Tag: 28-years-the-bone-temple

  • Movie Review: ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’

    Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) in Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple'. Photo: Miya Mizuno. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) in Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’. Photo: Miya Mizuno. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Opening in theaters June 16 is ‘28 Years Later: The Bone Temple‘, directed by Nia DaCosta and starring Ralph Fiennes, Alfie Williams, and Jack O’Connell.

    xVYBEPVKcFV9P7QWW9OM77

    Related Article: ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ Cast Interview

    Initial Thoughts

    (L to R) Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry) and Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) in Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple'. Photo: Miya Mizuno. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry) and Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) in Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’. Photo: Miya Mizuno. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    28 Years Later‘ is enjoyable for what it is, but one of the biggest takeaways is that it was clearly a set-up for the follow-up film, ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’. While viewers could surely watch the latter without seeing either of the previous films, they will enjoy it much more if they know the lore and backstories of these characters.

    Story and Direction

    Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) in Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple'. Photo: Miya Mizuno. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) in Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’. Photo: Miya Mizuno. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The story picks up almost immediately after the events of ’28 Years Later’ as Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) is seen putting young Spike (Alfie Williams) to the test. This is a brilliant introduction to the villain of the film, as it becomes clear just how deranged and selfish he is during this fight. His fingers, which is what he calls his child followers, know no better to believe in this man who thinks he is the son of Satan. This sets up for some truly dark, twisted, and gory events that are much on par with the previous two films.

    On the other side of things, we have Ralph Fiennes’ Dr. Ian Kelson, whom we got to know a lot about in the previous film. This time he strikes up an unlikely “friendship” with the Alpha Infected Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). Both of these plot points are captivating in their own way, as we move towards the climax of the film (which does not disappoint). The cinematography and Nia DaCosta’s directing choices are the best in the franchise, without a doubt. Being up close and personal with so many characters allows us to feel what they are feeling, whether it be terror, happiness, or peace.

    Cast and Performances

    Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell) with the Jimmies in Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple'. Photo: Miya Mizuno. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) with the Jimmies in Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’. Photo: Miya Mizuno. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Jack O’Connell will always and forever make a great villain. His role in ‘Sinners‘ is unforgettable, but he does something so phenomenal in ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ that he will surely be remembered for it as well. This is a career-best performance for him. He is a mentally unstable man who is drawn to violence. Throughout the entire movie, he is captivating, yes, but it is the third act where he really shines.

    The same can be said for Ralph Fiennes, who has a lot of incredible roles under his belt, but you have never seen him like this before. What he does, especially in that third act, is going to be talked about for years to come. Chi Lewis-Parry is also given a lot more to play with this time around, and he proves why he should be on many studios’ radars.

    Final Thoughts

    (L to R) Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) and Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) in Columbia Pictures’ '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple'. Photo: Courtesy of Sony Pictures. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) and Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) in Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’. Photo: Courtesy of Sony Pictures. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ sets the bar high for 2026 films. Thanks to brilliant performances all around, a story that will have viewers on the edge of their seats, and some well placed jump scares, it is an unforgettable movie that ends the beloved franchise perfectly.

    While the studio could certainly discover more story to be told, there is no need, as the ending just feels right.

    ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ receives a score of 90 out of 100.

    (L to R) Jimmy Ink (Erin Kellyman) and Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell) with the Jimmies in Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple'. Photo: Miya Mizuno. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Jimmy Ink (Erin Kellyman) and Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) with the Jimmies in Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’. Photo: Miya Mizuno. © 2025 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    What is the plot of ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’?

    Taking place after the events of the previous film, Spike (Alfie Williams) is inducted into Sir Jimmy Crystal’s (Jack O’Connell) gang of acrobatic killers in a post-apocalyptic Britain ravaged by the Rage Virus. Meanwhile, Dr Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) forms a new relationship with potentially world changing consequences.

    Who is in the cast of ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’?

    '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' opens in theaters on January 16th.
    ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ opens in theaters on January 16th.

