10 Story Predictions For Cillian Murphy's Return In 28 Years Later (2024)

There is still an air of ambiguity surrounding 28 Years Later's story, but the film's potential 28 Days Later connections leave room for speculating how it will continue Cillian Murphy's Jim's narrative. Directed by Danny Boyle and co-written by Alex Garland, 28 Years Later is already one of the most anticipated films of 2025 because it has been created by the two powerhouses who made 28 Days Later. Despite having a fairly low budget of $8 million, 28 Days Later single-handedly resurrected the zombie horror genre when it first premiered in 2002 and even did great numbers at the box office.

The film's success even spawned a sequel, which, unfortunately, could not meet the high standards set by 28 Days Later. Thankfully, decades after the movie franchise was abandoned, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland decided to give it a second chance. Cillian Murphy, who played Jim in the first film, also hopped on board as an actor and executive producer. Since Murphy's character is the only connective thread between the first film and 28 Years Later, his story will play a crucial role in determining whether the sequel will be as good as 28 Days Later or another underwhelming addition like 28 Weeks Later.

10 Jim Dies Midway Through 28 Years Later

Jim's Death Seems Likely After New Updates Surrounding Cillian Murphy's Role

When Sony Motion Pictures Group chairman Tom Rothman confirmed Cillian Murphy's return in 28 Years Later, he cautiously said that the actor reprises his role as Jim "in a surprising way and in a way that grows." While this does not disclose the capacity in which Jim will be featured, it hints he may not be among the key players in the film. As Rothman's statement suggests, the film will not only honor his past from 28 Days Later but also adopt a standalone narrative where Jim will appear for a while, make an impact, and then leave. This makes it hard not to believe the film will kill his character midway through its runtime.

9 Jim Is A Father In 28 Years Later

Jim Would Be Far More Mature And Wise In 28 Years Later

At its core, 28 Days Later was more or less about humans holding on to their fundamental values by creating family units in the post-apocalyptic world. After losing their loved ones, Jim and Selena found solace when they teamed up with the warm, loving father, Frank, and his daughter, Hannah. Even after Frank's death, Jim fought with the soldiers as if Selena and Hannah were his own family. The soldiers, too, had somewhat of a family-like dynamic where each assumed a specific role. If 28 Years Later focuses on similar themes, Jim could be the central fatherly figure like Frank.

He could not only be a biological father to his own child with Selena but also a guiding force for a much older Hannah. Although Selena and Hannah's return in the film seems uncertain, 28 Years Later can still portray Jim as a mature, protective figure who understands that the key to humanity's survival is its ability to stand together in the face of danger. After experiencing enough tragedies in the post-apocalyptic world and learning enough about the Rage virus' impact on humanity, Jim could be a protective patriarch for anyone struggling to survive.

8 28 Years Later Reveals Jim Is Alone After Selena & Hannah Died

The Sands Of Time May Not Have Been Good To Jim After 28 Days Later

28 Days Later gave a glimpse of how ruthlessly unforgiving the franchise's zombie-infested world can be. Even main characters like Frank met sudden and tragic fates, suggesting that Jim might have likely lost Selena or Hannah or both after the movie's events. If this holds true, Jim will be all by himself in 28 Years Later and perhaps way more calloused and broken than he was in the first film. This grim twist to 28 Days Later's optimistic ending would add more heft to Jim's character development in 28 Years Later, allowing the movie to walk through Jim's grief, isolation, and diminishing will to survive.

7 Jim Became The Leader Of A Post-Apocalyptic Community

28 Days Later Already Paved The Way For Jim To Rise As A Leader

Since Jim has somewhat of an awakening in 28 Days Later's ending arc before he single-handedly takes down a group of armed soldiers, it would not be hard to believe that he later became a leading figure for many survivors. His actions towards the end of 28 Days Later revealed how he was willing to stand against tyranny and injustice and punish those who attempted to take advantage of the world's collapse for their own gain. Just like he looked out for Selena and Hannah in 28 Days Later, he could serve as a leader and protector of other survivors who believe in his vision of rebuilding civilization.

