Since its debut in 2007, fans of the horror film 28 Weeks Later have eagerly anticipated news of a third installment in the acclaimed franchise. After years of speculation and complications surrounding the sequel rights, the original creators and cast have recently hinted at the development of a new film. In an interview with Inverse, Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland shared some thrilling updates about the potential sequel in the $147 million cult classic universe.
Garland, who has also established himself as a respected director over the past two decades, revealed that a few years ago, an intriguing idea for what could be called 28 Years Later materialized in his mind.
Why did Alex Garland Abandon the Cillian Murphy Sequel?
To understand the delay in bringing this sequel to fruition, one must look back at the previous Cillian Murphy starring installment, 28 Weeks Later. Fans only had to wait four years after the release of 28 Days Later to witness the continuation of the gripping horror saga. However, 28 Weeks Later, which arrived in 2007, received a lukewarm response despite an intense zombie outbreak and the revelation that infected individuals had reached mainland Europe via the London-Paris tunnel.
At the time, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland were occupied with their psychological space thriller, Sunshine, and entrusted the sequel to a new team. While Boyle did contribute to the film by directing its thrilling opening scene, and Garland reportedly provided extensive script rewrites, 28 Weeks Later fell short of capturing the essence of its predecessor.
The sequel adopted a more conventional Hollywood action approach, deviating from the low-budget experimental nature of its predecessor. The use of a helicopter to decapitate zombies and the parallel between the fictional occupation of London and real-world events did not salvage what should have been a terrifying experience, ultimately resulting in a middling summer blockbuster.
Notably, Garland acknowledged his disappointment with 28 Weeks Later, stating that it almost soured the entire franchise for him. For a long time, he resisted the idea of making a sequel, preferring to explore different narratives within distinct worlds.
“I resisted [making a sequel] for a long time because there were things about 28 Weeks that bugged me. I just thought, ‘F*ck that. I’d rather try to write a different story in a different world.’”
However, something seems to have changed. Perhaps the passage of time has allowed for a fresh perspective, or the decision to bypass 28 Months Later and delve directly into 28 Years Later offers an opportunity to overlook the flaws of its predecessor.
What to Expect from 28 Years Later?
Rather than following the expected naming convention of “28 Months Later”, the proposed film would catapult the storyline much more into the future. Boyle expressed his enthusiasm for this concept, stating that he has always liked the idea.
The prospect of a new sequel has been discussed earnestly and diligently between Boyle and Garland. If Garland decides not to direct the film himself, Boyle has expressed his interest in taking the director’s chair, as long as they can execute a similarly compelling idea.
“A few years ago an idea materialized in my head for what would be really 28 Years Later,” Garland said. Furthermore, Boyle added,
“So we’re talking about it quite seriously, quite diligently. If he doesn’t want to direct it himself I’ll be well up for it if we can execute a similarly good idea.”
Regardless, fans are eagerly anticipating the outcome of these discussions, hopeful that they will lead to the realization of a new chapter with their favorite Oppenheimer actor Cillian Murphy. While Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland are exploring ideas for a potential film, they continue to recognize the flaws of its predecessor, 28 Weeks Later, which deviated from the original film’s spirit. With a renewed perspective and the potential to create a distinct storyline, the future of the franchise appears promising.
Source: Inverse
