Danny Boyle Hopes to Film His 28 YEARS LATER Sequel Next Year: “Fingers Crossed”

Fans of the 28 Years Later franchise may not have to wait too long for the final chapter of the trilogy. Following the release of 28 Years Later and the 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, director Danny Boyle is ready to bringing the story to its conclusion.

Boyle recently revealed that his original plan was to shoot the third film alongside the first two installments. Unfortunately, logistics got in the way.

Speaking with JoBlo, Boyle explained: “We ran out of time. Because it’s set in an area of Britain [where] you can only film at certain times of the year. We ran out of time this year – we literally ran out of time… So it’ll be, hopefully, fingers crossed, next year. But there’s the enthusiasm there, and Alex (Garland) has done a wonderful script for it.”

That’s encouraging news for those of us who have been eager to see how this new chapter of the long-running zombie saga wraps up. It also sounds like the creative team is ready to move forward as soon as production schedules allow.

Back in December, it was reported that Sony was officially moving ahead with 28 Years Later III, with Alex Garland returning to write the screenplay. Boyle has previously expressed interest in directing the final installment himself, which would bring the trilogy full circle.

When Sony secured the rights to the 28 Years Later trilogy, the studio held an option on a third movie but initially focused on getting the first two films made. Those projects were shot back-to-back, with Boyle directing 28 Years Later and Nia DaCosta taking the helm of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.

The franchise has come a long way since Garland and Boyle first launched 28 Days Later in 2002, a film that helped redefine the zombie genre for a new generation. It was followed by 28 Weeks Later in 2007, and now the series is expanding into a full trilogy of sequels.

There’s also another reason fans are excited about the third film. After appearing at the end of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Cillian Murphy recently teased that he hopes to return once again as Jim, the survivor audiences first met in 28 Days Later.

If everything falls into place, Boyle’s “fingers crossed” timeline could see cameras rolling on 28 Years Later III sometime next year. With Garland’s script reportedly ready to go and enthusiasm from the filmmakers still running high, the final chapter of this horror saga appears to be moving steadily toward the finish line.

Source: Deadline