The new 28 Years Later film has reportedly been shot on a mobile phone – an iPhone 15 – according to reports.
The first film in the franchise, 28 Days Later, was released in 2002 and directed by Danny Boyle. Set one month after a virus causes the collapse of civilisation in the UK, the post-apocolyptic thriller follows courier Jim (Cillian Murphy) after he wakes up from a coma and tries to make sense of the world.
After this, 28 Weeks Later arrived in 2007 then earlier this year, it was announced that both Boyle and Murphy would return for a third movie, 28 Years Later. This new film will also serve as a springboard for two further movies in a new trilogy.
Now, it’s been reported by Wired that when filming the latest iteration of the series over summer, Boyle did so with several adapted iPhone 15. With a budget of $75 million (£56.4million), this will make it one of the biggest films to date filmed with smartphones.
Also appearing in the film will be Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer and rumoured Bond favourite Aaron Taylor-Johnson as well as Ralph Fiennes.
Sony have now confirmed it has picked up 28 Years Later with the studio aiming to release the sequel on June 20, 2025. Filming began in May 2024 and production has only just wrapped.
Speaking to NME in 2022 about a potential return to the franchise, Murphy previously said: “I think there’s a problem with that, in that I’m 20 years older… but every time I do bump into Danny or Alex I always mention it. Because I showed it to my kids recently, some Halloween about four or five years ago, and they loved it. It really stands up, which is amazing for a film that’s 20 years old. So yeah, I love the idea and it’s very appealing to me.”
As it stands, Murphy’s Jim is the only character from 28 Days Later confirmed to be returning while none of the cast from 28 Weeks Later seem to be involved. However Imogen Poots, who played Tammy in the sequel, has said she’d “jump” at the chance to revisit the character.
Also speaking to NME in 2022, Boyle confirmed that Garland had written a script for a potential sequel to 28 Weeks Later called 28 Months Later with a “lovely idea” at the centre of it. “It feels like a very good time actually,” he continued. “It’s funny, I hadn’t thought about it until you just said it, and I remembered ‘Bang, this script!’ which is again set in England, very much about England.”