A long-awaited sequel to the zombie flick 28 Days Later has officially been greenlit at Sony – with Cillian Murphy to executive produce and possibly star.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Sony won the rights to the two-part film, dubbed 28 Years Later, in a heated bidding war. Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland have returned, with Boyle directing Part One and Garland penning the script. Part Two's director will be "determined at a later stage." Murphy, who starred in the 2003 film, is set to executive produce. THR teases that Murphy "could possibly star" in the new sequel – though nothing has been confirmed.
The original film follows a bicycle courier (Murphy) who wakes up from a coma only to find that a virus (dubbed the 'rage virus') has all but destroyed society. The cast includes Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, Christopher Eccleston, Noah Huntley, and Stuart McQuarrie. 28 Days Later grossed $82 million against its $8 million budget, and effectively launched Murphy's career.
The movie, while not technically a 'zombie movie' according to Boyle, is credited with reinventing the zombie genre and paving the way for post-apocalyptic media. It was followed by a standalone sequel titled 28 Weeks Later. It's not clear how the 2007 sequel, which was directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and received positive reviews, will factor into 28 Years Later.
28 Years Later does not yet have a release date. For more, check out our guides to the best upcoming horror movies, and the best horror movies of all time.
