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Danny Boyle Says '28 Years Later: Part III' Is on the 'Back Burner'

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In brief

Director Danny Boyle told the London Film Festival on October 9, 2026, that "28 Years Later: Part III" is currently "on the back burner" because the production still lacks financing. He said screenwriter Alex Garland has already written a script, but Garland is tied up directing an "Elden Ring" film adaptation, and Cillian Murphy's character remains central to the planned story.

Danny Boyle, director of the 2025 film "28 Years Later," said the planned third installment of the rebooted horror trilogy is "on the back burner at the moment," according to The A.V. Club and SlashFilm, which both reported on comments he made during a Q&A at the London Film Festival on October 9, 2026.

Boyle said the main obstacle to moving forward is money. The A.V. Club reported that Boyle described screenwriter Alex Garland's script as finished and containing substantial material about Cillian Murphy's character, but said the production still needs financing to begin shooting.

What Boyle told reporters

Per The A.V. Club's account of remarks Boyle made to Variety, he said the film "will get made because people keep asking about it," but added that "when, I'm not sure." Boyle also said filming depends on specific seasonal conditions at a remote British location and that the production window for this year has already passed, according to The A.V. Club.

Will get made because people keep asking about it.

— Danny Boyle, director, quoted by The A.V. Club

Why the project has stalled

World of Reel reported that Sony greenlit the third film in December but has since grown hesitant about committing the financing needed to proceed, a shift the outlet described as the studio getting "cold feet." SlashFilm added that Garland, who wrote the screenplays for every film in the rebooted series except the 2007 entry "28 Weeks Later," is currently writing and directing a theatrical adaptation of the video game "Elden Ring" for A24, with a budget exceeding $100 million and a release set for March 2028, leaving him unavailable to work on "Part III" in the near term.

Cillian Murphy's possible return

Cillian Murphy, who played Jim in the original 2002 film "28 Days Later," returned in a brief, previously undisclosed cameo in 2026's "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple," according to SlashFilm and a Yahoo Entertainment report. The cameo revealed that Jim survived the initial outbreak and is shown living peacefully, teaching his daughter and occasionally fighting off infected attackers, per SlashFilm's description. SlashFilm reported that Deadline has said Murphy is only "in talks" for a potential role in "Part III," meaning his participation is not yet confirmed.

Franchise box-office track record

The rebooted trilogy has had mixed results at the box office. "28 Years Later" opened on June 20, 2025, and had grossed more than $150 million worldwide, according to ScreenRant, on a budget reported by World of Reel at around $60 million. Its 2026 follow-up, "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple," released January 16, 2026, grossed $58,527,279 worldwide against a $63 million budget, according to box-office tracking site The Numbers — meaning the sequel made less than its own production cost.

28 Years Later franchise: recent box office
FilmRelease dateBudgetWorldwide gross
28 Years LaterJune 20, 2025~$60 million (World of Reel)$150M+ (ScreenRant)
28 Years Later: The Bone TempleJanuary 16, 2026$63 million (The Numbers)$58,527,279 (The Numbers)

The wider series began with "28 Days Later" in 2002, directed by Boyle and written by Garland, followed by "28 Weeks Later" in 2007. The franchise then went dormant until Boyle and Garland revived it with "28 Years Later" in 2025, per SlashFilm and The A.V. Club.

Questions

Is '28 Years Later: Part III' cancelled?
No. Danny Boyle said the film is "on the back burner," not cancelled, and that he expects it will eventually be made, though he could not say when, according to The A.V. Club.
Why is the third film delayed?
Boyle cited a lack of financing as the main obstacle, while World of Reel reported Sony has grown hesitant despite greenlighting the project in December. SlashFilm also noted screenwriter Alex Garland is busy directing an "Elden Ring" film for A24 through at least 2028.
Will Cillian Murphy be in '28 Years Later: Part III'?
It is not confirmed. SlashFilm reported that Deadline described Murphy as only "in talks," though his character Jim featured in a cameo in "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" and is reportedly central to the Part III script.
How did the other films in the franchise perform financially?
"28 Years Later" (2025) grossed over $150 million worldwide on roughly a $60 million budget, per ScreenRant and World of Reel. "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" (2026) grossed $58,527,279 against a $63 million budget, according to The Numbers, underperforming relative to its costs.
Who wrote the 28 Years Later scripts?
Alex Garland wrote the screenplays for "28 Days Later," "28 Years Later," and "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple," but not 2007's "28 Weeks Later," according to Yahoo Entertainment.

Sources

  1. The A.V. Club — 28 Years Later 3 might have to wait a few more years
  2. SlashFilm — Cillian Murphy's 28 Years Later: Part 3 Update From Director Danny Boyle
  3. World of Reel — '28 Years Later: Part III' Is 'On the Back Burner,' Danny Boyle Says — Sony Hits Pause
  4. Yahoo Entertainment — Cillian Murphy's 28 Years Later: Part III Gets Official Update From Director Danny Boyle
  5. The Numbers — 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026) Box Office and Financial Information
  6. ScreenRant — 28 Years Later Box Office Hits Major Global Milestone

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