Cillian Murphy Is Down for a ’28 Days Later’ Sequel With One Condition

Cillian Murphy expresses interest in ’28 Days Later’ sequel under one condition

After spending two decades in the industry, Cillian Murphy, renowned for his role in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, is eager to establish himself as a leading man in a major blockbuster film. While Murphy portrays the “father of the atomic bomb” in Oppenheimer, it was his involvement in a different apocalyptic-style movie that propelled him to stardom.

Back in 2000, Danny Boyle cast Murphy in the critically acclaimed film ’28 Days Later,’ where he portrayed a man who awakens from a coma to find a desolate world overrun by a zombie apocalypse. The movie was a tremendous success, both critically and commercially, leading to the creation of a sequel titled ’28 Weeks Later,’ in which Murphy did not appear. Unfortunately, the sequel failed to match its predecessor’s triumph, earning only $65.8 million with a $15 million budget, while ’28 Days Later’ amassed $84.6 million on an $8 million budget. These financial differences, coupled with writer Alex Garland’s lack of involvement in ’28 Weeks Later,’ contributed to the delay in producing another sequel.

Despite these setbacks, Boyle and Garland recently disclosed in an interview with Inverse that they are engaged in “serious” discussions regarding a potential continuation of the franchise, and it seems that Murphy may be part of their plans. During an interview with Steve Weintraub from FilmSweep while promoting Oppenheimer, Murphy expressed great enthusiasm when asked about the possibility of returning to the series. Considering his age, Murphy suggested that a title like ’28 Years Later’ would be fitting, and he confirmed his willingness to participate if Garland and Boyle were involved.

“Recently, I spoke with Danny Boyle, and I reminded him that we filmed the movie at the end of 2000. So I believe we are indeed approaching the ’28 Years Later’ mark. As I’ve always said, I’m up for it. I would love to do it. If Alex [Garland] believes there’s a solid script, and Danny wants to direct it, count me in.”

Image via 20th Century Studios

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Garland and Boyle’s Plans

In the interview with Inverse, Garland admitted that he had been hesitant to make a sequel due to his reservations about ’28 Weeks Later.’ He stated, “I thought, ‘Forget that. I’d rather attempt to write a different story in a distinct world.” However, a few years ago, he conceived an idea for what could be ’28 Years Later,’ a concept that intrigued Boyle. Although neither artist revealed the specifics of this idea, Boyle added, “[W]e’re discussing it seriously and diligently. If he doesn’t want to direct it himself, I’d be thrilled to take on the project if we can develop an equally compelling concept.”

Given Garland and Boyle’s commitment to formulating a plan and Murphy’s confirmation of discussions about the zombie franchise, fans might finally see the much-anticipated sequel. Hopefully, the wait won’t extend until 2028, further emphasizing the tease of ’28 Years Later.’

‘Oppenheimer’ will be released on July 21. Stay tuned for our interview with Nolan and our upcoming full conversation with Murphy.

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