After the third film, 28 Years Later, of the 28 Days Later franchise wrapped filming early this year, makers of the Danny Boyle film released the first look poster of the film on Friday.
The poster featuring the logo of the toxic symbol featured the names of Boyle, writer Alex Garland and lead actors Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Curiously, the poster did not carry Cillian Murphy's name. Though there was no official news of the Irish actor's exclusion, fans began raising suspicions of the actor being a part of the project. Some social media users expressed disapproval over his name getting excluded from the poster, while others justified that, saying he is not expected to play a major role in this post-apocalyptic horror film. Another speculation evoked by the poster is the film's release date. While it was planned to be screened in theatres on June 20, 2025, the poster neither carried the date nor the year, but just 'coming soon'. Fans began speculating whether the release has been pushed further.
It is worth noting that Tom Rothman, Chairman of the Sony Motion Pictures Group, confirmed that Cillian will return to the courier boy role Jim he played in 28 Days Later (2002).
The film, directed by Boyle and written by Alex Garland, will be a follow-up to 2002’s 28 Days Later and 2007’s 28 Weeks Later. Boyle and Garland are reuniting for 28 Years Later, after 17 years. 28 Years Later also stars Jack O'Connell and Erin Kellyman.
Although the plot of the upcoming film is under wraps, the original 28 Days Later in 2002 centred on a bicycle courier (played by Cillian Murphy) who wakes from a coma to discover the world had been overrun with zombies following the outbreak of a virus. The film was a massive box office success, leading to a standalone 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later, on which Boyle and Garland served solely as executive producers.
28 Years Later is the first in a planned trilogy of sequels. Candyman director Nia DiCosta is all set to helm the second installment in this franchise, which is planned to shoot back-to-back with the first film.
The film is produced by Boyle and Garland, along with the original film's producers Andrew Macdonald and Peter Rice.