A New Chapter in the Franchise
The rage virus continues to ravage humanity in the upcoming film 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, set to be released in theaters on January 16, 2026. This installment aims to broaden the franchise’s dystopian narrative, featuring intensified violence and the emergence of a cult-like leader amid a landscape plagued by the infected.
Directed by Nia DaCosta and scripted by Alex Garland, The Bone Temple is the fourth movie in the 28 Years series and serves as a sequel to Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later, which Garland also wrote.
Nia DaCosta’s Vision
DaCosta took on directing responsibilities just three weeks after Boyle completed his film. She expressed her intention to infuse the story with her unique vision of horror. “The thing that connects the two is that they’re both bonkers, idiosyncratic, and very artistically personal works,” she shared with Rolling Stone. “My big pitch when I was talking to the producers, including Danny and Alex, before I came on was, ‘I’m going to make this my own. I’m not going to try to make a Danny Boyle movie.’ Because that’s impossible to make. He’s so special. And it didn’t really interest me.”
Regarding her approach, DaCosta remarked, “It’s so hard to describe the tone of the movie that I actually won’t even attempt to. But it keeps the same unique, off-the-wall, surprising energy.”
Plot Overview
The Bone Temple continues shortly after the events of 28 Years Later, where Spike (portrayed by Alfie Williams) encounters Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) and his gang, known for their velour suits. The sequel focuses on Spike, referred to as “the through-line” between the films, as he is drawn into Jimmy’s violent cult, which poses a significant threat to Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) and his Alpha virus-carrier, Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry).
“This film is the weird, deranged cousin to 28 Years Later, who you might be a bit ashamed of because they have weird, questionable interests,” O’Connell explained.
O’Connell added, “We see how much nature is the unstoppable force at the end of the day. Nature prevails. The world will take its natural course with or without humans. But I don’t think the infected are purely antagonists in our film. It definitely will make you consider that.”
Dynamics of Power
DaCosta noted the contrasting worlds of the Jimmies and Dr. Kelson, emphasizing how Spike navigates between the two: “What’s cool about The Bone Temple is we have the Jimmies and their world, and we have Kelson and his world. Spike moves between the two, so it was really fun to be able to have a different style of filming for each character.”
O’Connell characterizes Jimmy as “extremely dark and twisted,” reflecting on how past experiences shape his character: “When we meet him, he’s doing good. He seems to be doing something quite positive, but we definitely take him on a journey of twisted gaiety.”
A Unique Filming Experience
DaCosta praised O’Connell’s portrayal: “I love him. He is so excellent in this film. After Remmick [his vampire character in Sinners], he’s in his baddie era right now.” While she remains discreet regarding Jimmy’s narrative arc, DaCosta hinted, “You get to see more of what it means for the Jimmies to all be dressed the same and for them to be called the Jimmies, the cult of personality he’s created around himself.”
O’Connell collaborated with DaCosta to assemble his group of followers—dubbed Jimmy’s “outlaw posse”—which includes Emma Laird and Erin Kellyman. “It is strength in numbers and survival of the fittest type, so they’re all ready to go and can handle themselves,” O’Connell noted.
Exploring the Relationship Between Characters
The film will delve deeper into Dr. Kelson’s backstory and his complex relationship with Samson, whom he sedates rather than attempts to kill. “We’ve seen Samson ripping people’s heads off,” DaCosta recalled, adding that “Kelson’s a kook, and he’s doing what he wants to do.”
A Broader Perspective on the Virus
Filmed entirely on location, The Bone Temple promises to expand on the catastrophic effects of the virus across England. “The world expands,” DaCosta stated. “We get a glimpse of other types of the 28-years-later effect.” She assured fans that the action will match the intense sequences seen in earlier films. “As a viewer, I love gore and body horror and visceral effects,” she said, noting, “But when I’m directing it’s more about what effect I want to create and what I want people to feel.”
Final Thoughts
O’Connell remarked about the forthcoming trailer, saying, “It does a really good job of putting across a feel and a mood without really alluding too heavily to the storyline,” while hinting, “It goes places, man.”
DaCosta, who also directed the upcoming film Hedda starring Tessa Thompson, reminisced about her connection to the franchise, noting that owning 28 Days Later on DVD at age 12 sparked her enthusiasm for further exploring the world crafted by Boyle and Garland. “In particular in this film, [it’s about] the nature of evil and how we contextualize that in a world with a lot of belief systems that have been created in order to handle the meaninglessness of existence,” she explained. “In the film, we have the infected and we have people who aren’t infected. Who’s really doing worse things?”
The Bone Temple features a talented cast including Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, and Erin Kellyman. The film is produced by Boyle, Garland, Andrew Macdonald, Peter Rice, and Bernard Bellew, with Cillian Murphy serving as executive producer.
