Cillian Murphy Can’t Stop Praising Jack O’Connell’s “Absolutely Magnetic” Turn in 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE

The world of 28 Days Later has always been driven by strong performances, and that tradition is very much alive in the upcoming 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.

Original franchise star Cillian Murphy is singing the praises of the cast, with particular admiration reserved for Jack O'Connell, who steps into the spotlight as the unsettling cult leader Jimmy Crystal.

Murphy recently appeared in a video shared on the film’s official social media, where he made it clear the performances across the board left a serious impression on him.

"The performances are mind-blowingly good. All of them,"

Producer Danny Boyle then singled out O’Connell, prompting Murphy to zero in on what makes Jimmy Crystal tick.

"He's just magnetic. Absolutely magnetic. One of those classic characters that you love to hate, but can't actually hate, you know? Even though you should on all levels."

O’Connell is great in the role of Jimmy Crystal, a blond-wig-wearing, velour tracksuit-sporting death cult leader who feels ripped straight out of the morally twisted chaos this franchise thrives on.

O’Connell has a track record of playing intense, unpredictable characters, and it sounds like The Bone Temple gives him plenty of room to be deeply unsettling and weirdly charismatic at the same time.

I also just want to point out that Ralph Fiennes is awesome in this movie as Dr. Ian Kelson, and he steals every scene he is in!

This chapter of the saga also marks a notable shift behind the lens. Nia DaCosta takes over directing duties, following Danny Boyle, while longtime franchise architect Alex Garland remains on scripting duties, keeping the DNA of the series intact.

The cast around O’Connell is stacked with heavy hitters and intriguing newcomers. Alfie Williams plays Spike, a new recruit drawn into Jimmy Crystal’s cult. Williams has already been getting attention as one of the breakout newcomers.

Murphy himself also pops back in as Jim, the bike courier who survived the original Rage Virus outbreak in 28 Days Later, offering a connective thread back to the film that started it all.

And this isn’t where the infected story ends. A third 28 Years Later film is officially in development, with Garland already writing the script. While there’s no confirmed title or director yet, Boyle has openly expressed interest in returning, and Murphy is currently in talks to once again step into Jim’s shoes.

Jack O’Connell’s Jimmy Crystal is the kind of villain you won’t be able to look away from, even when you really want to.