Alex Garland has made it clear, he never planned to direct 28 Years Later, the long-awaited follow-up to 28 Days Later.
The 55-year-old writer, who created the original film with director Danny Boyle back in 2002, said he was “done with directing” when talks of the sequel surfaced. Instead, Garland returned to what he loves most: writing.
Speaking with ComicBook.com, Garland explained he didn’t even consider stepping behind the camera. “No. I was certainly, at that point, sort of done with directing and wanted to write for other people,” he said. He went on to note that if Boyle hadn’t agreed to direct the new movie, 28 Years Later probably wouldn’t have happened at all.
“Even if Danny hadn’t wanted to do it … I think that probably would have just ended it at that point. And I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to step in and take that role,” he added. Garland emphasized how collaborative the first film was, and that the new trilogy needed to keep that spirit alive.
“It just wasn’t the dynamic by which the original film was made,” he explained. “The original film was the product of lots of people working together. Cast, crew… and within it was some kind of interaction between me and Danny. That had to be true for this one as well.”
28 Years Later brings back the Rage Virus, this time resurfacing in a quarantined Britain. The movie follows a younger generation venturing into the ruins of the country, uncovering secrets, new threats, and a desperate fight for survival. The cast includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, and Jack O’Connell.
This marks the return of both Garland and Boyle to the franchise after skipping 28 Weeks Later in 2007, which was directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. Garland previously said he walked away from the sequel because he couldn’t approach it with the same mindset.
“28 Days Later was a very uncynical film,” he told The Playlist. “It had a punk sensibility. To make a follow-up, you couldn’t be cynical. Enough time had passed. There was a key idea that felt tonally correct to what we did 20-something years ago.”
28 Years Later will be followed by 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple in 2026, and a third film to complete the trilogy. Danny Boyle recently confirmed that Cillian Murphy will return as Jim, playing a minor role in the second installment and becoming a “very dominant element” in the third.
“There’s a story arc across all three films,” Boyle said. “Not all characters go through all three, but some do. Ralph Fiennes’ character is huge in the second film. And Cillian? He comes back big.”
Fans of the original can expect a proper continuation, with the same creators and no shortcuts.
- Nicholas Galitzine Wraps Up His Mighty He-Man Role - June 17, 2025
- Karen Gillan and Mike Flanagan’s Secret Film Revealed - June 17, 2025
- Alex Garland Breaks Silence on 28 Years Later Role - June 17, 2025
