The plot synopsis of 28 Years Later reveals a major detail about how the world has changed since the previous installment. 2002’s 28 Days Later introduced the rage virus, a virulent disease that transforms its hosts into the ravenous, fast-moving, zombie-like Infected. While the outbreak in the movie was limited to the island of Great Britain, the finale of the 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later featured it spreading to continental Europe by showcasing a group of Infected running through Paris after surviving characters Tammy (Imogen Poots) and Andy (Mackintosh Muggleton) crash-landed there.
The upcoming 28 Years Later, which is set to premiere in theaters on June 20, 2025, is intended to be the first installment of a new trilogy of movies continuing the franchise after more than a decade. The first of the trilogy reteams original director Danny Boyle with original writer Alex Garland and original star Cillian Murphy as Jim. The ensemble cast of the movie also includes Kraven the Hunter‘s Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Killing Eve‘s Jodie Comer, The Menu‘s Ralph Fiennes, Unbroken‘s Jack O’Connell, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s Erin Kellyman, and Young Royals‘ Edvin Ryding.
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28 Years Later’s Premise Must Mean The Rest Of The World Is Infected
The Viral Apocalypse Has Spread Since 28 Weeks Later
During an interview with IndieWire that was published on October 25, Ralph Fiennes shared the synopsis of the upcoming Danny Boyle movie in his own words. He shared that the movie takes place in Britain, which is populated with “violent, rabid humans with a few pockets of uninfected communities.” A young boy travels through this dangerous world with his dying mother to seek help from a doctor (Fiennes). Read the star’s full synopsis, which provides a major clue as to how the movie will follow up on the 28 Weeks Later ending, below:
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.
This synopsis seemingly reveals what happened after the 28 Weeks Later kids landed in France. Because Britain continues to be overrun by Infected, it seems highly likely that the entire world has since been destroyed by the rage virus. If people on other continents were still able to martial their forces, it seems likely that they would have offered aid in the many years since the previous installment, as the United States of America did when London was being rebuilt in the second movie.
The Rest Of The World Being Infected In 28 Years Later Promises A More Expansive Story
The Trilogy Could Move Beyond The UK
While Fiennes’ synopsis for 28 Years Later implies that the majority of the movie is set in the UK, the implication that the entire world has been ravaged could open up the future installments in the trilogy and allow them to explore how other territories were impacted by the rage virus. Even if this is not the case, as the first two movies in the trilogy have so far been filmed in the UK, the movie could explore what the surviving humans know about the situation in other regions, expanding the world of the franchise considerably.
Source: IndieWire
28 Years Later is the tentative title for the third film in the “28 Days Later” franchise, initially conceived by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland. Originally expected to be titled “28 Months Later,” the film still hasn’t been officially confirmed, but preliminary work on a script has reportedly been underway.
- Director
- Danny Boyle
- Release Date
- June 20, 2025