28 Years Later 3 might be in danger of not making it to the big screen, according to a new report.
The third movie in the new trilogy from Danny Boyle and Alex Garland was greenlit shortly before the release of this year’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. The sequel was met with rave reactions from critics, and Dexerto’s review called it “one of the best horror movies of the decade.”
Directed by Nia DaCosta, The Bone Temple follows Spike (Alfie Williams) as he’s pulled in to a horrifying cult led by Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) who delivers “charity” to survivors living in post-apocalyptic Britain in the form of extreme torture. At the same time, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) experiments with the Rage virus by sedating Alpha Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry) to see if the infection can be treated.
If that wasn’t enough, Cillian Murphy briefly reprises his role as Jim from 28 Days Later in a crowd-pleasing cliffhanger… But 28 Years Later 3 is potentially stuck in limbo.
Sony has reportedly lost confidence in 28 Years Later 3
Despite announcing 28 Years Later 3 in December 2025, a new report from World of Reel claims that Sony is “in no rush” to make third film a reality, despite the rave reviews. Unfortunately, the film only managed to make $57 million worldwide, which is a large drop-off compared to the first film’s $151 million global takings.
If Boyle and Garland do get 28 Years Later 3 off the ground, it would star Cillian Murphy’s Jim and his daughter Sam (Maiya Eastmond) alongside Spike and Kelly/Jimmy Ink (Erin Kellyman).
It’s not clear what the story would entail, but hopefully it would follow the idea of treating the infection now that Samson has managed to break through the (literal) Rage. The outlet claimed that Netflix is apparently keen to acquire the rights to the third film, but Boyle isn’t interested because he wants to give it a theatrical release.
Representatives for Sony did not immediately respond to Dexerto’s request for comment, so the news should be taken with a pinch of salt for now.
Horror fans still want to see 28 Years Later 3
Critics and audiences who did see The Bone Temple have voiced their disappointment online about the situation surrounding 28 Years Later 3, with some saying it should be made for “the sake of the art rather than for the profits.” While someone else joked: “I am going to commit a string of armed robberies if 28 Years Later 3 doesn’t come to fruition this is a threat.”
Another user on X said that The Bone Temple deserved more attention in theaters, saying: “A horror movie this patient, thought-provoking, morally complex, and thematically rich making its way through the studio system is such a massive win in and of itself.”
Boyle, Garland, and DaCosta use the franchise to look at themes around generational trauma, isolationism, and the cult of personality. It gives both movies an intelligence that stereotypical zombie movies often miss out on. Hopefully Sony recognizes the value in letting Boyle and Garland finish the trilogy and give the franchise the ending it deserves.
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