Director Danny Boyle Says Another Sequel to 28 Days Later Is in the Works

The zombie flick 28 Days Later has continued to be one of the most groundbreaking films from the horror sub-genre, and recently director Danny Boyle announced that another sequel to the film is in development, per The Independent.

The director was promoting his forthcoming Beatles film Yesterday when his 2002 horror film was brought up. The original’s director stated that not only he was on board for a third film, but also that original screenwriter Alex Garland is, as well.

“Alex Garland and I have a wonderful idea for the third part,” Boyle told The Independent. “It’s properly good.”

Boyle’s zombie film was a monumental shift for the genre, with its depiction of fast, rage-fueled infected humans instead of the stereotypical slow-moving, “eat your brains” zombies introduced in George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead.

“The original film led to a bit of a resurgence in the zombie drama and it doesn’t reference any of that,” Boyle told The Independent. “It doesn’t feel stale at all. He’s [Garland] concentrating on directing his own work at the moment, so it’s stood in abeyance really, but it’s a you-never-know.”

Since the release of 28 Days Later, Boyle and Garland have worked on a multitude of projects, and Boyle was even slated to direct the forthcoming James Bond before he stepped down from the project. Garland had his directorial debut in 2014 with the Oscar-nominated sci-fi thriller Ex Machina, and then directed the stunning, Natalie Portman-led sci-fi film Annihilation in 2018. Boyle received an Oscar in 2009 for his directing work on Slumdog Millionaire, which also took home the statue for Best Picture that year. The director also received nominations at the 2011 Oscars for his James Franco-led drama 127 Hours.

28 Days Later, which featured a breakout performance from star Cillian Murphy, had its first sequel in 2007; however, the film wasn’t directed by Boyle. Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, 28 Weeks Later told another story set in the apocalyptic world Boyle and Garland created. The sequel starred big-time actors including Jeremy Renner, Rose Byrne, Idris Elba and Imogen Poots.

Find out where 28 Days Later landed on our newly updated list of the best zombie movies ever made right here.