A trilogy three decades in the making returns with vengeance. Mark your calendars because January 16, 2026, will see the release of '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,' the electric follow-up in the revitalized zombie saga.
- December 20, 2024
AceShowbiz - The adrenaline-pumping journey of the "28 Days Later" trilogy continues as Columbia Pictures locks in a domestic release date for the highly anticipated "The Bone Temple", slated to hit theaters on January 16, 2026. This new installment comes hot on the heels of the series' next chapter, "28 Years Later," which is set for a June 20, 2025, release.
Starring a stellar cast that includes Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and Ralph Fiennes, the films promise to deliver an increasingly intense storyline.
Murphy, famous for his role in Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," reprising his role from the 2002 cult classic "28 Days Later," adds star power to a project directed by Nia DaCosta. DaCosta previously directed and co-wrote Marvel's "The Marvels" and the rebooted horror classic "Candyman."
Produced by Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, Andrew Macdonald, Peter Rice, and Bernard Bellew, with Murphy as an executive producer, "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" aims to extend the living nightmare that began with the chimpanzee-induced apocalypse in the first film. Boyle and Garland, the creative minds behind the original movies, have teamed up yet again for this next phase, scripting both "28 Years Later" and "The Bone Temple."
Set nearly three decades after the first rage virus outbreak, the storyline gravitates towards a small island of survivors linked to the mainland by a single, heavily fortified causeway. As one brave soul ventures into the heart of the mainland, he uncovers terrifying secrets that have evolved among both the infected and the uninfected humans.
Adding to the hype, the teaser trailer for "28 Years Later" became the second most-watched horror trailer ever, not including TikTok views, with an astonishing 60.2 million global views. Given the massive response, the franchise's original 2002 film was re-released for digital purchase and rental, showing the series' continued magnetism for horror genre lovers.
With Sony announcing the release date for "The Bone Temple," the 2026 MLK holiday weekend is shaping up to be a blockbuster showdown. Competing against other releases such as New Line's much-awaited genre film "Weapons" and an untitled Disney project, "The Bone Temple" will undoubtedly inject a dose of adrenaline into the box office.
Young audiences thrilled by high-stakes, intense zombie tales will find "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" a must-watch film event, wrapping them once more into the harrowingly captivating narrative of a world forever changed by the rage virus.
