Cillian Murphy, despite earlier speculation, will not be appearing in 28 Years Later, although his involvement with the franchise could evolve in the future.
In an interview with Empire, producer Andrew Macdonald clarified Murphy’s status, revealing that while the Oscar-winning actor was initially tied to the project, he won’t appear on-screen in this instalment. “[On] this, we wanted him to be involved and he wanted to be involved,” Macdonald said. “He is not in the first film, but I’m hoping there will be some Jim somewhere along the line.”
Although Murphy won’t reprise his role as Jim from 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, he remains attached to the project as an executive producer. This role keeps the door open for a possible future appearance in the planned trilogy by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland. Macdonald’s comments followed fan speculation after the release of the film’s first trailer last December, which featured a zombie resembling Murphy. Art dealer Angus Neill later identified himself as the Murphy-lookalike, quelling the rumours.
The narrative of 28 Years Later marks a significant time jump, depicting life in a fully post-apocalyptic Britain. The rest of the world remains relatively unaffected, leaving the UK to fend for itself. The story follows Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Jamie, Jodie Comer’s Isla, and their 12-year-old son, Spike, who live in a tightly knit community on Holy Island. Connected to the mainland by a causeway accessible only during low tide, the group has managed to survive in an increasingly hostile environment. When young Spike embarks on a rite-of-passage journey beyond the safety of Lindisfarne, the family’s precarious existence faces new challenges.
Director Danny Boyle is helming the first instalment, with the sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, directed by Nia DaCosta, set to premiere on 16 January 2026. The trilogy’s final entry, also to be directed by Boyle, will depend on the success of the first film.
Following Cillian Murphy’s acclaimed performance in Oppenheimer and his recent work on Netflix’s Peaky Blinders movie The Immortal Man, audiences remain eager to see where his career takes him next. Meanwhile, 28 Years Later is set to premiere in cinemas on 20 June.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she’s not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Sylus from Love and Deepspace.
Kevin Low
