The Big Picture

• Cillian Murphy will surprise fans with his return in 28 Years Later, joining a star-studded cast for the sequel.
• The highly anticipated follow-up to 28 Days Later will be directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland.
• Look out for 28 Years Later in theaters on June 20, 2025, and catch 28 Weeks Later on Hulu in the meantime.

Updates for the upcoming sequel to 28 Days Later have been pouring in steadily for the last few weeks, but fans just got the one they've been waiting for. When speaking to Deadline, Sony Motion Pictures group Chair Tim Rothman confirmed that Cillian Murphy will reprise his role as Jim in 28 Years Later. When asked if Murphy would be back, Rothman responded with, "Yes, but in a surprising way and in a way that grows, let me put it that way." Murphy was rumored to be interested in returning, but was previously only confirmed to be involved in an executive producing capacity. Now, fans can rest easy knowing the highly anticipated follow-up will go on with Murphy in front of the camera, not just behind it.

Murphy is fresh off an Oscar win for Best Performance by a Lead Actor for his role in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, a film which won seven Academy Awards and was nominated in six other categories. Once Oppenheimer premiered in July alongside Greta Gerwig's Barbie, Murphy was the clear favorite for a Best Lead Actor win, putting on the performance of a lifetime in what is already a very stacked resume for the Irish actor. Murphy also has another intriguing project in development, a live-action adaptation of Blood Runs Coal, the novel by Mark A. Bradley, where he'll play the lead role with the script being penned by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth.

What Do We Know About ‘28 Years Later’?

Murphy reprising his role may be the announcement that fans of the 28 franchise have been waiting for, but he's joining an already stacked cast for the sequel. Already confirmed to star in the film is Aaron Taylor-Johnson — whose latest outing with Ryan Gosling, The Fall Guy, is now playing in theaters — as well as Jodie Comer and Ralph Fiennes. Comer is set to appear opposite Tom Hardy and Austin Butler in The Bikeriders, and Fiennes recently starred alongside Anya Taylor-Joy in the 2022 psychological horror flick, The Menu. 28 Days Later scribe Alex Garland will write the script for the upcoming sequel along with Danny Boyle, who will also return to direct. Roles and plot details are being kept under wraps, but with a loaded new cast and Murphy returning along with Boyle and Garland, 28 Years Later will almost certainly be one of the most anticipated movies of 2025.

28 Years Later is expected in theaters on June 20, 2025. While the original 28 Days Later is not streaming anywhere, the follow-up starring Jeremy Renner, 28 Weeks Later, is available to watch on Hulu. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates on 28 years later.

WATCH ON HULU