Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy will reprise his role as apocalypse survivor Jim from 28 Days Later in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, but the latter film won’t be a true sequel to the actor’s first iconic zombie movie. Written by Alex Garland, the story of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple will continue young Spike’s journey in the wilderness of Great Britain, which is overrun with zombies, with Sir Jimmy Crystal and his cult of tracksuit-wearing warriors.

Though 2025’s 28 Years Later brought audiences back to the world ravaged by the Rage virus after decades of waiting, it will still be a while before the franchise continues Jim’s story with a proper follow-up to 28 Days Later. It has been confirmed that Jim won’t have the sizable role he had as the main protagonist of 28 Days Later.

This may disappoint fans of 28 Days Later, but given the story that 28 Years Later was set up for Spike and Sir Jimmy, it doesn’t look like Murphy’s character would’ve been able to fit as a leading character.

Cillian Murphy Will Hardly Be In 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

Cillian Murphy Will Only Have A Cameo At The End Of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

28 Years Later director Danny Boyle confirmed in an interview that audiences will only see “a little bit” of Murphy at the end of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple as Jim (via Business Insider). Boyle’s statement implies that Murphy’s role in The Bone Temple will be a brief cameo, much like the one actor Jack O’Connell had when he appeared as Sir Jimmy Crystal at the end of 28 Years Later.

While Jim’s exact role in The Bone Temple‘s story is unknown, it is possible that Jim may end up saving Spike’s life, just as Sir Jimmy did at the end of 28 Years Later. This could mean that Murphy’s character will serve to set up the events of the third 28 Years Later movie, in which he will play a more prominent part.

Even with Murphy appearing in The Bone Temple, his limited role at the end of the film doesn’t make for a fitting continuation of his story after 28 Days Later.

The Bone Temple Will Likely Have A Very Different Tone

Cillian Murphy’s Character May Not Fit With The Bone Temple’s Distinctive Story

Each film in the 28 Days Later franchise features a unique story with its own cast of characters and a distinctive tone. While The Bone Temple will feature returning characters from 28 Years Later, particularly Spike and Jamie, it seems it will feature a different tone from the latter film. Based on Sir Jimmy Crystal’s scene at the end of 28 Years Later, it seems The Bone Temple will have a dark but more comedic tone.

Sir Jimmy Crystal introduced himself in 28 Years Later as a zombie-slaying Jimmy Saville that would fit more into the world of A Clockwork Orange. Since O’Connell’s eccentric character will have a much bigger role in The Bone Temple, it seems the sequel’s story will be a far cry from the more grounded story seen in 28 Days Later.

As a result, Jim’s character would likely clash in a narrative dominated by Sir Jimmy and his band of odd, ultraviolent Jimmies. Jim’s presence may also be too distracting for audiences if he has a larger role in The Bone Temple, especially when he’s being played by a huge star like Murphy.

The expectations surrounding Murphy’s character could detract from the focus on newer characters like Spike, Jamie, and Crystal, which would make The Bone Temple a lackluster follow-up to Jim’s story and 28 Years Later.

The Third 28 Years Later Movie Will Be The True 28 Days Later Sequel

The Third 28 Years Later Movie Will Finally Continue Jim’s Story After Decades Of Waiting

Boyle has expressed hopes that Murphy will help secure funding for the third 28 Years Later movie, in which he will play a pivotal role. Given the franchise’s recent resurgence and Murphy’s own star power following his performance in Oppenheimer, it seems likely that audiences will see more of Jim as the lead of a blockbuster sequel to The Bone Temple.

This should make for a more traditional and satisfying follow-up to 28 Days Later. While 28 Days Later had a sequel film in 2007 with 28 Weeks Later, it didn’t follow Jim or any of his friends after the events of the first film. Instead, the movie followed a different group of survivors as the Rage virus continued to spread.

This creative decision left the fate of Jim and his group a mystery for decades after the first film premiered, especially since 28 Weeks Later showed the Rage virus spreading to mainland Europe, where Jim was supposedly taken. The franchise’s reboot with 28 Years Later and its upcoming sequel have only made it more exciting to see what became of Jim and his loved ones after all this time.

The 28 Days Later franchise has been slowly building up to Jim’s return, with the Swedish soldier making a subtle reference to Jim. This should all pay off after The Bone Temple, with Murphy leading a film alongside the franchise’s newer characters at the end of the trilogy.

By giving Jim a leading role in a possible film after 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, the franchise should bring itself full circle by following the protagonist of its first film. Such a film could also dedicate enough time to exploring how Jim survived the spread of the virus and how his character changed during his absence. For now, the franchise seems more focused on presenting a balanced story surrounding Spike and Jimmy Crystal’s new adventure together, meaning Jim’s role has to be limited to a cameo.

Source: Business Insider