After 17 years of anticipation, the wait is finally over. The trailer for 28 Years Later, the highly anticipated sequel to Danny Boyle’s 2002 horror classic 28 Days Later, has dropped. The movie, set to hit theatres on July 20, 2025, reunites Boyle with Academy Award-nominated writer Alex Garland, promising a terrifying new story that explores the world created by the original.
A Haunting Trailer that Sets the Tone
The trailer, which has already racked up millions of views, is a masterclass in building tension and suspense. Set to a haunting reading of Rudyard Kipling’s 1915 poem “Boots,” the trailer takes us on a journey into the dark heart of a post-apocalyptic world. The increasingly manic voice, which some thought was created specifically for the trailer, is actually taken straight from the original 1915 reading, adding to the sense of unease and foreboding.
A New Story, a New World
The movie takes place almost three decades after the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, unleashing a deadly pandemic that decimated humanity. The story follows a group of survivors living on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the mainland, they discover secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.
The immediate feel the trailer gave me is very much The Walking Dead. Perhaps the bearded lead looking like a bit like Rick did that though to be honest. But we are at the “next phase of life on earth” part after the virus from 28 Day Later spread. Now, living in gated communities, some seemingly with new faiths, the world has found a new way to live.
A Return to Form for the Franchise
Fans of the original will be thrilled to see the franchise return to its horror roots. While 28 Weeks Later, the 2007 sequel, received mixed reviews, 28 Years Later promises to deliver the same level of tension and suspense that made the first movie a classic. The trailer’s use of eerie landscapes, creepy sound design, and a sense of claustrophobia all hint at a movie that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
28 Year Later won’t be pulling punches either if the blood-splattered television with the Teletubbies on it is anything to go by. The trailer for 28 Years Later is a promising start to what looks set to be a thrilling new chapter in the franchise. With Boyle and Garland at the helm, fans can expect a movie that will deliver on its promise of terror, suspense, and emotional depth.
28 Years Later is in Cinemas from 20 July 2025.
28 Years Later Trailer
Is Cillian Murphy in 28 Years Later?
Cillian Murphy returns to the franchise as an executive producer with some reports stating that he would return as Jim. However, Murphy doesn’t appear in the trailer. At least, not as the Jim we know.
One zombie in the trailer (below) bears more than a passing resemblance to the Cork-native. While I find the ultimate demise of Jim to be sad, if not expected, this could also be a red herring. Right at the start of the trailer to get chatter going while it’s just “another zombie”.
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