‘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.
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.
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.
’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.
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’?
(L to R) Chi Lewis-Parry and Ralph Fiennes star in ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Ralph Fiennes and Chi Lewis-Parry about their work on ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’, reprising their characters from ’28 Years Later,’ working together to create their characters unusual friendship on screen, and director Nia DaCosta’s unique vision for this world.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Fiennes, Lewis-Parry, and Erin Kellyman.
Moviefone: To begin with, Ralph, can you talk about having the opportunity to play this character over the course of two films and what were some of the aspects of this character you were excited to explore this time around that you didn’t get a chance to explore in the last movie?
Ralph Fiennes: Well, yes, it’s great. Look, it’s great to play a part over two films. I don’t think I’ve done it before. No, of course I have with Voldemort (in the ‘Harry Potter’ series) and M (in the James Bond movies), I suppose. But this narrative is more in favor of Kelson’s story and Samson’s story together. Alex (Garland) has written a great part. We understand he’s a doctor, he takes palliative care of Jodie Comer‘s character in the last film. We understand he has that doctor’s instinct for care but he’s in a situation where he’s reliant on survival techniques. But I think this heightens his medical curiosity, which is also a human curiosity, isn’t it? If I want to cure someone, it’s because I believe in the value of mending a fellow human being. I think that’s totally innate to Kelson. His desire to mend, heal, and where he must accept death, it’s a recognition of the life that has been lived by the person who has died. I think he’s profoundly connected to the human experience and what it is to have lived and died. He’s got a mixture of the medic and the philosopher, and I think that’s explored in this. We see his goodness, and in the end, he puts himself on the line to protect young Spike (Alfie Williams). I think he’s a good guy.
MF: Chi, what was your approach to playing Samson and what are the challenges of portraying a character who is infected?
Chi Lewis-Parry: The cold, that was a big challenge. Dealing with the cold while being mostly naked, I found that the cold can really zap your energy. Samson is a very high energy character, and if he’s not high energy, he’s sitting or lying down, and again, exposed to the cold. It’s a mental state. Once the mind gives up, I feel like the body follows and then you’re in an uncontrollable shiver and that’s not good on camera. There was a mental stamina that I had to have to still appear like this big physically imposing destroyer in Samson. It was tough but manageable.
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.
MF: Ralph, what was it like working with director Nia DaCosta and can you talk about her unique vision for this world?
RF: Well, she was intent to come with a different filming approach. I think she made that clear to Danny (Boyle) and Alex, she didn’t want to ever attempt to imitate Danny’s directorial style. She came with a forensic delicacy. She loves the closeups and what’s going on inside the face of someone. The closeup is a great magnifier of human thought in a life and I think she’s edited the film to allow the closeups to breathe and I like that.
MF: Chi, can you talk about Samson’s unusual friendship with Dr. Kelson and what it was like working on the relationship with Ralph?
CLP: It was a complete dream come true. The relationship on screen is very much the relationship we have in real life because I have an affection for the man. I don’t hide it. If anything, I celebrate it. I think to have discovered a friend in this medium, I suppose, is odd and rare, especially one with such affection because I adore him, and he knows that. I’m so proud of being a part of this wonderful experience, and this wonderful film. I can’t wait for the universe to see it.
MF: Finally, Ralph, what was your experience like working with Chi on this project?
RF: Working with Chi was wonderful. He’s generous. He’s committed. He’s always present, ready to go, and ready to give of himself in the moment. That’s what you want with a good screen partner is that we dance together literally but we also dance together in our energies. He doesn’t speak much but all these scenes, he was transmitting feelings and thoughts and interior impulses which I could see in his face. That’s stuff just emerged between us. He comes onto the set with this wonderful generosity of spirit, and that’s rare.
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’?
(L to R) June Squibb as Eleanor, Erin Kellyman as Nina in ‘Eleanor the Great’. Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with June Squibb and Erin Kellyman about their work on ‘Eleanor the Great’, Squibb’s first reaction to the screenplay, Eleanor and Nina’s friendship, the themes of loss, being directed by Scarlett Johansson, what Kellyman learned from working with Squibb, and what they’ll remember most about making the movie.
You can watch the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
June Squibb as Eleanor in ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Jojo Whilden. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
Moviefone: To begin with, June can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay, and did you recognize right away that this would be a fantastic role for you to play?
June Squibb: Yes. I did. I think I knew after the second page or so. It was just beautifully written, and I began to see Eleanor, and I felt I knew who she was, and I recognized her and how she felt about things. It was almost an immediate yes.
Erin Kellyman as Nina in ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
MF: Erin, can you talk about the friendship that Nina forms with Eleanor and how she feels when she realizes that the relationship was based on a lie?
Erin Kellyman: Nina’s obviously just interested in Eleanor’s story. It’s obviously a real story, but it’s just not hers. I think she’s genuinely just interested in that and wants to write a piece on it. Then I think the more and more that these two characters hang out and spend time with each other, I think Nina realizes that Eleanor is a good friend and someone that she really needs in her life. She’s been isolating herself and not seeing her friends and then along comes this person who has a new set of eyes on the situation. I think in those circumstances, you can almost open-up more with people that are brand new in your life because they don’t have any preconceived ideas about anything. I think Nina finds Eleanor very wise, interesting, funny and fun to be around and to learn from. But also, that’s her rock, she’s not really speaking about her feelings with anybody else. It’s only Eleanor that she’s doing that with. So, she puts so much trust in this woman. I think obviously when Nina finds out that it wasn’t her story, I think it’s the most crushing thing. Because this is the first time that she’s opened-up to anybody and then to have the person that she’s opened-up to lie about something or not lie but tell somebody else’s story about something that’s so heavy. But all Nina is thinking is it’s a lie. When she first finds out, she’s just thinking, this is completely fabricated. So, it’s crushing. It’s difficult for her. But there’s forgiveness there once she understands. I think it almost is that she understands more because Nina is currently grieving. So, she can see her friend is also grieving and she just did this in a way to be close to her and to keep her story alive because Bessie had explained that before, she’s worried that no one’s going to know about her brother. So, there’s forgiveness and understanding there at the end.
