Sony greenlights 28 Years Later 3 with Cillian Murphy possibly returning

Sony Pictures has officially greenlit the third installment of the new trilogy in the post-apocalyptic horror film series, tentatively known as 28 Years Later 3. The announcement also hinted at the Oscar-winning Cillian Murphy's return to the franchise, who launched the franchise's first film, 28 Days Later (2002).

Murphy will also appear briefly in the upcoming film, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Notably, he was also an executive producer in the most recent film in the franchise, 28 Years Later, which came out on June 20, 2025.

---

Cillian Murphy to possibly star in the 28 Days Later post-apocalyptic franchise film, 28 Years Later 3

Cillian Murphy at Steve London Photocall (Image via Getty)

Sony Pictures' 28 Years Later 3 is confirmed to complete the planned trilogy helmed by the creative team of Danny Boyle and Alex Garland. As of now, there are no details about the film's casting, title or release date. However, it is confirmed that Cillian Murphy is in talks with the studio to likely return for the third film.

Murphy's career breakthrough arrived in 2002 with Danny Boyle’s groundbreaking horror film, 28 Days Later, in which he starred as Jim, a bicycle courier who awakens from a coma in a deserted London hospital, thrust into a world ravaged by the highly contagious "Rage" virus.

The film was a critical and commercial success, launching Murphy to a mass audience and redefining the zombie sub-genre. It also earned him a nomination for Breakthrough Male Performance at the MTV Movie Awards.

After years away from the franchise after appearing in the 2002 original film, the Oppenheimer star will reprise his role as Jim in the upcoming sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. The film, directed by Nia DaCosta, is the second installment in the new trilogy and is expected to reintroduce Murphy's character.

While his role is reportedly not major, with the actor himself cautioning that he is "only in it for a little bit," his appearance is intended to set up a much larger return in the third, officially greenlit film, currently titled 28 Years Later 3.

Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, the 28 Days Later franchise began with the original film in 2002, grossing over $82.8 million worldwide against a modest $8 million budget, becoming a landmark in the horror genre.

The 2007 sequel, 28 Weeks Later, grossed over $72.3 million, and the latest addition, 28 Years Later became the highest-grossing film in the saga, earning over $151 million globally.

Set in Great Britain, the films revolve around the accidental outbreak of the highly contagious "Rage Virus", which quickly turns infected humans into homicidal, fast-moving maniacs. The plot focuses on the struggles of a small group of uninfected survivors navigating a rapidly collapsing society while facing both the infected and the moral decay of other uninfected humans.

While details are still awaited for 28 Years Later 3, the fourth installment in the film series, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, is set to hit the theatres on January 16, 2025.