    List of Films in the ’28’ Franchise:

    Buy Tickets: ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Ralph Fiennes Movies On Amazon

  • Movie Review: ’28 Years Later’

    (L to R) Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his son Spike (Alfie Williams) in Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later'. Photo: Sony Pictures.
    (L to R) Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his son Spike (Alfie Williams) in Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    ’28 Years Later’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.

    Opening in theaters on June 20 is ’28 Years Later,’ directed by Danny Boyle and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, Alfie Williams, and Jack O’Connell.

    Related Article: Cillian Murphy Does Not Appear in ‘28 Years Later’ Producer Andrew Macdonald Confirms

    Initial Thoughts

    An infected in Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later'. Photo: Sony Pictures.
    An infected in Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    Director Danny Boyle’s ’28 Days Later,’ released in 2003, gave a fresh new spark of life (pardon the expression) to the reanimated dead. Well, hold up: the rabid, frenzied, flesh-tearing creatures of Boyle’s groundbreaking film were not zombies risen from the grave, but living humans infected with a powerful bioweapon – nicknamed the Rage Virus – that turned them into fast-moving, savage, homicidal murderers within minutes.

    Boyle’s overwhelmingly violent Infected (as they came to be called), the use of digital video cameras for maximum flexibility, the filming in real locations, and the emphasis on character – particularly Cillian Murphy’s Jim – all contributed to the movie’s success and its impact on the zombie subgenre of horror, no matter what Boyle called his monsters. ’28 Weeks Later,’ a lackluster sequel without the involvement of either Boyle or writer Alex Garland (later to write and direct ‘Ex Machina,’ ‘Civil War,’ and ‘Warfare’), followed five years later, and rumors have persisted ever since about a third movie – with Boyle allegedly interested in returning.

    Now it’s happened: Boyle and Garland have returned respectively to direct and write ’28 Years Later,’ which – as the title confirms – takes place decades after the initial outbreak of the Rage Virus. And true to form, the two filmmakers have once again crafted a horror epic that, while it may not feel as groundbreaking as the original, is incredibly intense, visceral, and atmospheric, while providing characters whose fates we come to care very much about.

    Story and Direction

    Director Danny Boyle for Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later'. Photo: Anthony Ghnassia.
    Director Danny Boyle for Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later’. Photo: Anthony Ghnassia.

    An opening card tells us that the Rage Virus was driven back from continental Europe but confined to the British mainland, with a strict quarantine in place and the survivors inside left to fend for themselves. Admittedly, there’s a rather large hole in the story here if you want to think about it: have there really been no attempts in nearly three decades to contact anyone living inside the quarantine zone, or find a way to rescue them? Perhaps Boyle and Garland are saying something about the transactional, indifferent relationship among nations now, in which a nation’s collapse leads others to push away as if they don’t want to get caught in its wake and pulled under with it, but it still sits there as a gap in the worldbuilding.

    Otherwise that worldbuilding is largely well-handled. The bulk of the film takes place among the community of Holy Island, a thousand-acre patch floating off the coast and connected by a causeway. The community there is a rural, agrarian one, isolating themselves with heavy fortifications at the causeway entrance and the water around them doing the rest (their form of government is never quite explained, but they’re damn good at throwing drunken, almost ritualistic parties).

    It’s here we meet 12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams), his dad Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his mum Isla (Jodie Comer), as Spike prepares for a kind of rite of passage in which he and his dad will cross the causeway to the mainland so that Spike can kill his first Infected. Isla, however, is not completely on board with it, but can’t do much about it either: she is suffering from a malady that causes her great pain, mood disorders, and memory loss, and since Holy Island has no doctors there is no way to determine what is afflicting her.

    (L to R) Director Danny Boyle with Aaron Taylor-Johnson on the set of Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later'. Photo: Sony Pictures. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Director Danny Boyle with Aaron Taylor-Johnson on the set of Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later’. Photo: Sony Pictures. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Jamie and Spike’s trip to the mainland – the rules are that if they don’t come back, no one will go out to look for them – is not exactly a walk in the park. They’re pursued by both slow-moving Infected that have bloated into almost slug-like form and the fast-moving brand seen in the previous two movies, only now mostly filthy, naked, and barely recognizable as human. There are also “alphas,” leader-type Infected whose bodies have been expanded to strongman proportions by the Rage Virus and are, if anything, even more relentless and brutal than the regular flavor.

