28 Years Later release date, trailer, cast & plot explained

28 Years Later is the long-awaited zombie movie from Danny Boyle and Alex Garland. If you can’t wait for its release date, here’s its trailer and everything else we know.

It’s one of the most iconic, disquieting images of early 2000s cinema: a lone Cillian Murphy in his hospital drabs, carrying a polybag of scavenged cans and snacks, wandering a Vanilla Sky’d London. Little did he know, it had been almost a month since the world ended.

28 Days Later is one of the best horror movies ever made; not only is it a terrifying, heart-rending experience in its own right, but the innovation of sprinting zombies became its most influential staple. Then we got 28 Weeks Later, a weaker follow-up with one of the most chilling opening sequences of the decade.

While the duo served as executive producers on the sequel, they’re returning for three new movies. The first is 28 Years Later, instead of 28 Months Later.

28 Years Later release date

28 Years Later will hit cinemas on June 20, 2025.

It began filming in May 2024 and wrapped soon after in July 2024. The cast and crew are all set to return to filming after a short break, however, with the second of three movies, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, set to be filmed over the coming months as well.

With hopes that 28 Years Later could launch a new trilogy, the full package was shopped around to various production companies, streamers, and other prospective buyers before ultimately landing at Sony.

Boyle directs the first installment. Part 2 will be written by Garland and directed by Nia DaCosta (Candyman, The Marvels).

Sony Pictures

The first official 28 Years Later poster.

Amazingly, as reported by Wired, the threequel has been shot entirely on an iPhone 15 (with a few accessories).

28 Years Later trailer

While an initial teaser debuted on December 8, the first full-fledged trailer was just days behind, premiering on December 10 and setting social media ablaze.

This first trailer had not a single word of dialogue, instead we hear a spine-chilling recording of the unmistakable Rudyard Kipling poem, Boots. Over the course of the two minutes of footage, we see a bloody new perspective of the very beginning, a family torn apart as the infection spreads.

We then get a glimpse at life nearly three decades on. Aaron Taylor-Johnson resides in a walled-up community of dozens but ventures out for reasons unknown with a younger companion. Naturally, the two find plenty of undead troubles on their journey.

28 Years Later cast

28 Years Later stars Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, and Jack O’Connell.

Here’s the full cast list so far:

• Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Jamie
• Jodie Comer
• Ralph Fiennes
• Jack O’Connell
• Erin Kellyman
• Edvin Ryding as E. Sundqvist

Murphy will also produce 28 Years Later, and in May 2024, it was confirmed he would reprise his role from the original movie. Speaking with Deadline, Sony chairman Tom Rothman confirmed Murphy’s Jim would be back, “but in a surprising way that grows.”

While not explicitly confirmed, the first trailer may have given away the ‘surprise’ of Murphy’s role.

Speaking about the legacy of the series, Comer told CinemaBlend she’s trying not to think about the aspect too much. “Thinking about 28 Years Later, and to consider working with someone like Danny Boyle, who is an incredibly innovative and confident filmmaker? Like, as an actor, to think, ‘Oh, I’m gonna be on set, and have that sort of direction and person leading the way,’ is really really exciting,” she said.

28 Years Later plot details

As the name implies, the story picks up almost three decades since the outbreak began. Many humans remain in various, scattered strongholds, some living more savagely than others.

The story here focuses on one particular group of survivors who have taken up residence on a “small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway,” as the official synopsis revealed.

A number of survivors splinter off and venture to the mainland where they find all sorts of horrific developments as the virus has evolved over the 28 years out in the wild.

Sony Pictures

There’s no telling just yet what drives Aaron Taylor Johnson’s character away from the apparent safety of his community.

While the first movie ended on a hopeful note, with Murphy and his cohorts surviving the epidemic long enough for the infected to die of starvation, 28 Weeks Later had a haunting final frame: Flynn picks up Andy and Tammy from Wembley after killing Don, and he flies them across the English Channel to France. But he doesn’t realize that Andy is carrying the virus.

Seconds later, we see a horde of zombies running through Paris towards the Eiffel Tower — the virus has made it to continental Europe. Now having spread over the course of 28 years, we get to see how humanity has remained alive all this time in the endless struggle.

28 Years Later budget

The budget for 28 Years Later is reportedly around the $60m mark. A good chunk of this no doubt went to the star-studded cast.

For comparison, 28 Days Later was made on a modest $8m budget, while 28 Weeks Later jumped to a $15m budget.

So that’s all there is to know bout 28 Years Later for now. In the meantime, check out more horror with what we know about Blade. Or, get your zombie fill with The Walking Dead: Dead City cast and watch all The Walking Dead spin-offs, and check out our list of the best movies of 2024.