Film news: ‘28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ launches new trailer ahead of January release
Nia DaCosta's sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, has released a chilling new trailer ahead of a mid-January 2026 release.
Fans of the ‘zombie’ horror films can rejoice, with screenwriter Alex Garland and original franchise lead Cillian Murphy returning.
Film News Blitz’s RC Stacey takes a bite out of the new trailer.
‘The Bone Temple’ picks up where ‘28 Years Later’ left off
2025 saw director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Garland reunite for a follow-up to their beloved 28 Days Later (2002).
28 Years Later continued the story of an England post-rage virus, introducing us to a pared-down world that spoke to themes of COVID uncertainty, nationalism, and folklore.
The critically and commercially successful film entirely ignored the events of the 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later (which was made without the creative stewardship of Boyle or Garland).
DaCosta is helming the sequel (famed for her well-received follow-up to a cult-horror favourite, 2021’s The Candyman, starring the late, great Tony Todd).
Based on a screenplay by franchise creator Garland, The Bone Temple is set to release worldwide on January 16 2026.
Boyle, who will be directing the third in the trilogy, joins the film as an executive producer.
What is ‘28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ about?
The Bone Temple represents the second in a planned trilogy of films.
Oscar-winner Murphy reprises his role as Jim from the original film and joins Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, and new villain Jack O’Connell (who was last seen as a sinister vampire in Ryan Coogler’s exceptional Sinners).
Speaking to the villainous reveal of O’Connell’s Jimmy Crystal and the gang of Jimmy’s at the end of 28 Years Later (dressed resembling a disgraced, real world villain and now-dead television personality with the same namesake), The Bone Temple’s official synopsis teases just how villainous this group will be: “…the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival - the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying.”
As seen in the recently debuted trailer, Fiennes’ Dr Kelso will have his work cut out to stop O’Connell’s villain, and first film antagonist Alpha (portrayed by Chi Lewis-Parry), who, against all odds, was revealed to be the father of an uninfected baby, helped brought into the world by Jodie Comer’s tragic character, Isla.
Are you excited for a second bite?
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