Aaron Taylor-Johnson may only be 35 years old, but the actor has been building up his career for over two decades. His big breakout role was playing John Lennon in the 2009 film Nowhere Boy before he made a splash in the action world, playing a key part in Kick-ᴀss. Since then, Taylor-Johnson has been in a wide variety of films.

He has been in MCU movies, played a part in The King’s Man, and acted in one-off action hits like Bullet Train and The Fall Guy. His track record has been pretty strong review-wise, though that cannot be said about all of his works. Johnson’s last two films have received contrasting receptions, but the latest one helps make up for his prior mistake.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Plays Hunters In Both 28 Years Later & Kraven

This Creates A Weirdly Specific Career Trend

Taylo-Johnson’s latest two movies were Kraven the Hunter and 28 Years Later. Kraven the Hunter is a Sony Pictures-produced Marvel movie about a hunter named Kraven whose rocky relationship with his father puts him down an intense path of vengeance. The film is directed by J.C. Chandor.

28 Years Later is the third film in the 28 Days Later franchise, picking up decades after the initial zombie virus outbreak. It is directed by Danny Boyle and also stars Ralph Fiennes, Alfie Williams, and Jodie Comer. Hunting is in the тιтle for Kraven the Hunter, but Jamie is also a form of hunter in 28 Years Later. These back-to-back films see Taylor-Johnson carve out a unique niche for himself.

28 Years Later Is A Much Better Movie For Aaron Taylor-Johnson Than Kraven

It Did Better Among Critics And At The Box Office

Despite the crossover between the two characters, 28 Years Later and Kraven have given Taylor-Johnson extremely different responses. Kraven the Hunter was critically panned, scoring only a 15% Tomatometer. ScreenRant‘s Molly Freeman gave it a 5 out of 10, saying that it “squanders its potential.”

28 Years Later, on the other hand, has a Certified Fresh 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes. ScreenRant‘s Mary Kᴀssel gave the movie a 7 out of 10, noting that the film made her feel “the heart-pounding thrill.” 28 Years Later has also been a better box office success, making over $107 million worldwide, which is a franchise best. This result makes the movie a lot better for Taylor-Johnson’s reputation.

28 Years Later Can Give Taylor-Johnson The Franchise Kraven Didn’t

The Movie Already Has A Sequel Scheduled

28 Years Later already has a sequel planned with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Considering his character has survived the events, Taylor-Johnson’s Jamie is expected to appear in the next movie. There is also talk of a third film being made, in which the actor could also appear.

Kraven the Hunter is unlikely to get a sequel after its $62 million disappointment and negative reviews. If it had been better, it could have launched a series for Taylor-Johnson, but it looks like he will not have that chance. Thus, 28 Years Later will be able to give him the franchise that Kraven was not able to do. This is good news for the actor, as he plays a pretty big role in the zombie movie.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is set for release on January 16, 2026.