’28 Years Later’: Danny Boyle Confirms Cillian Murphy Won’t Appear in New Film; But Will for ‘The Bone Temple’!!

It’s barely been 24 hours since Danny Boyle cast a shadow of uncertainty over Cillian Murphy’s potential status in 28 Years Later, but now the director has delivered a much more clear update on his role in the film. 28 Days Later was one of Cillian Murphy’s earliest roles, and since it was announced that a legacy sequel to the film was in the works, fans have been curious about whether he’ll have a role to play. It’s also been confirmed that 28 Years Later will be the first installment in a new trilogy, and we now know definitively when he will show up. During a recent interview with IGN, Boyle confirmed that Murphy will not star in 28 Years Later, but will have a role in its sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple:

“He is in the second one. I shouldn’t give away too much. I’ll get killed.”

It’s unclear if 28 Years Later will explain Murphy’s absence before he arrives in The Bone Temple, but it seems like Danny Boyle knows much more than he’s letting on. This makes sense, though, as no one wants the director to give away all the movie’s surprises on the press tour before the film even makes it to theaters. Even though there’s no Cillian Murphy in 28 Years Later, Boyle and scribe Alex Garland ensured that the film wouldn’t be without its stars. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, fresh off Sony’s Kraven the Hunter movie, is leading the charge, and he’ll star alongside Oscar nominee Ralph Fiennes and The Bikeriders star Jodie Comer. Sinners star Jack O’Connell will also have a role in 28 Years Later, alongside Erin Kellyman, Kim Allan, Alfie Williams, Chi Lewis-Parry, and Gordon Alexander.

When Are the New ‘28 Years Later’ Movies Coming Out?

28 Years Later will be released in theaters in just a few weeks on June 20, and The Bone Temple is coming to theaters on January 16, 2026. Danny Boyle and Alex Garland returned to work on 28 Years Later after writing and directing the sequel together, and Boyle will pass off directorial duties to Nia DaCosta for the second film in the trilogy. DaCosta most recently directed The Marvels, and she’s also worked on other horror projects in the past, such as Candyman. She even directed Little Woods in 2018.