Danny Boyle Says 28 YEARS LATER: PART III Is on the “Back Burner” as Funding Remains Uncertain
Fans hoping to see Danny Boyle finish his 28 Years Later trilogy might have a longer wait ahead. The filmmaker has confirmed that 28 Years Later: Part III is currently on hold, with financing and scheduling getting in the way of bringing the next chapter to life.
Speaking during a Q&A at the London Film Festival, Boyle gave a pretty straightforward update when asked about the future of the horror franchise. “It’s on the back burner at the moment.”
The director added that he “hopes” the third film will eventually happen, but getting the necessary funding remains a major obstacle. There's also the matter of Alex Garland, who has been busy with another massive project. “Alex has been off doing his own film, which is a big project.”
That project is A24's upcoming live-action adaptation of Elden Ring, the massively popular fantasy video game. With Garland focused on bringing that world to the big screen, it sounds like completing the 28 Years Later trilogy will have to wait.
Boyle attended the London Film Festival to promote his latest movie, Ink, which was selected as one of the festival's headline galas.
Directed by Boyle and written by James Graham (Dear England), the film explores the rise of the notorious British tabloid The Sun during the 1970s.
The story follows editor Larry Lamb, who was recruited from the Daily Mirror in 1969 by a young Rupert Murdoch, setting the stage for the newspaper's transformation into a major force in British media.
Interestingly, Boyle also revealed that getting Ink financed was a struggle, even with his reputation and experience. “We found it very difficult to raise the money for this. I have no idea why. They didn’t say why they wouldn’t give us the money.
“We managed to get the money from StudioCanal. They didn’t give us enough money, but they were brave, whereas a lot of people wouldn’t give us the money.”
Boyle believes producer Tessa Ross played a major role in convincing StudioCanal to back the project, thanks to her previous involvement with the box office hit Conclave.
“She’d made them so much money,” Boyle said, adding he was very lucky that “StudioCanal hooked up with Netflix and they bought it for America. They’ve been really good partners because there have been pressures.”
As for what Boyle plans to tackle next, it doesn't sound like 28 Years Later: Part III is at the top of his list. The filmmaker revealed that he's hoping to make a movie set in Antarctica, provided he can secure the budget. “That’s the next priority.”
So, where does that leave the 28 Years Later franchise? The good news is that Boyle hasn't abandoned the third film. The bad news is that there's currently no guarantee it will move forward anytime soon.
Hopefully, the pieces eventually fall into place. It would be a shame to see Boyle and Garland bring the franchise back after all these years only to leave their planned trilogy unfinished.
Source: Deadline