    Spike makes his first kill, although he bungles the rest (“the more you kill, the easier it gets,” his dad offers helpfully), and learns that there is an insane man living further out in the land who may have once been a doctor. “There are strange people on the mainland,” Jamie warns, but after father and son return to Holy Island and a lavish celebration – during which Spike sees Jamie do something that is hurtful to the boy – Spike turns on his dad, smuggles Isla from the house, and secretly takes her to the mainland, where he hopes to locate the doctor, Ian Kelson, and see if he can make his mother well again.

    All this plays out in a visual aesthetic that pays homage to the original film but enhances it. Boyle uses up to 20 iPhones to shoot some sequences, including a sort of version of “bullet time” for a number of the film’s very gory kills. Yet the film is also shot in an ultra-wide 2:76:1 ratio, giving it an expansive feel while retaining the intimacy of the original movie. The editing is quick, as in ’28 Days,’ and often choppy, mirroring the chaos of the world in which the story is set, while certain scenes – like Spike and Jamie’s frantic dash back on the causeway against a glittering star-filled sky – have a dark fairy tale patina to them.

    (L to R) Jodie Comer and Director Danny Boyle on the set of Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later'. Photo: Sony Pictures. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Jodie Comer and Director Danny Boyle on the set of Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later’. Photo: Sony Pictures. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    There are other sequences, some even in broad daylight with the backdrop of pristine green fields and mountains behind them, that border on nightmarish due to the frightening assault of the Infected at nearly every turn. There are moments of beauty as well, such as a late scene between Spike and Isla in the temple of bones glimpsed in the trailers. And there are bucketfuls of in-your-face gore as the Infected kill or are killed, with plenty of guts, gouts of blood, and decapitated heads on hand (not to mention one skin-crawling yet eventually poignant scene on an abandoned train) to firmly establish this new entry’s credentials for the zombie horror crowd.

    But best of all, there is a great story behind it all, anchored by terrific characters like Jamie, Spike, Isla, and later, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes). Although the script can feel episodic and there are some shifts in tone here and there that don’t quite line up, the fate of these people and the ordeal they go through is riveting enough to carry the movie to an ending that some folks may find irritating (because it all but advertises the sequel, ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,’ which is due out next January).

    Cast and Performances

    (L to R) Spike (Alfie Williams), Isla (Jodie Comer) and Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) in Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later'. Photo: Sony Pictures. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Spike (Alfie Williams), Isla (Jodie Comer) and Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) in Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later’. Photo: Sony Pictures. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    There are three outstanding performances in ’28 Years Later.’ The first is by Alfie Williams, making his motion picture debut as Spike. This is really Spike’s story, a chronicle of his passage from brave but still nervous boy into a stronger, more resilient, more mature warrior, and Williams handles it with confidence, charisma, and a lack of standard child actor tricks.

    Next is Jodie Comer, whose Isla takes more of a central role in the film’s second half as she and Spike venture onto the mainland. Her body and mind wracked by her illness, Isla is trying to break through the fog that envelops her even as her memories splinter and merge. The excellent Comer portrays all this with great empathy and a tragic nobility, showing us why she’s one of the best actors to emerge in recent years.

    Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) in Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later'. Photo: Sony Pictures. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) in Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later’. Photo: Sony Pictures. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    And then there’s Ralph Fiennes, whose Dr. Kelson seems genuinely eccentric and bizarrely funny when we first meet him, but who deepens into a figure of great compassion and dignity even if he walks around coated in iodine (“the Rage Virus doesn’t like it at all,” he notes). Fiennes brings his effortless gravitas to a role that could have been a stock nutty survivalist but is instead imbued with humanity and grace. His bone temple is a “memento mori,” a remembrance of the dead, that has a stark beauty all its own, and Fiennes’ work reflects that.

