The Most Exciting Apocalypse Sequel Of The Year Is Missing Its Most Iconic Character

There’s something so charming about seeing an actor in a movie before they made it big. Before Margot Robbie was Barbie, she was girl-next-door Donna Freedman on the Australian soap opera Neighbours. Before Benedict Cumberbatch was Sherlock or Doctor Strange, he was the voice of Martin Crieff in the BBC radio series Cabin Pressure. And before Cillian Murphy was reported that Murphy was spotted on the set of The Bone Temple, though it’s unclear if he was there as a producer or an actor. MacDonald’s cryptic comment may be teasing that Jim will return sooner than fans think, as The Bone Temple already has a release date of January 16, 2026.

While Murphy’s absence in 28 Years Later is disappointing, the Empire report did reveal some exciting details about what’s to come. The movie stars Aaron Taylor Johnson and Jodie Comer as two survivors who “are part of a community on Holy Island, aka Lindisfarne, connected to the UK mainland by a causeway only briefly accessible when the tide recedes each day.” But when their son traverses off the safe haven of the island, the family must face the true extent of the zombie apocalypse. Even if Cillian Murphy isn’t part of the story, it sounds like the perfect follow-up to one of the most creative zombie movies ever made.

28 Years Later premieres in theaters June 20, 2025.