Exciting News: Cillian Murphy to Star in Third Film Despite “28 Years Later 2” Flop!

Did you enjoy the “28 Years Later” diptych? Get excited: the third chapter is officially on its way. Despite concerns over the box office performance of “The Temple of the Dead,” Danny Boyle has just affirmed that the project is still moving forward. What’s more, Cillian Murphy is expected to have a much larger role…

At the Zurich Film Festival, the British director updated fans about the upcoming movie to Variety. While he’s unsure of the shooting schedule, he guaranteed that the project will reach completion: “28 Years 3, or whatever it ends up being called, will happen because there’s still a demand for it.” Danny Boyle also mentioned that Alex Garland has already penned the “very good” script.

Doubts Following the Second Film’s Failure

This is welcome news for fans, especially since the future of the third installment had been uncertain following the lukewarm reception of “The Temple of the Dead.”

Originally conceived as a trilogy, the story began with “28 Years Later,” released in June 2025, and continued with “28 Years Later: The Temple of the Dead,” directed by Nia DaCosta. The two films were shot almost back-to-back, primarily for logistical and financial reasons.

The first film was a hit, grossing $151.3 million worldwide. However, the sequel, starring Ralph Fiennes and Jack O’Connell, faced a tougher journey, earning just $58 million globally against a production budget of $63 million. These figures naturally raised doubts about the continuation of the trilogy.

Significantly More Cillian Murphy

Having appeared in the original “28 Days Later” released in 2002, Cillian Murphy was announced from the start to be a part of this new trilogy (he is also a producer). Although he was missing from “28 Years Later,” he was indeed featured prominently in the final part of “The Temple of the Dead,” which set the stage for the third film.

Danny Boyle has now confirmed what the end of the second film suggested: “There will be a lot more of Cillian Murphy,” he told Variety.

For reference, at the end of “The Temple of the Dead,” viewers find Jim, now living in isolation with his daughter. Spike (Alfie Williams) and Kellie (Erin Kellyman) arrive on their island, being pursued by the infected. Jim decides to help them, effectively linking the characters of this new trilogy to the central figure of the original film.

Danny Boyle Returns as Director

Another important note: Danny Boyle will return to direct after handing over the reins of the second installment to Nia DaCosta.

This change was decided at the outset of the trilogy. With the first two films being shot consecutively, Boyle needed to focus on finalizing and promoting “28 Years Later.” This scheduling conflict prevented him from directing “The Temple of the Dead,” which he entrusted to Nia DaCosta.

For this third chapter, Boyle will reclaim his directorial role, while Alex Garland will once again handle the screenplay. The director confirmed last June that the script was ready and that filming had been delayed due to constraints related to locations and the timing of certain scenes. He hoped to start production the following year.

It remains to be seen when “28 Years Later 3” will actually begin filming. No release date has been announced yet. But after months of uncertainty, Danny Boyle has cleared up any doubts: the trilogy is not over, and Cillian Murphy is expected to play a major role in its final chapter.