28 Years Later hits theaters in June 2025, reigniting one of the most iconic horror sagas in cinema. But before you watch the newest chapter in the infected apocalypse, here’s everything you need to know from 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later to get ready for the trilogy’s big return.
🧟 What Is the Rage Virus?
In the universe of 28 Years Later, a genetically engineered virus turns humans into bloodthirsty, hyper-aggressive killers within seconds of infection. It’s not a zombie virus in the traditional sense—victims are still alive, but completely consumed by uncontrollable violence.
📽️ 28 Days Later (2002) – How It All Started
Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, this gritty horror classic begins with a lab break-in, where animal rights activists accidentally unleash the Rage Virus on the UK.
Key Plot Points:
- Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes from a coma 28 days later to find London deserted.
- He joins forces with survivors Selena (Naomie Harris), Frank (Brendan Gleeson), and Hannah to escape infected zones.
- They seek refuge with a military unit—but things turn sinister when the soldiers, led by Major Henry West (Christopher Eccleston), reveal disturbing plans.
- In a final showdown, Jim saves the group, and the film ends with hope as they signal a passing jet.
🔥 28 Weeks Later (2007) – The Virus Mutates
Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, this sequel picks up six months later as NATO and U.S. forces try to repopulate London’s “Green Zone.”
Major Events:
- A man named Don (Robert Carlyle) survives the outbreak by abandoning his wife, Alice (Catherine McCormack). Don is later reunited with his two kids.
- Alice survives, as it turns out, she’s an asymptomatic carrier—she holds the virus but doesn’t turn. This is discovered by Scarlet (Rose Byrne).
- Alice punishes Don, who inadvertently infects others, triggering another outbreak in the safe zone.
- The military (with key characters played by Idris Elba, Harold Perrineau, and Jeremy Renner) resorts to mass extermination, and the virus reaches mainland Europe.
The film ends on a bleak note, with infected seen running through the streets of Paris.
🎬 28 Years Later (2025) – What to Expect
- Release date: June 20, 2025
- Creative team: Directed by Danny Boyle, written by Alex Garland
- Cast: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor‑Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, Alfie Williams, Jack O’Connell, among others
- Plot: Set on a quarantined island in the UK, nearly three decades after the virus outbreak. A father and son venture onto the infected mainland and uncover terrifying secrets
- Cillian Murphy: Executive producer, but does not appear on-screen in this installment, despite earlier fan speculation
📚 This Is Just Part 1 of a New Trilogy
Sony has greenlit a full trilogy:
- 28 Years Later (2025)
- 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026 – directed by Nia DaCosta)
- Untitled third film (TBD – Danny Boyle returns)
👀 Why You Should Care
If you’re into gritty, grounded horror with apocalyptic realism, this trilogy is for you. The original films helped redefine the zombie genre and influenced everything from The Walking Dead to World War Z.
Now, Boyle and Garland are back to finish what they started—with bigger stakes, deeper lore, and a virus that’s far from done.
📌 Final Prep Checklist Before Watching 28 Years Later
✅ Understand that the Rage Virus spreads via blood/saliva contact
✅ Remember: There’s no cure
✅ The virus reached Europe by the end of 28 Weeks Later (did Europe make it?)
✅ Look out for new factions, mutations, and moral chaos
✅ Prepare for Cillian Murphy’s return in film 2 and/or 3
❓Do I need to watch 28 Days Later before 28 Years Later?
It’s highly recommended to rewatch 28 Days Later before watching 28 Years Later. However, this is mostly because it’s an amazing movie. Not because it’s absolutely necessary as preparation for this 2025 movie.
28 Years Later is the continuation of the story that began with 28 Days Later (2002), while 28 Weeks Later (2007) doesn’t play into this much. After all, neither Danny Boyle nor Alex Garland participated in that production.
Still, watching them gives you key background on the Rage Virus, the collapse of society, and the survival themes that shape this world.
That said, 28 Years Later is the start of a new trilogy and will likely be designed to introduce new viewers to the story. But to fully appreciate returning characters (like Cillian Murphy’s Jim, rumored to appear in the sequels) and the deeper lore, watching the original two films is definitely worth your time.
28 Years Later premieres worldwide the week of Friday, June 20, 2025.
