28 Years Later stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and Ralph Fiennes in leading roles, with many fans already speculating whether original star Cillian Murphy will also make a return. Each of the stars seems to have put their horror game faces on as they can be seen in the trailer fighting off the infected and worshiping in some sort of cult. Along with the great casting, the 28 Years Later trailer shows glimpses of some updated infected who look even more dangerous than in the previous installations, confirming that in the intervening years, the infected have evolved to become even more dangerous.
3 Big Clues The Infected Have Become Stronger In 28 Years Later
There Are Several Details Absent From The Previous Films
In the 28 Years Later trailer, a shot of the infected in a forest seems to show a creature that is much larger than the infected in the previous two films, and it appears to be pulsating or beating in some way. Moreover, in a previous clip, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and the teenage boy who was with him are seen running from an infected, but their heads only come up to the stomach of the infected chasing them, proving that the evolution of the Rage Virus has allowed the infected to become larger over time.
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What Poem Is In 28 Years Later's Trailer & What It Reveals About The Movie's Story
The narration of a harrowing poem plays as the background score of 28 Years Later's trailer, raising questions surrounding its meaning in the film.
The 28 Years Later trailer also brings back some of the military themes of the previous two, as many of the sequences shown involve soldiers firing on the infected in dark passageways. In one such scene, as the soldiers look around in the dark for the infected, one is grabbed by something from above and rapidly lifted into the air, disappearing into the dark.
Likewise, in the same sequence, a soldier is shown looking up at something in horror as it grabs his friend. Clearly, whatever was with them in the dark was large enough and strong enough to lift a grown man. These scenes prove that while the small community was living on Holy Island in 28 Years Later, the infected were evolving on the mainland.
28 Weeks Later Already Teased The Rage Virus Evolving
This Evolution Was Previously Hinted At In Changes Between The First And Second Films
While the new changes to the Rage Virus are exciting for audiences, the evolution makes sense given the slight changes that had already occurred between 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. In the original film, the infected did not seem to have any ability to think logically or function in the same way that humans could. However, this changed in the second film with Robert Carlyle's character. Carlyle's character, Don, becomes infected but retains some ability to reason, as is clear by Don continuing to follow his children around after being infected.
28 Weeks Later proved that the Rage Virus had the ability to evolve because Don's wife and children were able to develop a sort of immunity to it, though they still acted as carriers.
Not only does Don's ability to recognize his children and follow them after being infected point to an evolution in the Rage Virus, but the children themselves also further this change as carriers. 28 Weeks Later proved that the Rage Virus had the ability to evolve because Don's wife and children were able to develop a sort of immunity to it, though they still acted as carriers. This could also imply that humans were growing a resistance to the virus, so the virus continued to evolve and grow stronger after that point in response.
28 Years Later Needed Stronger Infected To Make The Movie More Exciting
28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later have become iconic zombie movies since their release, but audiences never want a sequel that is doing the exact same thing as its predecessor. Rather than focus on the same type of infected that the first two movies did, it makes sense that Danny Boyle and Alex Garland would update the premise to feature monsters that will scare audiences in a new way.
28 Years Later is the first in a new trilogy of 28 Years Later films, and it was shot back-to-back with the second, 28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Temple .
Just as Don being able to recognize his children and track them through London added an extra layer of intrigue to 28 Weeks Later, the infected in 28 Years Later are more exciting because of their increased size and strength. It will also be interesting to learn whether, like Don, the new infected show increased intelligence in 28 Years Later, as that could also add to the troubles that the film's characters have to face.
28 Years Later is the tentative title for the third film in the "28 Days Later" franchise, initially conceived by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland. Originally expected to be titled "28 Months Later," the film still hasn't been officially confirmed, but preliminary work on a script has reportedly been underway.
Director Danny Boyle
Release Date June 20, 2025
Franchise(s) 28 Days Later
English (US) ·