When people think of the modern revival of zombie horror films, there are some who trace it back to Zack Snyder’s “Dawn of the Dead” remake in 2004. However, you really need to go back a couple of more years to Danny Boyle’s groundbreaking horror film, “28 Days Later.” That film is so beloved, even 20 years later, that folk are still clamoring for a new sequel. And according to the folks involved, you can’t rule a trilogy-ending sequel out just yet.
In a new interview with NME, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the film, actor Cillian Murphy and director Danny Boyle open up about their experiences working on “28 Days Later” and the possibility of another film in the franchise.
For those unfamiliar with “28 Days Later,” the film follows the story of a young guy who wakes up after a coma to see the world completely changed after a viral outbreak that turns folks into maniac, zombie-like creatures. However, what separates “28 Days Later” from what came before is how the zombies are treated as real threats, athletic beasts who can easily outrun you and are almost unstoppable if they are on the hunt. It’s an aesthetic that carried over into the aforementioned “Dawn of the Dead.”
There was one sequel, “28 Weeks Later,” which debuted in 2007 but didn’t have the same impact that the first film had. That said, it is still seen as a solid entry in the franchise, but just a different vibe than the original film. So, is the world ready for a third ‘28’ film?
“I think there’s a problem with that, in that I’m 20 years older…” Murphy joked. “But every time I do bump into Danny or Alex [Garland] I always mention it. Because I showed it to my kids recently, some Halloween about four or five years ago, and they loved it. It really stands up, which is amazing for a film that’s 20 years old. So yeah, I love the idea and it’s very appealing to me.”
Though Murphy is on board with the potential of a trilogy-ending sequel, that doesn’t mean the idea is actually good. That said, Danny Boyle did tease that Alex Garland wrote a “28 Months Later” script a couple of years ago based around “a lovely idea.”
“I’d be very tempted [to direct it]. It feels like a very good time actually. It’s funny, I hadn’t thought about it until you just said it, and I remembered ‘Bang, this script!’ which is again set in England, very much about England. Anyway, we’ll see… who knows?” said Boyle. “It might come back into focus because one of the things that’s happening in the business at the moment is it has to be a big reason for you to go to the cinema, because there are less and less reasons. It’s hard for companies distributing films and for cinema chains to show films, they’re struggling to get people into the cinema unless it’s something like ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ or a Marvel. But a third part would get people in, if it was half-decent.”
Even if Danny Boyle doesn’t direct “28 Months Later,” there’s still a fanbase who would love to see what the film would look like. And honestly, the world is ready for a fresh take on the zombie genre, so let’s see what Garland and Boyle could cook up now.