28 Years Later: The Bone Temple will bridge new and established elements of Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s post-apocalypse, notably with the confirmed return of Cillian Murphy as Jim. Murphy’s involvement in the planned trilogy of 28 Days Later sequel films has been long documented, but little has been said about the details of his appearance.
The lack of information caused a stir when an early 28 Years Later trailer released, showing an emaciated-looking Infected who bore a strong resemblance to Murphy. Many fans were disappointed when Murphy was revealed not to be in 28 Years Later at all–but now his future in the franchise has been further clarified.
In an interview with Deadline, Murphy confirmed that he would be back as Jim in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. The star even confirmed he would be at the center of the third 28 Years Later film, though he stressed that the third film happening at all was not a sure thing.
Here’s what Murphy had to say:
Deadline: This is totally aside, but you are definitely in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, right?
Cilian Murphy: I think Danny (Boyle) has already confirmed that. So I can confirm.
Deadline: And you would be sort of the focal point of the third movie. If the third movie gets green lighted.
Cillian Murphy: Exactly, so in order for that to happen, every single person has to go and see Bone Temple.
Even though it has previously been reported that Murphy was in the 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple cast, having confirmation from the actor himself further cements the idea that his role in the sequel is an important one. Murphy will be the first character from the previous films to appear in this new exploration of 28 Days Later’s world.
Murphy’s statement about the third 28 Years Later film also echoes what Danny Boyle and Alex Garland told ScreenRant about the movie. Boyle stressed that they needed to raise the money to make the movie, implying that it will not happen unless The Bone Temple is successful at the box office.
Our Take On Murphy’s Involvement
The fact that Cillian Murphy will have something of a central role in the third 28 Years Later movie implies that some sort of narrative handoff will take place in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.
SPOILERS AHEADWith the ending of 28 Years Later suggesting that Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Jamie will try to find his runaway son Spike (Alfie Williams), 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple will likely feature more of that particular family drama. But, in this writer’s opinion, The Bone Temple could easily be the end of the line for Jamie.
If Spike is still a central character in the story through 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and Cillian Murphy’s Jim is an important figure in the third film, it stands to reason that Jim could take on the mentor figure role which, for 28 Years Later, was filled by Jamie.
There will still be 28 Years Later’s Jimmies to contend with, of course, but how they fit in with the returns of Murphy and Taylor-Johnson will have to wait until the film is released next year.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple hits theaters January 16, 2026.