    As for Aaron Taylor-Johnson, he’s fine. Sturdy, fearless, rugged, Jamie is a pillar of the community, a loving but tough dad, and unfortunately a flawed man who loses the trust of his son. But the character is not as deeply portrayed as the others, and largely sits out the second half of the movie. The other notable player is Edvin Ryding as Erik, a Swedish soldier who gets trapped on the mainland and spends some time with Spike and Isla. Ryding provides some welcome comic relief as he describes modern conveniences in the outside world that Spike has no idea exist – and gets a big laugh when she shows Spike a photo of his cosmetically enhanced girlfriend, whose filler-boosted face remains Spike of a friend’s allergic reaction to shellfish.

    Final Thoughts

    (L to R) Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his son Spike (Alfie Williams) being chased on the causeway in Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later'. Photo: Sony Pictures. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his son Spike (Alfie Williams) being chased on the causeway in Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later’. Photo: Sony Pictures. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Like ’28 Days Later,’ and unlike, say, the socio-politically minded zombie films of George A. Romero, ’28 Years Later’ shies away from sociological or political themes. Yet there is something here about the way that societies crumble so quickly and yet take so long to reform, as well as the way in which humans can fall so rapidly into savagery. There are tantalizing questions raised about who or what else lives on the mainland, as well as what exactly is going on in the outside world, some of which will perhaps be answered in ‘The Bone Temple’ or a third film.

    But what these films do continue to be about – aside from Boyle and Garland providing audiences with an intense, heart-pounding experience from start to finish – is the way in which individual human beings will strive to be kind and do good even among the most horrific of circumstances. Whether it’s in 28 days, 28 weeks, or 28 years, this is a message that bears repeating.

    Y0yVDDumuqttYGuM5pF7c

    What is the plot of ’28 Years Later’?

    It’s been almost three decades since the Rage Virus escaped a bioweapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. When one of a group of survivors leaves their heavily defended island on a mission to the mainland, he discovers horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.

    Who is in the cast of ’28 Years Later’?

    • Jodie Comer as Isla
    • Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Jamie
    • Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Ian Kelson
    • Alfie Williams as Spike
    • Christopher Fulford as Sam
    • Edvin Ryding as Erik Sundqvist
    • Chi Lewis-Parry as Samson
    • Jack O’Connell as Sir Jimmy Crystal
    Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later'. Photo: Sony Pictures.
    Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    Movies Similar to ‘28 Years Later’:

    Buy Tickets: ’28 Years Later’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Aaron Taylor-Johnson Movies on Amazon

    ZhL99dRd
  • CinemaCon 2025: Sony Pictures Presentation

    (Top row L to R) Destin Daniel Cretton (director, 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'), Bob Persichetti (director,' Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse'), Phil Lord (producer, 'Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse'), Tyree Dillihay (director, 'GOAT'), Zach Cregger (director, 'Resident Evil'), (Bottom row L to R) Darren Aronofsky (director, 'Caught Stealing'), Justin K. Thompson (director, 'Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse'), Nia DaCosta (director, '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple'), Danny Boyle (director, '28 Years Later'), and Kogonada (director, 'A Big Bold Beautiful Journey') at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Eric Charbonneau / Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
    (Top row L to R) Destin Daniel Cretton (director, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’), Bob Persichetti (director,’ Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’), Phil Lord (producer, ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’), Tyree Dillihay (director, ‘GOAT’), Zach Cregger (director, ‘Resident Evil’), (Bottom row L to R) Darren Aronofsky (director, ‘Caught Stealing’), Justin K. Thompson (director, ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’), Nia DaCosta (director, ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’), Danny Boyle (director, ’28 Years Later’), and Kogonada (director, ‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Eric Charbonneau / Sony Pictures via Getty Images.

    Preview:

    • Sony has made its big presentation to the 2025 CinemaCon crowd.
    • ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’ and ‘28 Years Later’ were among the major titles showcased.
    • The studio also showed footage from ‘Karate Kid: Legends.’

    Theater owners are suffering right now, with takings down compared to last year, even with a solid start to 2025. So the cinema chain owners allied under what is now known as Cinema United –– formerly the National Association of Theater Owners –– will be looking for good news and plenty of potentially successful movies from the studios.

    The mantra for the big cinema chains was “survive ‘till ’25,” and we’re here. Which is where CinemaCon comes in –– the big show in Vegas each year where the companies roll out stars and footage to tease what they have in the coming year.

