28 Years Later: Release Date, Cast, Plot—Everything We Know About the Long-Awaited Sequel

Sony Pictures has unleashed the first trailer for “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” reigniting the rage-virus saga that began with the 2002 cult classic “28 Days Later” and its summer 2025 follow-up “28 Years Later.” The new footage teases a deadlier human threat, spine-tingling action shots of post-apocalyptic England and a chilling voice-over from Ralph Fiennes’ Dr. Kelson, setting the stage for the franchise’s darkest chapter yet. Release date and trilogy roadmap “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” will stalk into theaters on January 16, 2026, the second installment in a planned trilogy conceived by original creators Danny Boyle and Alex Garland. Boyle has confirmed he intends to direct the as-yet-untitled third film once financing locks, calling the trilogy “our definitive closing statement on the rage virus.” Who’s back — and who’s new • Ralph Fiennes (Dr. Kelson) and Jack O’Connell (Sir Jimmy Crystal) headline, with Emma Laird, Erin Kellyman, Maura Bird and MMA fighter-turned-actor Chi Lewis-Parry joining the fray. • Cillian Murphy reprises Jim for a pivotal cameo, priming him for “an enormous role” in Part 3, according to Boyle. • Alfie Williams returns as Spike, still reeling from the brutal finale of “28 Years Later.” • Nia DaCosta (“Candyman,” “The Marvels”) directs, becoming the first woman to helm an entry in the franchise. Plot snapshot Sony’s synopsis hints that survivors, not the infected, may be the bigger monsters this time: Kelson enters a “shocking new relationship” with world-altering stakes, while Spike is trapped in Jimmy Crystal’s circus of acrobatic killers. Practical stunt work glimpsed in the trailer — wire-assisted rooftop flips, flaming tightrope runs — underscores DaCosta’s promise of “feral human spectacle like we’ve never shown before.” Why the sequel matters • SEO spotlight: Fans still search heavily for “28 Years Later release date,” “28 Years Later 2 cast,” and “28 Years Later trailer,” making fresh content crucial as Google prioritizes recent, authoritative coverage. • Genre gap: Fast-moving zombies dominated the 2010s, but few major studio horror tentpoles in 2024-25 matched the visceral tone of Boyle and Garland’s universe. The 2026 date positions “The Bone Temple” as next year’s first big horror event. • Auteur horror trend: Sony’s backing fits its “filmmaker-driven horror” slate that also includes Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu,” reinforcing the studio’s strategy to pair strong IP with bold directors. Production notes Filming wrapped this summer in Northumbria’s derelict shipyards and London’s abandoned Millennium Mills, giving the sequel the franchise’s trademark guerrilla realism. Garland’s script reportedly doubles the infected screen time but spends equal focus on cult-like survivor factions. Hildur Guðnadóttir scores the film, replacing John Murphy to inject “elegiac dread,” per Boyle. How to catch up before 2026 • Stream “28 Days Later” and “28 Years Later” on Hulu and Netflix UK, respectively (availability may vary). • A 4K Blu-ray collector’s set featuring unseen rehearsal footage and a new Boyle–Garland commentary ships December 9, 2025 — timed for holiday gifting and binge rewatches. Bottom line With a star-studded cast, franchise veterans steering the narrative and a release window all to itself, “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” is poised to infect the 2026 box office and dominate horror-lover search queries for months to come. Stay tuned as we dissect every trailer frame, casting reveal and production tidbit on the road to January 16.