Ahead
of the release of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple in the new year, Sony Pictures is giving the go-ahead for another film in the franchise. This time, original star Cillian Murphy will return; the Oscar winner already has a role in The Bone Temple, and the third film will expand his part further. Here's all you need to know about the zombie thriller sequel.
Cillian Murphy to return for 28 Years Later III
According to Deadline, Sony Pictures is in talks with Cillian Murphy to bring the actor back for
28 Years Later III. The actor is reprising his role as Jim for
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, nearly three decades after
28 Days Later (2002). He was an executive producer on
28 Years Later.Nia DaCosta has directed
The Bone Temple, which has already gotten positive buzz from early industry screenings in the UK. The film is set to release on January 16, 2026. Original director Danny Boyle directed
28 Years Later and is rumoured to return for
28 Years Later III. Filmmaker Alex Garland is currently writing the third part.
ALSO READ: Peaky Blinders Film: The Immortal Man Starring Cillian Murphy To Release On THIS Day, In Theatres And OTTIn 2026, Murphy will also be reprising another iconic role, as he will return as Tommy Shelby in the
Peaky Blinders movie,
The Immortal Man, for Netflix. Directed by Tom Harper, Rebecca Ferguson, Barry Keoghan, Tim Roth, and Jay Lycurgo are in the cast.
More about 28 Years Later franchise
Earlier this year,
28 Years Later became the highest-grossing film in the franchise, grossing $151.3 million worldwide. Starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams, and Ralph Fiennes, the film follows a young boy who traverses a difficult journey to get medicine for his ill mother in a dystopian future divided by the infected and the remaining humans. Fiennes, O'Connell, and Williams are reprising their roles for
The Bone Temple. After
28 Days Later in 2002, Boyle and Garland took a break as Juan Carlos Fresnadillo directed
28 Weeks Later (2007). The longtime collaborators are set to return for
28 Years Later III.