First trailer for 28 Years Later sequel released as Cillian Murphy return confirmed

Our first look at 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is here.

The follow-up to Danny Boyle's hugely successful 28 Years Later, which aired in cinemas earlier this year, The Bone Temple picks up with Jack O'Connell's Sir Jimmy Crystal, the leader of the bizarre Jimmy Saville-inspired cult, and explores what life is like on the mainland nearly three decades after the rage virus first broke out.

The film will see The Marvels' Nia DaCosta take over the directing reins from Boyle, with screenwriter Alex Garland having also penned the script.

We also get to see the return of Dr Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) as he faces up to the mighty zombie Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), while we're going to see much more of Jimmy's gang, who stepped in to meet Spike (Alfie Williams) at the end of the previous movie.

It seems like Spike is set to join the gang, and considering who it's based on, that certainly seems like it's going to go wrong, especially since it looks like they've got some unfortunate victims strung up.

Check out the trailer:

What is Cillian Murphy's role in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple?

One of the main pulls for The Bone Temple will be the return of Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy, who will reprise his role as Jim from the 2002 original 28 Days Later.

He doesn't actually appear in this trailer, so the moment of Murphy's return is still shrouded in mystery, and we might have to wait until the film actually releases to see him back in the series.

The exact circumstances of Murphy's involvement in the film have been kept under wraps; however, Boyle did previously tease that the actor's reintroduction will be 'very satisfying' in an interview with IndieWire.

The cult of the Jimmies is back (Sony)

"When I saw it, the way [Nia had] done it, I was like, “Oh, yeah, that’s pretty good.” Because I’ve seen a rough cut of it. They’re doing a test of it in July. The whole Sony Corporation hasn’t turned its attention to that film yet," he continued.

He went on to further confirm that the Oppenheimer star would be 'playing the same character'.

Boyle also suggested that Murphy's role in The Bone Temple and its currently unfilmed third instalment could end up hanging in the balance on how well the first two films do at the box office.

Chi Lewis-Parry as Alpha infected Samson (Sony)

If you want to see more of Cillian Murphy in this series, then you'd better hope 28 Years Later and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple do well.

Speaking of the titular bone temple, it seems clear from the trailer that Dr Kelson's monument to the dead, whether they were infected or not, is going to be invaded by the creepy presence of Sir Jimmy Crystal.

Teased only at the end of 28 Years Later, Jack O'Connell's sinister gang leader looks likely to play a much larger role in the action this time around.

Who is returning for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple?

Ralph Fiennes as Dr Ian Kelson (Sony)

Shot back-to-back with 28 Years Later, the directed film will see the return of O'Connell and Murphy, as well as the following cast members from 28 Years Later:

• Alfie Williams as Spike
• Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Jamie
• Ralph Fiennes as Dr Ian Kelson
• Chi Lewis-Parry as Alpha infected Samson
• Emma Laird as Jimmima,
• Maura Bird as Jimmy Jones,
• Erin Kellyman as Jimmy Ink

Jodie Comer, who played Spike's mother, Isla, will not be returning for the sequel, as her character chooses to be euthanised after she discovers her terminal cancer diagnosis.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple will be in cinemas on 16 January 2026.