28 Years Later released several months ago and had quite a divisive reaction to it. It didn’t light the box office on fire, but it did decent reviews (you can check out Bumbray’s review HERE). But that lack of decent box office has put the proposed trilogy in a bit of stasis. Fortunately for fans of the film, Nia DaCosta’s follow-up 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple had already commenced filming and is expected early next year. As someone who hated the first entry, I’ve still got an open mind about this sequel, and am hoping they’re able to correct some of the mistakes of Boyle’s film. But with the Jimmies taking the forefront (easily the worst part of the film) it doesn’t inspire much hope.
Now, the first trailer has dropped, and like the first trailer for the last movie, it’s pretty great and revolves around a spoken word track, in this case Berzilla Wallin’s “Conversation With Death”. And yes, everyone’s favorite infected from the last film, the big-donged Alpha, is back. Positive test screenings happened last month and set the film up as a Ralph Fiennes v Jack O’Connell showdown and the trailer seems to suggest as much, with the Jimmies appearing in Dr. Kelson’s Bone Temple. Take a look at some official images below:
For those that haven’t heard what the sequel is about: “Picking up shortly after the events of 28 Years Later, the sequel follows Spike (Williams) as he is forced to join Sir Jimmy Crystal’s (O’Connell) violent cult, which is on a collision course with Dr. Kelson (Fiennes) and his Alpha virus-carrier Samson (Lewis-Parry).”
The film stars Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alphie Williams, Emma Laird, and Erin Kellyman, with even Cillian Murphy finally set to reprise his role from the original film. Though, I wouldn’t get your hopes up about Murphy having a significant role as it definitely sounds like more of a cameo. Noticeably absent from the cast is Aaron Taylor Johnson, who took up a major role in the first 28 Years Later film. Whether he comes back for the third (if we even get one at all) is a mystery at this point.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple will arrive to theaters on January 16th, 2025.