Will Cillian Murphy’s Zombie Sequel Finally Happen?

The possibility of a 28 Days Later sequel has been discussed for years. And it seems like the project is finally gaining traction.

Cillian Murphy, who starred in the Danny Boyle-directed original film, has said that he is “up for” making a new movie. And writer Alex Garland has recently revealed that he has an idea for a story that would take place 28 years after the events of the first film.

While there is no guarantee that the sequel will actually happen, the fact that both Murphy and Garland are interested in the project is a good sign. The original 28 Days Later was a critical and commercial success. The flick made more than $84.6 million at the box office against a budget of $8 million. Not to mention, it helped to revitalize the zombie genre. A sequel could be just as successful, especially if it is able to capture the same sense of dread and suspense as the first film.

The Challenges of a Sequel

Of course, there are also some challenges that would need to be addressed in order to make a 28 Days Later sequel work. The first film was set in a world that had been ravaged by a virus that turned people into flesh-eating zombies.

28 years later, the world would be a very different place. The virus would have either died out or mutated. And the survivors would have had to rebuild society. This could make for a very interesting story. But it would also be a challenge to tell it in a way that is both believable and exciting.

Cillian Murphy Is On-Board With a 28 Days Later Sequel

While doing press for his upcoming film, Oppenheimer, Murphy has been talking in more detail about the possibility of a potential sequel to the hit zombie film.

“I was talking to Danny Boyle recently. And I said, ‘Danny, we shot the movie at the end of 2000.’ So I think we’re definitely approaching the 28 Years Later. But like I’ve always said, I’m up for it. I’d love to do it,” Murphy confessed to Collider. “If Alex [Garland] thinks there’s a script in it and Danny wants to do it, I’d love to do it.”

Garland has also revealed that he and Danny Boyle are taking the idea of a third film quite seriously.

“A few years ago an idea materialized in my head for what would be really ’28 Years Later’. Danny always liked the idea,” Garland said. “So we’re talking about it quite seriously, quite diligently. If he doesn’t want to direct it himself I’ll be well up for it if we can execute a similarly good idea.”

Only time will tell if a 28 Days Later sequel will ever happen. However, the fact that the project is finally gaining traction is a good sign for fans of the original film. If Murphy and Garland are able to come together and create a sequel that is as good as the first film, it could be a major success.