The first trailer for “28 Years Later” is finally here, and it’s safe to say my excitement for 2025 has reached a whole new level. As a fan of the “28 Days Later” franchise, I’ve been eagerly awaiting a glimpse into the next chapter of the haunting post-apocalyptic world that Danny Boyle and Alex Garland first brought to life in 2002.
Now, with the release of this trailer, those lingering questions have been replaced with one overwhelming certainty: this movie is going to be a ride.
The trailer takes us back to where it all began, with Teletubbies playing on a screen (a nostalgic moment that might strike a chord with U.K. viewers) as it tries to soothe a group of children amidst the surrounding chaos. But the calm is short-lived, and we’re thrust into a darker, more uncertain future, introducing a new cast of characters. We also receive strong hints about more advanced zombies, ones that are significantly larger and stronger.
Big names like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and Ralph Fiennes anchor the sequel. Cillian Murphy’s return has been confirmed, though eagle-eyed fans have speculated that his brief, eerie appearance as a potential zombie in the trailer might suggest a shocking twist.
What struck me most, though, wasn’t just the stunning visuals of several unique locations or the pulse-pounding score, but the way it teases at a story that feels deeply personal and relevant. If the trailer is any indication, “28 Years Later” could be the sequel we’ve all been waiting for. Check it out below:
What do we know about ‘28 Years Later’?
“28 Years Later” picks up… well, 28 years after the world was plunged into chaos. This marks the first chapter of an exciting new trilogy, with the second installment, “28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Temple”, already shot since they were filmed back to back.
Cillian Murphy returns to reprise his iconic role. Although this time he might not be the once-ordinary bicycle courier who awoke from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic London ravaged by the deadly Rage Virus. Fans of the franchise can expect a thrilling continuation of the story, as the aftermath of the apocalypse unfolds with even more intensity.
Fiennes recently told IndieWire more about the plot: “Britain is 28 years into this terrible plague of infected people who are violent, rabid humans with a few pockets of uninfected communities. And it centers on a young boy who wants to find a doctor to help his dying mother. He leads his mother through this beautiful northern English terrain. But of course, around them hiding in forests and hills and woods are the infected. But he finds a doctor who is a man we might think is going to be weird and odd, but actually is a force for good.”
Garland, when speaking on the ReelBlend podcast, also shared that the movie will delve into more nuanced themes surrounding landscapes, humans, and nature: “It’s to do with the passage of time, and thinking about what effect the passage of time would have. … Is it what you would traditionally call a post-apocalyptic state? Or has something else begun to manifest? Time is really at the core of the engine of the film.”
After watching the trailer for “28 Years Later”, I’m even more excited for this new trilogy. It teases just enough to hook you without revealing too much, and I can already tell this will be a powerful cinematic experience in 2025.
“28 Years Later” will hit theaters on June 20, 2025.
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