Cillian Murphy's Jim plays a big part in the '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' ending

• Warning: Major spoilers below if you haven't seen "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple."
• "28 Years Later" director Danny Boyle told BI last year that Cillian Murphy would appear in "The Bone Temple."
• If a third movie is made, the plan is for Murphy's character Jim to be the main focus.

"28 Years Later" director Danny Boyle was true to his word.

Cillian Murphy does show up in "The Bone Temple." And he wasn't joking when he told BI last spring, "You have to wait for Cillian."

"28 Years Later: The Bone Temple," directed by Nia DaCosta ("The Marvels," "Hedda"), picks up right where Boyle's "28 Years Later" left off, with Spike (Alfie Williams) being forced to be a part of a gang led by the sadistic Sir Lord Jimmy (Jack O'Connell).

Through the movie, we follow their murderous ways, which eventually lead them to the bone sanctuary of Ralph Fiennes' character, Dr. Ian Kelson, who was introduced in "28 Years Later."

Dr. Kelson acts like he's the devil in front of Spike and the other Jimmy disciples, but that all ends when Kelson realizes Spike is among them (they became friends in the last movie). This leads to a bloodbath during which Kelson dies, Jimmy is strung up on a backward cross (later to be food for the Alpha zombie Samson), and Spike escapes with the only member of the Jimmy gang who cared about him, Kelly (Erin Kellyman).

That's when Murphy's Jim character appears, who hasn't been seen in the franchise since the first movie, 2002's "28 Days Later."

Since then, he's been living in an unsuspecting farmhouse, seemingly blocked off from the infected. We see him quizzing his daughter for a history exam she's to have, which he will be giving her. Suddenly, they hear the infected in the distance. They race outside and see a group of zombies chasing Spike and Kelly. Jim's daughter asks her father if they should help. He says yes, and they run off to help. Then the credits roll.

Danny Boyle believes Cillian Murphy's involvement will lead to a third movie being greenlit

Boyle told BI last year that his hopes are with the tease of Jim's return that Sony, which is releasing the "28 Years" movies, will greenlight a third movie. The plan is for Jim to be the main focus of that movie.

"We still need the money," Boyle told BI just before "28 Years Later" opened in theaters. "I mean, we'll see how we do with '28 Years Later.' It's so close to release that nobody wants to say anything; they just don't know what it's going to do. And I respect that. It's a lot of money, so we'll see." 

Would Boyle direct the third movie if it happened?

"Oh, yes. That's the idea," he said.

"28 Years Later" made over $150 million worldwide at the box office, and "The Bone Temple" is tracking to finally dethrone "Avatar: Fire & Ash" from its current perch atop the box office, so Boyle may finally get his wish.

"28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" is currently playing in theaters.