28 Years Later is almost here, and director Danny Boyle has already explained who is the true antagonist of the zombie film. The sequel to 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later is expected to continue many of the themes of the franchise, highlighting the parallels between the human characters and the Rage Virus zombies. Danny Boyle has delved further into this, explaining how 28 Years Later is approaching the zombies nearly two decades after the release of 28 Weeks Later.
Speaking with ScreenRant’s Liam Crowley, 28 Years Later director Danny Boyle was asked how the upcoming film would approach the franchise’s theme of humanity being the true villains of the zombie apocalypse. Boyle explains that the rage seen in the zombies is “something that exists within us all,” and that this will continue to be true with Jodie Comer’s Isla. Thus, 28 Years Later continues to explore how this rage is “amongst us and emerges in different ways.” Here are the director’s full comments:
The premise has always been from the moment that Cillian in the first film appears to be infected in his rage at the end of the movie to save the girls, there’s always been this crossover, which is that it’s making clear that these are not monsters. It is something that exists within us all and that we’re all capable of, and it’s a condition that we can all end up with really. There was always that idea throughout and you see it here. You even see Isla, who’s the most unlikely character to be exhibiting it. She has got it within her at that moment. It was always something that is shared amongst us all, and that’s one of the things that keeps alive, I think keeps the dynamic alive rather than it being just monsters or creatures from outer space or the reanimated ᴅᴇᴀᴅ or it’s something that’s amongst us and emerges in different ways.
What Danny Boyle’s Comments Mean For 28 Years Later
Will Isla Be Similar To Cillian Murphy’s Jim?
Danny Boyle’s discussion of humanity’s role in 28 Years Later is exciting, ensuring that the sequel is going back to the thematic roots of 28 Days Later. 28 Weeks Later is a divisive sequel, but now that Danny Boyle is back in the director’s chair, 28 Years Later could be a return to form. Boyle also parallels Isla to Cillian Murphy’s Jim from the original film, meaning that they have similar arcs in their respective films.
Humanity being the villain in 28 Years Later isn’t surprising, as the marketing for the film has already teased this. The 28 Years Later promotional website features in-universe discussions of governments hiding information about the Rage Virus zombies. The outside world is clearly in the dark about what is going on with the infection, and this is thanks to the humans.
28 Years Later releases in theaters on June 20.
Our Take On 28 Years Later’s True Villain
What Will 28 Years Later Actually Be About?
The trailers for 28 Years Later focus more on the human conflicts within the United Kingdom rather that the fights with the zombies, something that supports Danny Boyle’s comments. So, it is likely that the main story of the film will focus on the clashing human communes within the infected area, or the conflicts between the human survivors and the outside world. While the zombies will clearly be a threat, only focusing on zombie fights is a bit too generic for 28 Years Later.