6 Cillian Murphy's Jim Knows About The Rage Virus Cure From 28 Weeks Later

Jim Might Have Met 28 Weeks Later's Andy & Tammy

Since Alex Garland and Danny Boyle were dissatisfied with 28 Weeks Later's portrayal of the world they had created, it would not be surprising if 28 Years Later completely glosses over its events. However, if the film intends to draw connections to both of its predecessors, it could introduce a plot point where Jim crosses paths with 28 Weeks Later's Tammy and Andy and learns how Andy is immune to the virus' symptoms. Realizing that Andy's immunity could save humanity from the devastating Rage virus, 28 Years Later's arc could revolve around Jim embarking on a mission to harness Andy's immunity to find a cure.

5 28 Years Later Continues Jim's Comic Book Storyline With Some Tweaks

28 Years Later's Opening Arc Could Parallel That Of 28 Days Later

28 Days Later's storyline was continued through a comic book series in which Jim, Selena, and Hannah were taken to France after being rescued in the movie's ending. They were then labeled as the Manchester Three, and Jim was even arrested and put on death row for killing Major West and his soldiers. Since 28 Years Later is marking Jim's return, it can obviously not follow the last bit of the comic book narrative. However, it can still highlight how Jim has been in prison for three decades and is finally returning to the real world after seeing the worst of humanity during his sentence.

Jim's arc in 28 Days Later began with him waking up from a coma, completely clueless about what happened in London. By showing how Jim has been behind bars for several decades, 28 Years Later could give him a similar opening arc where he walks out of prison and is naive about how much the world has changed since he was arrested. These parallels would bring a semblance of narrative continuity between the two films while also starting Jim's storyline on a fresh note.

4 Jim Only Has A Cameo In 28 Years Later

28 Years Later May Feature Jim As A Side Character

Since Sony Motion Pictures Group chairman Tom Rothman confirmed Cillian Murphy will return as Jim "in a surprising way and in a way that grows," it seems unlikely that he will only have a fleeting cameo. However, since 28 Years Later also has several other prominent actors, like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, and Jack O'Connell, as its leads, Jim may only show up for a few brief seconds or minutes instead of sticking around as a central character throughout the film. Hopefully, this will not be the case, and 28 Years Later will feature him in a bigger capacity.

3 28 Years Later Makes Jim More Morally Ambiguous

Jim May Not Be A Hero At All

Instead of portraying him as a leader or fatherly figure, 28 Years Later could also feature Jim in a more morally ambiguous light. The film could highlight that, after 28 Days Later's events, Jim experienced too many tragedies and losses before adopting a more negative outlook toward the world around him. As a result, instead of helping others survive, he decided to prioritize his own self-interests. With this as his story's starting point, 28 Years Later could show how Jim gradually reclaims his humanity after forming new bonds with other survivors. However, this development would make Jim's arc too similar to Emmett's from A Quiet Place Part II.

2 Jim Becomes One Of The Infected (But With A Twist)

28 Years Later's Infected Could Be Different From The Ones In 28 Days Later

28 Days Later's story highlights how, even though vicious zombies are lurking in the streets of London, humanity's biggest threat is humanity itself. By highlighting how the Rage virus has evolved over the years, 28 Years Later could further riff on this theme by exploring how the evolved zombies are more human than the ones who were never infected. While this would make the film's narrative a little similar to the original I Am Legend novel's story, it would be interesting to see how Alex Garland and Danny Boyle would reimagine this Frankenstein-esque concept and bring their own little spin to it.

1 28 Years Later Reveals More About Jim's Life Before The Outbreak

Exploration Of Jim's Past Could Enrich The Franchise's Overarching Narrative

Although 28 Days Later subtly drops some insights into Jim's past and his relationship with his family, it keeps many elements surrounding his backstory shrouded in mystery. 28 Years Later could explore more of his past and reveal how, even though a lot has happened since the world became infested with the living dead, many experiences of his pre-outbreak years still shape his actions and decisions. This would add more layers to his overall characterization and eventually allow 28 Years Later to give him a more emotional and memorable departure from the franchise.

28 Years Later

Not Rated

Horror

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

Cast

Cillian Murphy

Franchise(s)

28 Days Later

prequel(s)

28 Weeks Later , 28 Days Later