My family and friends know how excited I am for “28 Years Later.” It's the latest entry in an iconic franchise, and I’m eager to see how this new trilogy will resonate with long-time fans and newcomers. But let’s just say the latest “28 Years Later” update left me disappointed (and concerned) because Cillian Murphy won’t be in it.
That’s right. Despite fans speculating that Murphy may have had a brief, eerie appearance as an infected rising from the tall grass in the “28 Years Later” trailer, producer Andrew Macdonald confirmed to Empire that he’s not in the movie.
“[On] this, we wanted him to be involved and he wanted to be involved. He is not in the first film, but I’m hoping there will be some Jim somewhere along the line. He’s involved at the moment as an executive producer, and I would hope we can work with him in some way in the future in the trilogy,” Macdonald said.
Clearly, it’s not all bad news. There’s still hope Murphy will show up later in the trilogy, either as a cameo or, fingers crossed, in a much larger role. But I just can’t help but feel worried.
Why I’m worried about the future of ‘28 Years Later’
I’m not saying the new “28 Years Later” trilogy can’t work without Cillian Murphy. Yes, Jim was a huge part of the first movie, but that doesn’t mean he’s the key to driving the franchise forward. Instead, he could offer a sense of familiarity in the upcoming trilogy, and it’s nostalgia like that that could make the trilogy even better.
Murphy’s absence from the first movie of the trilogy is a bit worrying because his character, Jim, was the heart of “28 Days Later.” His performance grounded the chaos with a deeply human perspective, and without him, the story risks losing some of the emotional connection and continuity that fans love. That’s not to say fresh faces and new stories can’t bring new energy to the franchise. I’m optimistic that Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and Ralph Fiennes will deliver performances that make their characters just as iconic in their own right.
What does worry me, though, is whether the trilogy will even get completed if “28 Years Later” doesn’t receive the reception it needs. The plan is ambitious: starting with Danny Boyle’s “28 Years Later,” followed by Nia DaCosta’s “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” (which has already wrapped production), and concluding with a third movie, directed by Boyle again.
However, that final chapter won’t even go into production until audiences respond to the first movie. It makes sense to save Jim’s return for a big finale, but if this trilogy doesn’t take off, Murphy may never get the chance to reprise his iconic role.
Screenwriter Alex Garland said to Empire: “This is very narratively ambitious. Danny and I understood that. We tried to condense it, but its natural form felt like a trilogy.”
I’m someone who absolutely hates it when franchises are left incomplete. I get that financial struggles can derail things when the first or second movie doesn’t perform well, but it still leaves me feeling so empty. “Percy Jackson” was a big heartbreak for me, along with “The Amazing Spider-Man” and “The Chronicles of Narnia.” These franchises never got the chance to finish their stories, and I’m really hoping “28 Years Later” doesn’t end up sharing the same fate.
That said, all we can do is wait to see how this trilogy unfolds. Who knows, maybe we’ll be pleasantly surprised, and Cillian Murphy will make an unexpected appearance in “28 Years Later.” It wouldn’t be the first time fan theories were dismissed, only to turn out true, like when Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield shocked audiences in “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
For now, we’ll just have to hold out until “28 Years Later” hits the big screen on June 20, 2025. In the meantime, you can revisit “28 Days Later” now that it’s finally available to stream on Amazon.
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