This article contains spoilers for 28 Years Later and a discussion of Sєxual and physical abuse.
28 Years Later is the long-awaited sequel to Danny Boyle’s 2002 zombie classic, and the shocking ending has already sparked plenty of discussion online. After saying goodbye to his mother and setting out on a journey of self-discovery on his own, Alfie Williams’ protagonist Spike encounters a group of violent thugs who protect him from the infected, and their appearance is a thinly-veiled reference to one of the UK’s most controversial celebrities. Many reviews of 28 Years Later have struggled to make sense of this jolting twist, and it seems like that’s the point.
The film’s ending is clearly intended to set up the story of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, but many audiences have understandably taken issue with the scene’s huge tonal shift and problematic themes. It’s yet to be seen just how relevant these new characters will be in the upcoming sequel, but it’s safe to ᴀssume that Jack O’Connell’s new character will have a major role to play.
Who Sir Jimmy & The Jimmies Gang Are Based On & Why They Look Like That
Jack O’Connell’s Character Is A Reference To A Notorious Celebrity Abuser
Based on the characters’ unconventional costumes and blonde wigs, it’s safe to ᴀssume that 28 Days Later’s “Jimmies Gang” is a not-so-subtle reference to British entertainer Jimmy Savile, who came to be known as one of the UK’s most prolific Sєxual predators. Very little information is given about the gang, as they only appear in the film’s final scene, but their importance will likely be explored further in The Bone Temple, which is currently set for release in January 2026.
The shocking final scene of 28 Years Later also introduces O’Connell as Sir Jimmy, the apparent leader of this gang. He’s the one who commands his followers to attack the infected, proving that he’s got some kind of authority within the group. Jimmy is also the young boy from the film’s opening scene, whose family was slaughtered by the infected and who sought shelter in the church. This is confirmed by the crucifix (which has now been turned upside-down) around his neck.
What Jimmy Savile Did
The Presenter Was Posthumously Exposed As A Sєxual Predator
Savile was an eccentric television personality who spent the majority of his career on daytime shows such as Top of the Pops and Jim’ll Fix It, before he was exposed as one of the industry’s most dangerous and prolific Sєxual predators in 2012. It emerged that Savile had reportedly exploited his fame to ᴀssault hundreds of men, women, and children throughout his career, using his charitable work as a cover for his true behavior. His crimes were described in a 2013 report as “unprecedented in the UK” (via BBC).
It was published that Savile used his wealth and public standing to blackmail those he ᴀssaulted, and those who knew of his crimes, claiming that any allegations against him would detract from the millions of pounds he’d raised for charity over the years.
The same report claimed that Savile had been “hiding in plain sight” and that his status as a Sєxual predator was an open secret within the television industry. It was published that he used his wealth and public standing to blackmail those he ᴀssaulted, and those who knew of his crimes, claiming that any allegations against him would detract from the millions of pounds he’d raised for charity over the years.
One year after Savile died in 2011, an ITV documentary by independent reporter Mark Williams-Thomas exposed him through first-hand accounts from several women who claimed to have been ᴀssaulted by the TV personality as teenagers. In the weeks that followed, hundreds of further cases were raised, and the Metropolitan Police heard over 500 firsthand reports of Sєxual and physical abuse.
Why 28 Years Later Includes A Jimmy Savile-Inspired Gang
There May Be A Deeper Meaning To The Reference
Although the “Jimmies” are teased several times throughout 28 Years Later through scars on corpses and markings on walls, the concept of a Jimmy Savile-inspired gang is the last thing that audiences would expect. The whole concept initially reads as a twisted misdirect, seemingly teasing the return of Cillian Murphy’s 28 Days Later protagonist Jim, before pulling the rug in the most unexpected way possible. But knowing Alex Garland’s previous scripts, this reference is likely much more intentional.
In the years that followed the inquests, Savile became a symbol of insтιтutional corruption and cover-ups, with the BBC facing intense backlash for not exposing his crimes sooner. It’s possible that 28 Years Later is using his reputation as a way to comment on the same corruption, secrecy, and scandal that lies at the heart of the movie’s politics, specifically regarding the UK’s “quarantine” and abandonment by the outside world. It’s difficult to say exactly what this message is without further context on the Jimmies Gang, but this will certainly be elaborated upon in The Bone Temple.
It’s also possible that the Jimmies Gang is simply being used as a dark punchline to demonstrate how much society has changed since 2002 (when the Rage Virus took over the UK in 28 Days Later). Very few people’s reputations have changed as dramatically over the past two decades as Savile’s, so this could simply be a joke at the TV entertainer’s expense.
28 Years Later’s Jimmy Is A Controversial Way To Set Up A Sequel
The Scene Has A Very Different Tone From The Rest Of The Film
The ending of 28 Years Later is an incredibly bold, shocking way to wrap up this otherwise touching, heartfelt story of family and sacrifice. After the emotional weight of Isla’s death and Spike’s desertion from the community, the arrival of the Jimmies Gang feels very out of place at first. It’s a very direct, unsubtle way of reminding the audience that this isn’t the end of the story, unraveling the neat storytelling of the final act and replacing it with something intentionally bold and messy.
The mere reference to Savile is controversial in itself. The TV personality is still a very contentious figure whose crimes did irrevocable damage to hundreds of individuals throughout the decades, so he’s not the safest person to use as the ʙuтт of a joke, especially in a film that’s otherwise so entertaining and compelling. The ending of 28 Years Later sets up a very different sequel that’s clearly going to be incredibly bold and ambitious with its storytelling, but it may have already alienated much of its target audience.
