Is Cillian Murphy in '28 Years...' trilogy? Director finally answers
What's the story
Cillian Murphy, who starred in the iconic 2002 film 28 Days Later, will return to the franchise in the upcoming trilogy, but not in the first installment, 28 Years Later.
Director Danny Boyle recently confirmed to IGN that Murphy won't appear until the end of its sequel, The Bone Temple (2026).
"He is in the second one... I shouldn't give away too much. I'll get killed," said Boyle.
Murphy's return to the trilogy is eagerly anticipated by fans.
Franchise revival
'28 Years Later' is a continuation of the original series
The 28 Years Later trilogy, co-created by Boyle and writer Alex Garland, is a continuation of the original series.
The first film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and Ralph Fiennes. It was shot back-to-back with its sequel, The Bone Temple, directed by Nia DaCosta.
A third installment is also in the works and will be greenlit if 28 Years Later performs well at the box office.
Financing hopes
Boyle is optimistic about getting funds for the 3rd film
Boyle is optimistic that Murphy's involvement in the trilogy will help secure financing for the third part.
He told Business Insider, "All I can say is you have to wait for Cillian, but hopefully he will help us get the third film financed."
To IGN, he added, "Although each story [in the trilogy] completes itself, there's a handover section to the next film as well. So it's very ambitious."
Performance-dependent
No money for the third film yet, said Boyle
Boyle also revealed that the production of the third film is dependent on the performance of the first two films.
"We haven't got the money for the third one yet. It will depend on how the first one does, I guess," he said.
"But hopefully if we do okay, they'll give us the go-ahead for the money and for the third one."
Technical approval
'28 Years Later' shot on iPhones
Boyle also revealed that securing Murphy's involvement helped him get the green light to shoot 28 Years Later with iPhones.
"You promise them Cillian Murphy, that's quite a deflection of any technical concerns. They soon forget. We nakedly used that to get our own way," he said.
The first film in the trilogy will hit theaters on June 20, followed by its sequel on January 16, 2026.
Meanwhile, you can rent 28 Days Later on Amazon Prime Video.