    First up was Sony, home of the ‘Spider-Verse‘ and the ‘Karate Kid‘, and we can expect both to show up somehow in the studio’s presentation.

    (L to R) Ben Wang, Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio in Columbia Pictures 'Karate Kid: Legends'. Photo By
    (L to R) Ben Wang, Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio in Columbia Pictures ‘Karate Kid: Legends’. Photo By
    Jonathan Wenk. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    With two and a half hours of show time to fill, the company kicked off like any student forced to give a verbal presentation –– talking about other things, including a sizzle reel of 2024 movies and lots of talk about HDR and distribution. Which is what you get when you’re at a show intended for theater owners.

    But then the presentation proper began with Paul Rudd and Jack Black introducing their new comedic take on cult classic, ‘Anaconda,’ cracking a couple of jokes before segueing to welcome Sony movie boss Tom Rothman to the stage. Rothman began his opening remarks with a quip that Seth Rogen’s character in new Apple TV+ series ‘The Studio’ is based on him.

    NpFPmlLwfDofpbVyjnO4e4

    According to Rothman, the focus of Sony’s presentation will be the filmmakers who have been laboring to produce their new output, and what better choice to start with than Danny Boyle?

    Related Article: ‘The Equalizer 3’ and ‘Napoleon’ Among Highlights At Sony’s Presentation

    28 Years Later

    Danny Boyle (director, '28 Years Later') at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
    Danny Boyle (director, ’28 Years Later’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.

    The long-anticipated third entry in the ‘28 Days Later’ franchise is also technically the launch of a new trilogy, with original duo Boyle and writer Alex Garland back behind the camera.

    As the title suggests, it’s set years after the original movie set a virus that turns infected humans into rageful creatures upon London and the wider environs on England.

    Boyle was there to introduce the premiere of the new trailer for the movie, which had a hard act to follow given the impressively impactful first teaser.

    We’re introduced to a new world order for the country –– save havens are in place, where the likes of Aaron Taylor-Johnson‘s Jamie and his family live. But an ill-feted hunting trip strands him in the infected-infested outside world. We also see and hear Ralph Fiennes, a rugged survivor. We’re also told that Cillian Murphy will be back for the new movie.

    Nia DaCosta (director, '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple') at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
    Nia DaCosta (director, ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.

    Fiennes is mentioned as also appearing in the follow-up, ‘28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,’ and the director of that movie, Nia DaCosta also showed up on stage.

    xVYBEPVKcFV9P7QWW9OM77

    Boyle mentions that DaCosta is in production now on that movie, and that they’re looking for financing for the third. So if anyone has some quarters they can spare…

    The first movie seethes onto screens on June 20th.

    Y0yVDDumuqttYGuM5pF7c

    Unlikely to need more in the way of cash is a certain animated sequel…

    Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse

    Justin K. Thompson (director, 'Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse') (L), Bob Persichetti (director, 'Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse') and Phil Lord (producer, 'Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse') at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
    Justin K. Thompson (director, ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’) (L), Bob Persichetti (director, ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’) and Phil Lord (producer, ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.

    Phil Lord and directors Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson took the stage to announce that the third ‘Spider-Verse’ outing will be “bigger than the past two,” and a massive movie, in fact. So massive that it’ll be the first Sony animated pic to show on IMAX screens.

    The movie, as you might have suspected from the cliffhanger ending of the second, picks up immediately, so no waiting to see what happens with Miles and co.

    We also finally know when the next ‘Spider-Verse’ movie is landing… Prepare to wait until June 4th, 2027 to see this one. Yep, more than two years away!

    OLMdQLVRzca6dN0FMqpSn2

    That’s followed by a newcomer to the CinemaCon stage…

    Caught Stealing

    Darren Aronofsky (director, 'Caught Stealing') at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
    Darren Aronofsky (director, ‘Caught Stealing’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.

    This is Darren Aronofsky’s first trip to CinemaCon, and he’s here to promote ‘Caught Stealing,’ his new crime thriller ‘Caught Stealing.’

