The highly anticipated first trailer for 28 Years Later, the sequel to Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s iconic 28 Days Later, has officially arrived. Released 22 years after the original film, the trailer follows last week’s cryptic SOS teaser and poster reveal, sparking excitement among fans of the not-a-zombie-movie zombie franchise.
The original 28 Days Later (2002) introduced audiences to a post-apocalyptic Britain ravaged by the “rage virus,” a highly contagious pathogen that induces violent aggression in its victims. The film, starring Cillian Murphy as coma survivor Jim, was credited with reinvigorating the zombie subgenre, though Boyle has long resisted labeling it as such.
Set nearly three decades after the outbreak, 28 Years Later explores a world still gripped by the chaos of the rage virus. Actor Ralph Fiennes, who plays a central role, described the plot to IndieWire: “Britain is 28 years into this terrible plague… The story centers on a young boy navigating the stunning Northern English terrain with his dying mother in search of a doctor who might save her.” Along the way, the pair face danger from infected humans lurking in the wilderness.
The film features an all-star cast, including Murphy, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Fiennes as the enigmatic doctor. Murphy also serves as an executive producer for the movie, which marks the beginning of a planned trilogy. Fiennes revealed that both this film and its sequel have already completed filming.
The ominous tagline on the teaser poster—”Time didn’t heal anything”—sets the tone for a bleak continuation of the franchise. Directed by Boyle and written by Garland, 28 Years Later promises to expand the universe and explore the lingering horrors of the rage virus.
The film is set to premiere in theaters on June 20, 2025. Fans can watch the thrilling first trailer now and prepare for a return to the chaos and tension that made the original a genre-defining classic.
