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28 Years Later: The Bone Temple: Ralph Fiennes on Trusting Nia DaCosta

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple star Raph Fiennes talks non-verbal communication and shooting a film and its sequel back-to-back with different directors.

One of the most interesting left turns that 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple makes is the story of Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) and the alpha Samson (Chi Lewis-Perry). When Samson was first introduced in the previous film, it seemed like he was just going to be a physical manifestation of the virus's ability to evolve and maybe a boss fight at the end. However, The Bone Temple turns around and makes the most imposing infected person we have seen, the one who shows there could be hope for humanity on the horizon. The dialogue between Samson and Kelson is almost entirely non-verbal, and we got the chance to speak to Fiennes and Lewis-Perry about portraying that kind of communication. For Lewis-Perry, it was committing to intention and looking into Fiennes' eyes, as he explained in a previous interview. Fiennes elaborated on that saying, "Yeah, I could read Chi's expressions in his eyes. I really felt… What you're saying makes sense [gestures to Chi, referring to what he said on this subject] because I could read it. I could feel it. It was just in his face. It was great."

We have seen many productions decide to shoot movies and sequels back-to-back when both have been greenlit ahead of time. It's even more important when members of your cast are young and going even one year could mean a massive growth spurt that will really fracture any sense of continuity. However, usually, both movies are directed by the same person. This time, the cast and crew who were present for 28 Years Later moved from Danny Boyle directing to Nia DaCosta directing. Everyone involved with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple emphasized that DaCosta was able to do her own thing, and we got the chance to ask Fiennes about that transition.

"Nia gave a lot of time to these one-on-one scenes," Fiennes explained. "Obviously, we have one-on-one scenes, and I had quite a few with Jack, certainly two I can think of, one scene sitting by the river. And she gave them a lot of space, much more than perhaps Danny might have given. I don't think there's any judgment in it because I know that with Danny's huge experience, you know that he can do four takes and he knows what he wants, he's got it. And that's a certain kind of director. They just kind of feel the actors quite quickly have given pretty much what they're gonna do. I don't really have a judgment on it, except Nia kept on pushing for more little detailed nuances.

"And sometimes you think, I did think with Nia sometimes, well, this is great, but, you know, we're going so granular now," he continued. "Having directed a bit myself, you can get obsessed with pushing performance. And then when you're in the edit, you realize actually the performance is there on the first take or second take, and you can get lost in it. So there is no right way, except I think being given permission to keep trying stuff is always great as an actor, because you think, what more can I find here? Sometimes with directors who shoot quite fast and are quite decisive, it's great at one level that they are decisive, but as the actor, often I'm left thinking, I only got three takes at that. Oh my God, I'm sure there's more I could have done, but you just really never know. You just have to trust your director."

The third film has officially been greenlit, and Boyle is set to close out this trilogy as a director. However, DaCosta breaking the flow with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, in a good way, with the trilogy, so we get something different, while Boyle bookends the trilogy was the right move.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple – Summary, Cast List, Release Date

Expanding upon the world created by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland in 28 Years Later – but turning that world on its head – Nia DaCosta directs 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. In a continuation of the epic story, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) finds himself in a shocking new relationship – with consequences that could change the world as they know it – and Spike's (Alfie Williams) encounter with Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell) becomes a nightmare he can't escape. In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival – the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, directed by Nia DaCosta, stars Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, and Chi Lewis-Parry. It will be released in theaters on January 16, 2026.

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