There was a time when fans of Danny Boyle were clamoring for another 28 Days Later sequel. The film is, arguably, what launched a revival of the zombie genre, even though it doesn’t feature any actual zombies. They’re…close enough. While there was one sequel, the less-beloved 28 Weeks Later, Boyle and star Cillian Murphy continue to talk about a potential return.
In celebration of 28 Days Later‘s 20th anniversary (!!!), Boyle and Murphy talked with NME about their experience on the film and possible of doing another…
“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.”
Boyle directed the first movie from a script by Garland, but neither returned for the 2007 follow-up, 28 Weeks Later. Rumors have been for years that Garland had another script, titled 28 Months Later, that he was working on. Boyle confirms this, and also expresses his interest in getting back into the director’s chair…
“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 01I 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.”
At this point, you’d think they’d rather do 28 Years Later. It would make more sense, especially if Murphy returns. I for one would love to see them do another. 28 Days Later took a realistic approach to the post-apocalyptic world. The people infected by a viral outbreak weren’t slow, plodding and brainless. They were fast, deadly, and smart, creating a totally different kind of atmosphere. But honestly, the genre needs another refresh, and maybe Boyle is the one to do it.
