Will There Be a ’28 Years Later’ Part 3? Confirmation, Cast, & Everything We Know

The future of the 28 Days Later franchise no longer hangs on a question mark. Thanks to the early success of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and renewed studio confidence in the series’ long-term vision, a third installment in the 28 Years Later saga is officially moving forward. Sony has moved the project into active development, original writer Alex Garland is returning, and Cillian Murphy is in talks to reprise his iconic role as Jim, laying the groundwork for what appears to be a deliberately planned trilogy finale.

This isn’t just another sequel tacked on for profit, though. From the start, Garland and producer Danny Boyle envisioned the revival as a three-part story. And instead of reacting to box office numbers after the fact, Sony is responding to early critical momentum, fan engagement, and the sense that The Bone Temple has successfully re-energized the series in a way only a handful of legacy horror movies manage to pull off.

How ‘The Bone Temple’ Paved the Way for a Third Film

Sony Pictures

As 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple begins rolling out in mid-January 2026, its early reception has already set it apart. Critical responses have been notably strong, with Rotten Tomatoes score sitting proudly at 93%, which places it above 28 Years Later and 28 Weeks Later. Many even point out that this is the franchise’s most enthusiastic critical response since Danny Boyle’s original 28 Days Later in 2002.

This early momentum has proven meaningful. According to industry reports from Deadline, Sony’s decision to formally move ahead with 28 Years Later 3 crystallized as reactions to The Bone Temple began coming in. This does not mean the trilogy was greenlit without conditions. Although 28 Years Later and The Bone Temple were filmed back-to-back, reports suggest that the future of a third film hinged on whether the second entry demonstrated genuine cultural traction rather than just brand recognition.

As of now, the third movie remains untitled and without a confirmed release date, but it is now officially in development. Alex Garland is attached to write the screenplay, maintaining his role as the creative through-line of the modern trilogy and instilling the belief that this final chapter is being delivered as a conclusion.

Returning Cast for ’28 Years Later’ Part 3

The biggest headline surrounding 28 Years Later 3 is Cillian Murphy. After serving as an executive producer on 28 Years Later, Murphy is now attached to return as Jim in Part 3. He appears briefly in The Bone Temple, so his comeback would be a full-circle moment that ties the trilogy back to the haunting journey that began in 2002.

Murphy himself has acknowledged that his role in The Bone Temple is limited, but has also openly encouraged audiences to support the movie in order to endure the trilogy’s conclusion. It also introduced a powerful ensemble that’s expected to return, including Alfie Williams as Spike, Erin Kellyman as Kelly, Chi Lewis-Parry as Samson, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Jamie.

At this point, there’s still no official word on what 28 Years Later 3 will actually be about, but The Bone Temple offers some clear narrative signs. The second film ends with Cillian Murphy’s Jim raising a young daughter, which raises a lot of questions about his survival decades after the Rage outbreak. The absence of Naomi Harris’s Selena is left unexplained, so we don’t know whether she is the child’s mother or if she has died in the years since 28 Days Later.

What’s possible is that Jim and his daughter will return as main characters, their lives intersecting with Spike and Kelly after the attempted rescue scene in The Bone Temple’s final moments. The third movie may also focus on Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Jamie and the Holy Island community, who were entirely absent from the sequel, but their arc is an unresolved one in the trilogy.

Then there’s Samson. Before Dr. Kelson’s death, the former Alpha-infected is shown being cured, which introduces the possibility that a workable treatment exists. If Samson remembers how that cure was achieved, it could become a major element of the final chapter.

When ’28 Years Later 3′ Could Be Released

The legacy of 28 Days Later is massive. Boyle’s original movie influenced zombie cinema greatly, and projects like The Walking Dead, Zombieland, and A Quiet Place drew from its success in the years after. With The Bone Temple hailed as one of the strongest entries in the franchise, expectations for the third movie are sky-high. While Sony has not announced a production start or release window, past patterns suggest that a 2027 or 2028 theatrical release is the most realistic outcome.

The studio is expected to wait for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’s full box-office run before locking dates, but with the script underway and key talent secured, the final chapter is more a matter of timing. Murphy’s return and Garland’s writing point to a movie filled with trauma, survival, and moral ambiguity. There is also a strong indication that Boyle may return to direct it, but it’s not officially confirmed. Regardless, 28 Years Later 3 will decide whether humanity finally finds a cure or succumbs to the Rage forever.

Release Date: January 16, 2026
Runtime: 109 Minutes
Director: Nia DaCosta
Producers: Andrew Macdonald, Bernard Bellew, Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, Peter Rice