Danny Boyle has confirmed to the folks at IGN that Cillian Murphy will appear in the upcoming 28 Years Later trilogy, but not until part two. The zombie we saw in the trailer wasn’t Cillian’s character, Jim, after all.
Parts one and two of the planned sequel trilogy were filmed back-to-back, with Danny Boyle helming the first movie and Nia DaCosta the second. The third movie will be greenlit if the first does well, but it looks like Cillian Murphy’s inclusion is a big part of persuading the bigwigs to make it happen.
Here is Danny Boyle’s quote:
“He is in the second one,” says Boyle before smiling. “I shouldn’t give away too much. I’ll get killed.”
Don’t act so coy, Danny. We know what you’re doing. It makes sense to play your trump card now if the third movie isn’t assured.
Cillian Murphy won an Oscar in 2024, but I’m not sure what the half-life for awards is. Best to cash in now.
Let’s hope they give Cillian Murphy enough to do and that his inclusion isn’t simply about financing. What’s the odds on him turning up in the last five minutes of part two like Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Force Awakens? I can’t wait to see him as a broken-down old man in part three.
Part two is intriguingly subtitled The Bone Temple, which is also the nickname of my bedroom.
Nia DaCosta previously directed The Marvels and the Candyman sequel/remake/requel. Despite that, I am excited for these new movies set in the ‘28 Days’ universe. My only gripe is that they missed 28 Months Later, but I suppose that’s a prequel waiting to happen.