(L to R) June Squibb as Eleanor, Rita Zohar as Bessie in ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
MF: June, can you talk about Eleanor’s friendship with Bessie, how she is grieving that loss, and how telling Bessie’s story helps keep her memory alive?
JS: I think Bessie meant more to her at this point than anyone. I think even more than her husband did. I think that they had so completely just emerged their lives together. I think that that is the only thing she’s thinking about. I don’t think she even thinks in terms of, “Why am I doing this or what am I doing?” You know, I think it’s like, “Oh, I’ve got a chance to tell Bessie’s story. This is great. Everybody will know about her brother now.” I think that’s where it all comes from.
(L to R) Erin Kellyman as Nina and June Squibb as Eleanor in ‘Eleanor the Great’. Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
MF: Erin, Nina has also lost her mother, and her father and her are still grieving. This movie is about how we grieve and navigate loss, isn’t it? Can you talk about that?
EK: I think there’s three people at the center of this film that are grieving. They all handle it in such different ways. Roger (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is keeping everything in and can’t talk about it because it hurts too much. I think Nina is in the middle. I feel like, Eleanor wants to talk, and she realizes that you must, and I think she’s very wise for that. But I think Nina is stuck in the middle where she wants to but can’t because her dad doesn’t want to. She spent six months not talking about it and then struggles to open-up, but then Eleanor brings that out of her, and she realizes that that’s probably a better solution than keeping everything locked away.
(L to R) Scarlett Johansson and June Squibb on the set of ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
MF: June, what was it like working with Scarlett Johansson on set as a director?
JS: Well, it was wonderful. Everything was very relaxed. She was our leader, always. I loved it because she used her acting background to direct me, and she knew immediately what I was doing, what I needed, and how long I needed things. I loved that. It was like a shorthand; we didn’t have to talk that much about things. She just knew what I was doing.
Scarlett Johansson, June Squibb on the set of ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
MF: Can you give me one example of how Scarlett used her acting skills on set to give you direction?
JS: I think the scene with the rabbi, when we’re talking about the bat mitzvah. We did it a few times and she came in, and I forget what she said to me, but it all went, “Oh my God, yes”. She said exactly what I needed. I don’t even remember if it was technical or if it was emotional or what it was. But whatever it was, it opened me up completely.
Scarlett Johansson on the set of ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
MF: Erin, have you ever been directed by another actor before, and what was your experience like collaborating with Scarlett on set?
EK: No, I don’t think I have. It was interesting. I think, as an actor, you understand what it is like to be on set and be trying to bring a character to life. I think Scarlett obviously understands that so well because she’s been doing this for her whole life. So, the way that she would communicate what she needed from you was so clear. But she also had patience too. Like if something didn’t click for me straight away, she would understand why it wasn’t clicking and then tell me about the note in a different way and then it would click. Just her patience in figuring out what I needed and then how to communicate with me was brilliant. She did that for everybody, that wasn’t just for me. She was figuring out lots of different people’s communication styles and working with it.
(L to R) June Squibb as Eleanor, Erin Kellyman as Nina in ‘Eleanor the Great’. Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
MF: June, can you talk about working with Erin and creating Eleanor and Nina’s friendship on screen?
JS: It was great fun. We had a good time. I think we emotionally had a good time. You know, it worked. It really did. Like in that diner scene, we were enjoying ourselves immensely being in a diner. We really were. I think we just kept talking when the camera was off. It made no difference to us. We just kept talking to each other.
(L to R) June Squibb as Eleanor, Erin Kellyman as Nina in ‘Eleanor the Great’. Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
MF: Erin, what did you learn from working with June on this project?
EK: I think what I admired most about June was her ability to do 110% on every single take, whether it was on her, not on her, a wide shot, like every single take was 110% and every single take was so impressive. It’s honestly a shame that they can only use one take for every scene. You know what I mean? There are so many good ones, that we could have another film. We could make another film with all the different avenues that she went down. But just the stamina and the energy, like the emotional stamina that you need to be able to do that is taxing and she did it. She did it every single time.
June Squibb as Eleanor in ‘Eleanor the Great’ Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
MF: Finally, June, what will you remember most about this filmmaking experience?
JS: Well, having Erin with me for one, and being a part of Scarlett’s first film. I think that’s going to be important. I think she’s going to be a very important director. If she wants it, if that’s what she wants to do.
(L to R) June Squibb as Eleanor, Erin Kellyman as Nina in ‘Eleanor the Great’. Image: Anne Joyce. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
What is the plot of ‘Eleanor the Great’?
Witty and troublesome 94-year-old Eleanor Morgenstein (June Squibb) moves from Florida to New York City following a devastating loss. She soon tells a tale that takes on a dangerous life of its own, while befriending a 19-year-old journalism student (Erin Kellyman).
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 ‘Oppenheimer’ Oscar 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.
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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.
‘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.
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:
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’. 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.