    The first trailer for the movie –- featuring Austin Butler, Matt Smith (sporting a shock of blond/red mohawk hair), Zoe Kravitz, Regina King, Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio was showcased, giving a hint to the tone of this one.

    ‘Caught Stealing’ will be with us on August 29th.

    2oCIRl00rIbchiGl75kai7

    That was followed by…

    Resident Evil

    Zach Cregger (director, 'Resident Evil') at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
    Zach Cregger (director, ‘Resident Evil’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.

    The next adaptation of the hugely popular video game franchise comes from ‘Barbarian’ director Zach Cregger, who is in the early stages of putting this one together. He promised it’ll be nothing like the Paul W.S. Anderson/Milla Jovovich movies, but still call it a ‘Wild Ride.’

    Here’s what he said:

    “The movie I’m going to make is unlike any of the previous adaptations…It’s a story that follows one central protagonist from point A to point B as they descend into hell.”

    Though only currently in pre-production, the movie has a September 18th, 2026 date on the books.

    qLkEAbCIEU1yfo0Cnpvlb2

    And now the whistlestop tour of Sony’s slate continues with…

    A Big Bold Beautiful Journey

    Stars Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie joined director Kogonada to talk up the fantastical romantic adventure, and debut the first trailer.

    Expect that on September 19th.

    VHro2LH9r5S1lTwNKVQ6S1

    A change of pace to…

    ‘GOAT’

    The animated animals-playing-basketball movie is produced by sporting icon Steph Curry, and he appeared via video to introduce the movie, which will be out on February 13th, 2026.

    Following ‘GOAT,’ it was the turn of Sony distribution chief Adam Bergerman to discuss release windows, which if we’re honest, is catnip to the CinemaCon crowd.

    He also mentioned the company’s continued investment in anime, spotlighted by a clip from…

    Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Infinity Castle.’

    From there back to more live-action matters, with word that a new ‘Insidious’ movie, co-produced by Blumhouse will be in theaters next year (August 21st, 2026, to be exact).

    xoWGMAlrmzTINkZm7ZmDJ4

    That leads on to more horror…

    I Know What you Did Last Summer

    'I Know What You Did Last Summer' opens in theaters on July 18th, 2025.
    ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ opens in theaters on July 18th, 2025.

    For this one, it’s a case of Classic Story, New Kids as a new group of teens will try to cover up a road accident only to be stalked by a hook-handed killer.

    We’re promised the return of Jennifer Love Hewitt as Julie James and Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray Bronson.

    It’ll be out on July 18th.

    yhFQeRSSB5bA8FWaAWylH6

    After that, the studio’s team rattled through other titles we can expect in the coming months and year, including a third ‘Jumanji’ in 2026, Taika Waititi’s robotic fable ‘Klara and the Sun’ (which stars Jenna Ortega), ‘Grandgear’, the mysterious new movie from ‘Godzilla: Minus One’ director Takashi Yamazaki, produced by J.J. Abrams, and Neill Blomkamp’s ‘Starship Troopers’ adaptation –– which as previously promised will not remake the Paul Verhoeven movie, but instead be a fresh take on Robert Heinlein’s novel.

    All that, and official confirmation that Wes Ball’s ‘Zelda’ movie is in the works, with a March 26th, 2027 release.

    kQaucbdN0NqBpCyxzOI8R3

    But it wasn’t over, as another big title needed a big introduction…

     ‘Karate Kid: Legends

    Ben Wang (L) and Ralph Macchio, from 'Karate Kid: Legends', at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
    Ben Wang (L) and Ralph Macchio, from ‘Karate Kid: Legends’, at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.

    The next iteration of the ‘Karate Kid’ movie franchise blends the classic (Ralph Macchio as student-turned-sensei Daniel LaRusso) with the reboot (Jackie Chan’s Sifu Han) as the two teachers combine forces to tutor the new Karate Kid, Ben Wang’s Li Fong.

    ht8azNjV

    A live karate demonstration gave way to Macchio and Wang on stage, who talked up the new movie, and showed a couple of clips and the first trailer.

    The movie itself is in cinemas on May 30th.

    6NCLOrT2mAcjCpXF8XWhl5

    And now… the big finish!

