Rush returned at the tail end of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.

Again, whether a third 28 Years Later comes to fruition depends on audience reaction to the first two 28 Years Later films. It’s not the easiest thing to gauge. One on hand, horror legacy sequels (which 28 Days Later essentially is) are doing quite well right now. Just look at the major critical and commercial success of Final Destination: Bloodlines for proof.

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On the other hand, 28 Weeks Later didn’t perform as well as 28 Days Later. But, both films are held in high regard, whether it be in the world of horror cinema or cinema as a whole. There’s is good reason to believe that anticipation is high for 28 Years Later. And, given the strength of the marketing materials, there’s equally good reason to believe that the movie will be just as excellent as the 2002 and 2007 films.

Boyle has high hopes for being able to return to close out the trilogy, though. On top of the potential success of the first two 28 Years Later, Boyle is also counting on the return of Murphy to inspire financers to cough up money for the follow-up to The Bone Temple. After all, Murphy did just win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.

In Boyle’s words, “All I can say is you have to wait for Cillian, but hopefully he will help us get the third film financed. Although each story [in the 28 Years Later trilogy] completes itself, there’s a handover section to the next film as well. So it’s very ambitious. We haven’t got the money for the third one yet. It will depend how the first one does, I guess. But hopefully if we do okay, they’ll give us the go-ahead for the money and for the third one. Everybody’s standing by for that, really. Including Cillian.”

Are you excited for 28 Years Later and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple? Will it be good to see Murphy’s Jim again? Sound off in the comments.