Danny Boyle is back with a bold and innovative twist for his upcoming film, 28 Years Later, the sequel to the iconic 28 Days Later. While it's not surprising that Boyle continues to push the boundaries of cinema, what sets this film apart is the fact that it was shot entirely on an iPhone 15. Yes, you read that right—the man behind Trainspotting and Slumdog Millionaire used a smartphone to helm one of his most anticipated films. This marks the most expensive smartphone-shot film ever, with a staggering $75 million production budget.
Boyle's trusted collaborator, cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle, who won an Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire and helped craft the gritty digital aesthetic of 28 Days Later, returns for this project. His ability to create cinematic masterpieces with nontraditional tools is on full display, elevating what could be seen as a gimmick into an artistic triumph.
Shooting on smartphones has been attempted before—indies like Sean Baker's Tangerine and Steven Soderbergh's Unsane proved it could be done. But 28 Years Later takes things to a whole new level with a mainstream, blockbuster budget and cast. Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, and Charlie Hunnam headline the film, while Cillian Murphy is rumored to make a cameo appearance. Plot details are still under wraps, but we do know that production wrapped in August, and the film is currently slated for release in mid-2024.
Sony secured the rights to Boyle's 28 Years Later trilogy earlier this year, after a fierce bidding war. With a creative team like Boyle and writer Alex Garland (of Ex Machina fame), it's no surprise that excitement around this project is high.
This groundbreaking leap in filmmaking technology paired with Boyle's unique vision makes 28 Years Later not just a sequel but a cinematic milestone. Could smartphone filmmaking become the future of cinema? If anyone can prove it, it's Danny Boyle.
