Only a few months ago, it probably wouldn’t have been difficult to find plenty of fan reticence about the prospects of 28 Years Later. This is, after all, a new installment in a series that hadn’t had a film since 2007’s 28 Weeks Later, itself not as satisfying (aside from an instantly iconic opening sequence) as Danny Boyle’s groundbreaking 2002 original, 28 Days Later. But it was the first trailer for 28 Years Later that assuaged so much of the potential misgivings that horror geeks might feel about the prospect of more “28” zombie movies–it was a masterfully cut together teaser for the film that projected both an overwhelming sense of unease and teased an extremely intriguing evolution in society on the British isles almost 30 years after a near human apocalypse. Set to a 1915 recording of Rudyard Kipling’s poem “Boots,” recited menacingly by American actor Taylor Holmes, the trailer captivated horror geeks all over the world. To date, it’s racked up more than 24 million views on YouTube alone, cementing itself as quite possibly one of the most impactful trailers in genre history. So it’s saying something to remark that 28 Years Later now has another trailer that is just as good, which you can view below.
The synopsis for the film, meanwhile, is the following:
Academy Award®-winning director Danny Boyle and Academy Award®-nominated writer Alex Garland reunite for 28 Years Later, a terrifying new story set in the world created by 28 Days Later. It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives 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 dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.
That lead survivor is played by Bullet Train‘s Aaron Taylor-Johnson, while 28 Years Later also prominently features Killing Eve‘s Jodie Comer and the monolithic presence of Ralph Fiennes, who will surely bring a little gravitas to the situation. Horror geeks and fans of the series will be certain to note that they do seem to be retconning the idea that the infected die out of their own accord due to starvation–presumably, they have now evolved to either not need direct sustenance, or have become self aware enough that they can keep themselves alive for years, roaming the countryside like beasts. The trailer below captures various action excerpts that show those infected in action–including a notable appearance by the emaciated zombie in a field that fans were completely certain was none other than Cillian Murphy’s Jim from 28 Days Later in the first trailer. Those rumors were quickly dispelled: The bony zombie seen above is played by actor Angus Neill. Murphy’s involvement in the film, meanwhile, still is a subject of much debate, as Boyle has been coy about whether he actually properly appears in this installment. We wouldn’t be surprised to see him not show up for more than a moment until Nia Dacosta’s sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which was filmed back to back with this one.
All questions will finally be answered as 28 Years Later howls its way into theaters in the U.S. and U.K. on June 20, 2025. Check out the new trailer below.
