28 Years Later‘s box office runs past a reboot of a classic horror franchise with a 76% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Reuniting Danny Boyle and Alex Garland, who wrote and directed the original movie, the third film follows a new group of survivors on a British island, and after one of them ventures to the mainland, they discover a world full of secrets and horror.

The 28 Years Later cast includes Alfie Williams in his feature film debut, Emmy-winner Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), BAFTA nominee Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Nocturnal Animals), three-time Oscar nominee Ralph Fiennes (Schindler’s List, The English Patient, Conclave), Edvin Ryding, Chi Lewis-Parry, Christopher Fulford, Stella Gonet, Jack O’Connell, and Rocco Haynes.

28 Years Later reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with critics praising it for channeling modern fears into a chilling and gripping experience that defies expectations. The film was released in theaters on June 20 alongside Pixar’s Elio and made $30 million in its opening weekend, finishing second behind the holdover How to Train Your Dragon and becoming the horror franchise’s highest opening weekend.

Now, nearly a month later, 28 Years Later‘s box office has quietly surpᴀssed a reboot of a classic horror franchise.

28 Years Later’s Box Office Is Now Even Bigger Than Scream

It’s Made $139.9M To Date

To date, 28 Years Later has made $139.9 million at the box office, surpᴀssing the worldwide total of Scream (2022), which made $138.8 million. That’s not bad for a franchise in which the first two films didn’t crack $100 million – 28 Days Later made $82 million in 2002, while 28 Weeks Later made $72 million in 2007. On the other hand, the Scream franchise is a much bigger thing.

28 Years Later has achieved these numbers without as much of a built-in audience as Scream. After an 18-year gap between installments, the film still managed to connect with fans, new audiences, and critics alike, all while revitalizing interest in the series. This bodes well for the planned trilogy, including 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which has already been sH๏τ and is set for release in January 2026.

Compare this to other horror movies 28 Years Later has beaten at the box office, many of them installments in much more popular franchises, such as 2020’s The Invisible Man ($139M), 2024’s Smile 2 ($138M), 2012’s Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter ($137M), 2018’s The First Purge ($137M), 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer ($136M), 2007’s Saw IV ($135M), 2021’s Halloween Kills ($130M), and many more.

28 Years Later has surely surpᴀssed expectations at the box office, powered mostly by strong word-of-mouth. It’s a boldly ambitious entry that might let down fans hoping for the gritty horror of the original, but its powerful emotional core, elevated by its strong cast, has clearly resonated with audiences at the box office.