New '28 Years Later' Footage Seems to Confirm One Actor's 'Paper-Thin' Comeback
Twenty-three years after the zombie classic 28 Days Later hit theaters, a sequel is finally, almost, here. At CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas, iconic director Danny Boyle spoke about the new film 28 Years Later, and even teased its sequel, a third film 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which is coming next year. But do either of these two sequels feature the return of Cillian Murphy, who famously starred as Jim in the first movie? The answer appears to be...yes?
While previous images of an emaciated zombie in a 2024 trailer for 28 Years Later were assumed to be Murphy, that character was later identified as actor Angus Neill, making fans wonder if Murphy's character Jim was even in this sequel at all. But now, according to reports from people who have seen the new CinemaCon footage, Murphy does seem to be in the movie after all. Maybe.
"Yes, we get glorious close-ups of Cillian Murphy’s paper-thin skeleton ravaging the countryside," writes Matt Donnelly for Variety. Donnelly also noted that "Boyle shared a full second trailer exclusively with the exhibitors, which significantly ratchets up the terror from a teaser shared earlier this year."
Related: Was Cillian Murphy Really in the '28 Years Later' Trailer? Cast Speaks Out
Other journalists in attendance did not seem to mention that Murphy is in the new trailer. So, is this another case of mistaken-zombie identity? Perhaps not. On stage, Boyle did say this of Murphy coming back: "Like all good things in life you may have to wait a while for him to make his appearance," he said, according to Deadline.
Some fans and critics think that even if Murphy does not return as Jim in 28 Years Later, that he could appear in its sequel, the 2026 film 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. That movie will not be directed by Boyle, but instead, be helmed by Nia DaCosta. At CinemaCon, DaCosta shared the stage with Boyle and thanked him for inviting her to make the third film, and to"let my freak flag fly."