In early 2024, I used to be over the moon when the information was introduced that filmmakers Danny Boyle and Alex Garland weren’t solely creating a brand new follow-up to 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, however they had been creating a full trilogy. The plans for persevering with the franchise discovered a house at Sony, and never solely did Boyle rapidly begin work directing 28 Years Later (set to hit theaters this summer season), however Nia Da Costa was employed to take the helm of a second installment: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (presently scheduled for January 2026).
I stay thrilled to study what’s going on within the fictional world that has been overrun by the Rage virus… however I will additionally admit to being a contact distressed immediately after studying at CinemaCon that the third 28 Years Later characteristic has apparently not but gotten the inexperienced mild to maneuver ahead.
CinemaCon, the annual Las Vegas-based conference for movie show homeowners, kicked off this night with a presentation by Sony Photos, and two of the earliest initiatives previewed had been 28 Years Later and its sequel, with each Danny Boyle and Nia Da Costa taking the stage to take about their work on the respective motion pictures. An epic and scary new trailer for the 2025 characteristic was premiered (it’s going to absolutely be on-line within the coming days/weeks), and Da Costa confirmed off a nonetheless of The Bone Temple star Ralph Fiennes shirtless, coated in battle paint, and wildly smiling, however the standout factor that caught my consideration was the commentary in regards to the trilogy-capper written by Alex Garland not being assured. Mentioned Boyle,
We have completed the primary movie, we have shot the second, nevertheless, we do not have finance for the third but. [Sony Pictures Chairman/CEO Tom Rothman] looks like a pleasant man, however he hasn’t given us the finance for the third, and that is the place [exhibition] is available in. So please, do us proud in your cinemas on June the twentieth and assist the persevering with apocalypse.
It isn’t precisely troublesome to learn between the traces to grasp what Danny Boyle is saying right here. Whereas Sony Photos was excited sufficient about plans to proceed the zombie apocalypse from 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, the studio wasn’t gung-ho sufficient about it within the dealmaking to right away promise a finances for a full trilogy. To ensure that Boyle and Alex Garland to finish their imaginative and prescient, 28 Years Later and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple must hit an unspecified quantity on the field workplace. If audiences present up, the sequel will likely be made; if they do not, then it will not.
This growth ought to make any fan of the franchise nervous, because the prospect of any nice creative imaginative and prescient being halted earlier than completion completely sucks, however I additionally nonetheless have faith, as a result of 28 Years Later appears to be like phenomenal. Whereas the primary trailer for the upcoming horror film was principally targeted on showcasing a tone (it appears to be like totally terrifying), the preview that was showcased immediately at CinemaCon provided extra perception into the plot. The movie will heart on a father and son (Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams) who reside in a group on an remoted island however should enterprise to the mainland, which is overrun with contaminated individuals.
Along with previewing 28 Years Later, the Sony Presentation additionally supplied huge updates about Sam Mendes’ Beatles movies and an early have a look at 2025’s I Know What You Did Final Summer season… and the enjoyable is barely staring right here at CinemaCon. Remember to keep tuned right here on CinemaBlend all week for extra of our on-the-ground protection of the occasion.