    Spider-Man 4

    Destin Daniel Cretton (director, 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day') at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
    Destin Daniel Cretton (director, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.

    The latest Spidey outing brings Tom Holland swinging back to our screens for Sony’s collaboration with Marvel and the MCU proper.

    With Destin Daniel Cretton taking over directorial duties, he was on stage to hype the film.

    Destin Daniel Cretton (director, 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day') at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
    Destin Daniel Cretton (director, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.

    But we also heard from star Holland, who appeared via video from the set of Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ to extol how the new ‘Spider-Man’ will be a “fresh start” for the franchise.

    And that’s seemingly confirmed by the title: ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day.’ Which makes some sense given the world-memory-wiping antics of ‘No Way Home.’

    It’ll land on July 31st, 2026.

    awhHMJKDYrfBPpvA5aIUj6

    But wait! There’s more. Tom Rothman returns to the stage to talk about Sam Mendes’ four Beatles biopics, one each focused on John, Paul George and Ringo (kids, ask your grandparents).

    It’s being touted as a four-movie cinematic event.

    The bold idea for this one is four separate movies, each one focusing on a different band member’s perspective, all shot across one year and then released together in April 2028, to make, as Rothman touts, “the first bingeable theatrical experience.”

    And here comes the confirmation of the official cast…

    'The Beatles - A Four-Film Cinematic Event', directed by Sam Mendes. (L to R) Harris Dickinson (John Lennon), Paul Mescal (Paul McCartney), Barry Keoghan (Ringo Starr), and Joseph Quinn (George Harrison). In theaters April 2028. Photo by: John Russo.
    ‘The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event’, directed by Sam Mendes. (L to R) Harris Dickinson (John Lennon), Paul Mescal (Paul McCartney), Barry Keoghan (Ringo Starr), and Joseph Quinn (George Harrison). In theaters April 2028. Photo by: John Russo.

    Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney (somewhere Ridley Scott is seething), Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison. All four were on stage to do the Beatles bow.

    Thus ends the Sony presentation. Some hefty hitters there, and a good mix of horror and Spider-action. We’ll have to wait and see how it all plays out.

    (L to R) Bob Persichetti (director, 'Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse'), Justin K. Thompson (director, 'Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse'), Phil Lord (producer, 'Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse'), Nia DaCosta (director, '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple') and Tyree Dillihay (director, 'GOAT') at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Eric Charbonneau / Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
    (L to R) Bob Persichetti (director, ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’), Justin K. Thompson (director, ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’), Phil Lord (producer, ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’), Nia DaCosta (director, ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’) and Tyree Dillihay (director, ‘GOAT’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Eric Charbonneau / Sony Pictures via Getty Images.

    Editorial Note: Moviefone Editor in Chief Jami Philbrick contributed to this reporting.

  • Cillian Murphy Does Not Appear in ‘28 Years Later’

    Cillian Murphy in 2002's '28 Days Later.' Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.
    Cillian Murphy in 2002’s ’28 Days Later.’ Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.

    Preview:

    • Cillian Murphy is not in new zombie outing ‘28 Years Later.’
    • One of the infected who looks a little like him shows up in the trailer.
    • Murphy is a producer behind the scenes.

    We know him these days as the ‘OppenheimerOscar winner and star of the popular ‘Peaky Blinders’ crime series out of the UK (which itself has a big screen version on the way), but back in 2002, Cillian Murphy had a few film and TV credits to his name but broke out in a big way thanks to Danny Boyle’s horror thriller ‘28 Days Later,’ which drew praise for its inventive take on the zombie genre (more on that below), its guerilla filming style and intensity.

    The movie spawned a sequel, 2007’s ‘28 Weeks Later,’ but Murphy didn’t return for that one, nor did Boyle or writer Alex Garland, aside from being executive producers.

    Fast-forward a good few years to now and Boyle is back, alongside Garland (who has since gone on to enjoy a healthy directing career himself) for a new planned trilogy kicking off later this year with ‘28 Years Later.’ And following the launch of the first teaser trailer a few weeks ago speculation has been rife that Murphy shows up as a skeletally thin member of the infected.

