Murphy's Maybe Return—and the Zombie Movie With Trust Issues
Cillian Murphy just agreed to come back—if the money shows up. And that sound you hear? Horror Twitter screaming into the void.
After months of “will he, won't he” energy worthy of a prestige drama, director Danny Boyle confirmed Murphy is expected to appear in the third and final installment of 28 Years Later—if it gets made. That's a big “if” with a capital apocalypse. Why? Because the trilogy's closer hasn't even been funded yet. It all hinges on the audience response to the first two films, including the upcoming 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which hits theaters June 20.
So yes, we're all currently inside a cinematic Schrodinger's box: Murphy is back… unless he's not.
What's at Stake (Beyond the Obvious Zombies)
The idea of a trilogy capstone riding on box office numbers isn't new. But here's the twist: the 28 Years Later series isn't just betting on nostalgia. It's betting on longform genre storytelling in a Hollywood landscape that increasingly treats horror like a TikTok trend—flashy, disposable, gone by Monday.
Danny Boyle is in, screenwriter Alex Garland is in, and Candyman director Nia DaCosta helms the second chapter. Alfie Williams (yep, that 12-year-old breakout) is our new protagonist. But without a guaranteed third film, this saga risks becoming the horror equivalent of The Divergent Series—unfinished, unloved, and dumped straight to streaming limbo.
Murphy's involvement in the finale is a dangling carrot. Or maybe a ticking time bomb. Depends on how The Bone Temple performs. As Boyle put it:
“Everybody's standing by for that, really. Including Cillian.”
Behind the Comeback: Why Murphy's Return Actually Matters
There's something eerie about Jim—Murphy's gaunt-eyed survivor from 28 Days Later—never getting closure. Unlike other modern horror icons (Sydney Prescott, Laurie Strode), Jim just… evaporated. In genre storytelling, that kind of unresolved arc leaves a cultural itch.
It's been 22 years since Murphy first ran through a deserted London in a hospital gown. His potential return mirrors the movie's central theme: What survives after society collapses? Turns out—maybe Cillian Murphy. Maybe not.
If this trilogy does land the third film, we might witness a rare narrative feat: a full-circle genre story told across nearly three decades, by (mostly) the original creators. That's not just continuity—it's mythology.
And if it doesn't happen? Well. We've seen this film before. Just ask the fans still waiting for District 10.
