Cillian Murphy will star in Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later.
Speaking with Deadline, Sony Motion Pictures Group chairman Tom Rothman was asked if Murphy, who recently won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in 2023’s Oppenheimer, will return for Boyle’s upcoming 28 Years Later horror sequel.
“Yes, but in a surprising way and in a way that grows, let me put it that way,” Rothman answered. “This is Danny at his best, combined with a very commercial genre, like we had with Edgar Wright and Baby Driver. Sometimes when you put a real signature director into a commercial arena, it elevates it.”
Murphy notably played the lead character Jim in 2002’s 28 Days Later, which was also directed by Boyle. While Rotham noted that the upcoming movie is called 28 Years Later, he hinted that it’s “not in any way a literal sequel.”
What do we know about 28 Years Later?
28 Years Later is written by Alex Garland, who also wrote the screenplay for 28 Days Later. Garland is additionally known for making 2014’s Ex Machina, 2018’s Annihilation, 2022’s Men, and 2024’s Civil War.
Garland and Boyle are both producing 28 Years Later alongside Andrew Macdonald, Peter Rice, and Bernie Bellew. Murphy also serves as an executive producer on the film.
Joining Murphy in 28 Years Later are Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, and Jack O’Connell.
Plot details for 28 Years Later remain under wraps at this time; although, it’s known that it will serve as the first film in a new trilogy. The second entry will be helmed by The Marvels and Candyman’s Nia DaCosta, while a director for the third movie has not yet been announced.
28 Years Later will be released in United States theaters on June 20, 2025.
