Posted in: Movies, Sony | Tagged: 28 Days Later, 28 weeks later, 28 years later

28 Years Later Rage Virus Sprints Over To Sony Pictures

After years of rumors, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland are returning for 28 Years Later, which has found its new home at Sony Pictures.

Published Wed, 31 Jan 2024 15:30:07 -0600

by Kaitlyn Booth

Comments

Article Summary

Danny Boyle and Alex Garland team up for 28 Years Later, landing at Sony.
Returning core creative team hints at franchise's revival and expansion.
Cillian Murphy joins as executive producer with possible acting role.
The sequel to invigorate the zombie genre with $60 million budget.

28 Years Later feels like it has been rumored and in development for 28 years, but we finally got word that the film would soon become a reality. However, the first two films found a home at Fox Searchlight, which is currently part of the Disney company. The new set of films was being auctioned to various studios, and after a few weeks, it has found a home. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sony Pictures has picked up the new film, which will be directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland. The deal also includes a Part Two, though Boyle won't be directing that one, but Garland will be writing it. Cillian Murphy, who appeared in 20 Days Later, is also set to return as an executive producer, though it's unclear whether or not he'll be acting in either film. Currently, reports are saying the budgets for these films will be around $60 million, which, these days, is practically modest.

28 Years Later Is Coming From Danny Boyle And Alex Garland — L-R: 28 Days Later Poster © 2002 Fox Searchlight | 20 Weeks Later © 2007 Fox Searchlight

The zombie genre is constantly evolving with the times, and how we see the living dead often correlates with how we see the world. One of the big ways that the genre changed was back in 2003 with 28 Days Later by director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland. Instead of the slow-moving monsters that were creeping up on you, these zombies were fast, and they weren't afraid to get their sprint on. The film was a game-changer in terms of the genre and was critically acclaimed. The box office didn't light the world on fire; it made just under $85 million, but on a budget of just $8 million, those are some solid returns. A sequel was announced, 28 Weeks Later, in 2007, but it did not do well commercially or critically and only featured Boyle and Garland as producers. Since then, there have been ongoing rumors and speculation that another film, usually called 28 Months Later, could be in the making. However, time stops for no one, and "months" doesn't really apply when it's been a decade and a half. Earlier this month, it was announced that 28 Years Later was in the works, with Danny Boyle directing and Alex Garland writing. The deal was set to include multiple films and kick off a trilogy. 28 Years Later currently doesn't have a release date.