28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which debuted in theaters on January 16th, is the fourth installment in the 28 franchise, a series of films that kicked off all the way back in 2002 with 28 Days Later, which starred Cillian Murphy, and is arguably the best of the franchise. And now that The Bone Temple has a few days on the big screen under its belt, questions about the follow-up film and the future of the franchise have already started swirling.
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The horror series that has spanned over 20 years boasts four films: 28 Days Later, which was directed by Danny Boyle, and introduced audiences to the horrifying rage virus and a whole new breed of undead. That was followed by the 2007 sequel, 28 Weeks Later, starring Jeremy Renner, Rose Byrne, and Imogen Poots, which was taken over by director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. The third installment, titled 28 Years Later, brought Danny Boyle back to the director’s chair. The film starred Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodi Comer, and Ralph Fiennes, and was a massive tonal shift from both the first and second films. The most recent film is 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, a direct continuation of its predecessor, starring Ralph Fiennes and Jack O’Connell.
The Final Scene of the Film Perfectly Sets Up The Next Movie
The Bone Temple is a direct continuation of 28 Years Later, centering around Spike (Alfie Williams) as he attempts to escape the terrifying and violent cult led by Jimmy Crystal (O’Connell). Meanwhile, Dr. Ian Kelson (Fiennes) has inadvertently discovered a possible cure to the rage virus after having shot Samson, the alpha zombie, with a morphine dart, thus seeming to reverse, or at least diminish, the effects of the virus.
There’s no end or after-credits scene, but the final scene of the film does seem to perfectly set up the next movie, which has officially been greenlit. Spike and Kelly (Erin Kellyman) manage to escape during a bloody fight between Crystal and Dr. Kelson, taking off into the countryside. The audience then sees a house, which is surrounded by barriers to keep those infected with the rage virus from getting in. Inside the house, a young girl is being taught by her father, who we learn is Jim (Cillian Murphy, coming back to reprise his role from the first film). Hearing the screams from Spike and Kelly, the pair arm themselves and go to investigate. Seeing the two attempting to outrun the zombies, Jim’s daughter asks if they should help them. Jim hesitates for a moment, but then the pair rush toward Spike and Kelly, seemingly to rescue them, and perfectly setting us up for 28 Years Later 3—this time with the familiar face of the character that started it all.
What Can We Expect From A New 28 Years Later Film?
Likely, the movie will focus on the potential cure that Dr. Kelson has found, as well as what Jim has been up to over the last 20-odd years. There’s also the potential for different kinds of zombies as well, showing the audience how the virus has mutated and changed in different regions over time. We might even be in for more 80s-reference-based-cults.
The first two films in what is turning out to be a trilogy were shot back-to-back, leaving the fate of a potential third movie up in the air. And while the third 28 Years Later film hasn’t been officially announced by Sony Pictures Entertainment, Deadline reported last month that the studio is moving forward with another sequel. According to their reports, Murphy, who was listed as an executive producer on both 28 Years Later and The Bone Temple, is in talks with Sony Pictures to join the sequel—which is as of yet unnamed. The screenwriter behind both 28 Days Later, 28 Years Later, and The Bone Temple, Alex Garland, is currently writing the script. Also, Danny Boyle will be back to direct the third installment, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Are you looking forward to a new 28 Years Later film? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. And don’t forget to check out the ComicBook forum to see what other fans are saying.
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