    Y0yVDDumuqttYGuM5pF7c

    When in fact… it’s not him.

    Producer Andrew Macdonald confirmed to Empire that the shambling creature is, in fact, not played by Murphy:

    “On this, we wanted him to be involved and he wanted to be involved. He is not in the first film, but I’m hoping there will be some Jim somewhere along the line. He’s involved at the moment as an executive producer, and I would hope we can work with him in some way in the future in the trilogy.”

    As for Boyle, he told the film magazine that his partner warned him of the similarity…

    “I showed my girlfriend the trailer and she said, ‘People will think that’s Cillian.’ I said, ‘Don’t be silly.’ I ignored her. So I’ve eaten a bit of humble pie since.”

    What’s the story of ‘28 Days Later’?

    Aaron Taylor-Johnson in '28 Years Later'. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
    Aaron Taylor-Johnson in ’28 Years Later’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

    ‘28 Days Later’ sees Murphy starring as Jim, a bike courier who has been in an accident and awakens from a coma to discover that London –– and the rest of the UK–– has been overtaken by a virus that turns its victims into rage-filled monsters who savage their victims.

    While the “Z” word is never used, the Infected, for all their fast speed, are certainly a take on the genre.

    28 Weeks Later’, which was directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, picked up the story months later as the country is slowly cleared of the infected, with evacuated civilians returning –– even as the danger persists.

    As the title suggests, ‘28 Years Later’ will then spin the clock forward nearly three decades to see what life is like for the people who are making a go of living in the country –– and the fact that while the Infected are still a threat, the original movie’s theme of man’s inhumanity to man, even in the case of a unifying situation, also emerges.

    Boyle and Garland are back as director and writer for ‘28 Years,’ which is kicking off the new trilogy. The cast includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer, Jack O’Connell, Erin Kellyman and Alfie Williams.

    Candyman’s Nia DaCosta has picked up the baton, directing ‘28 Years: The Bone Temple.’ The third movie has yet to be detailed.

    Related Article: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes on for ‘28 Years Later’

    Who is the “Infected” in the trailer?

    Cillian Murphy in 2002's '28 Days Later.' Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.
    Cillian Murphy in 2002’s ’28 Days Later.’ Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.

    After the internet lit up with chatter about the Infected in the trailer looking strikingly like Murphy, British art director Angus Neill told the UK’s Guardian newspaper that he’s behind the prosthetic:

    “Danny told me he’d always had me in mind for the role. So we met up, hit it off, and I agreed to take part. On set he has an extraordinary ability to hypnotize you and working with him on the film was a very, very intense experience.”

    You can see Neill’s professional Instagram listing here:

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by UGLY MODELS (@uglymodels)


    While Sony Pictures has yet to officially comment, Neill certainly looks the part.

    Where can I see Cillian Murphy, then?

    Cillian Murphy in 'Peaky Blinders'.
    Cillian Murphy in ‘Peaky Blinders’. Photo: Netflix.

    It’s not like Murphy is hurting for work –– he was in demand even before Christopher Nolan directed him to an Academy Award.

    Murphy was most recently seen in indie title ‘Small Things Like These,’ which itself is drawing some awards attention.

    He will be back on our screens in the aforementioned ‘Peaky Blinders’ movie for Netflix, reprising the role of crime boss Tommy Shelby. The film has yet to confirm a launch date.

    Then there’s comedy drama ‘Steve,’ in which he plays the titular headteacher who is battling for his reform college’s survival while managing his mental health.

    Finally, he’s attached to star in based-on-truth crime/mining drama ‘Blood Runs Coal.’

    When will ‘28 Years Later’ be in theaters?

    ‘28 Years Later’ is currently scheduled to infect theaters on June 20th.

    DaCosta’s ‘28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,’ meanwhile, will follow on January 16th, 2026.

    (L to R) Rose Byrne and Jeremy Renner in '28 Weeks Later'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
    (L to R) Rose Byrne and Jeremy Renner in ’28 Weeks Later’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    Movies Similar to ‘28 Years Later’:

    Buy ‘28 Days Later‘ on Amazon

    nRqyTLDf