Warning: This article contains spoilers for 28 Years Later.

There are many questions that need to be answered by 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. The movie, which is due in theaters on January 16, 2026, is a direct sequel to 2025’s 28 Years Later, which itself was the third installment in the post-apocalyptic 28 Days Later franchise, which follows the devastating Rage virus sweeping through the British Isles.

While original director Danny Boyle returned for the 2025 installment, the upcoming 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple was helmed by Candyman‘s Nia DaCosta. A third installment in a Years trilogy is also in development, with Boyle expected to return. However, it has not yet been funded, so Bone Temple may be the only opportunity to answer some major questions.

1

How Are The Infected Still Alive?

Did 28 Days Later Get Retconned?

In the universe of the 28 Days Later movies, it doesn’t necessarily make sense that the Infected have survived long enough to continue terrorizing the countryside in the new trilogy. In fact, the ending of the original movie seemed to imply that the Infected would die of starvation within a number of weeks once they ran out of victims to eat.

While 28 Years Later features mutant variants of the Rage virus and depicts some Infected eating animals, this still doesn’t fully explain how the Infected could have lasted nearly three decades, which is something that should be explored in The Bone Temple in order for the continuations to feel more credible.

2

How Did Lindisfarne Avoid The Rage Virus?

The Island’s History Is A Mystery

One of the key locations in 28 Years Later is the tidal island of Lindisfarne, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway that is only accessible during low tide. This isolation seems to have given the community enough time to build fortifications and prevent the Rage virus from taking root.

However, the Rage virus spreads so quickly that there are still some questions as to how Lindisfarne became such a safe enclave. This history could potentially be explored in the opening sequence of The Bone Temple, which will take place 28 years before the main events of the movie if it follows franchise tradition.

3

Why Are There So Many Infected Near Lindisfarne?

The Area Is Much More Isolated Than London

One thing that could have given the Lindisfarne community time to prepare for the onslaught of Infected was the fact that the island is off the Northeast coast of England, which is roughly 350 miles from London. That is a long way to travel on foot, even for an Infected, which likely helped buy time for them to prepare defenses.

Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island, is a real place.

However, that amplifies the question of why there are so many Infected in the surrounding area. While it’s possible that they have been drawn by Lindisfarne’s activities, The Bone Temple should explore how the level of Infected in the area compares to other regions of the country.

4

What Exactly Is Going On Outside The British Isles?

The Rest Of The World Is Still Intact

While the opening of 28 Years Later confirmed that the Rage virus had not spread outside the British Isles, this fact was further underscored by the arrival of Swedish NATO soldier Erik (Edvin Ryding), who explained several elements of modern life to Spike (Alfie Williams), revealing that the outside world still has things such as the Internet and delivery drivers.

While it would not make much sense for The Bone Temple to spend much time outside of Britain, if any, it should expose the characters to more information about the outside world that allows audiences to understand how exactly the rest of the world is functioning now that Britain has been completely cut off.

Protesters [may be] fighting for the rescue of the quarantined population…

In addition to the political and economic ramifications of a major territory going dark, the situation on the British Isles will have most likely spurred activism, with protesters fighting for the rescue of the quarantined population. This could be an interesting angle for the new movie to explore in some way.

5

Is Samson The Non-Infected Baby’s Father?

The Alpha Infected Plays An Important Role In The Movie

One of 28 Years Later‘s new Infected variants is known as the Alpha, which is a stronger and smarter type of Infected that leads larger groups. While multiple Alphas are shown, the most important is Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), who resides in the countryside where Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) lives.

It is heavily implied that the non-infected baby that the characters witness being born from an Infected was fathered by Samson, which would explain his intense focus on chasing down Alfie and his mother. The Bone Temple could explore this element of the story further, revealing more about how the Infected may be building their own social structures.

6

How Much Of A Threat Do The Infected Alphas Pose?

They Could Alter The Course Of The Franchise

While it seems like the baby has genuinely escaped infection, its existence is still a threat to Lindisfarne. Should Samson choose to work together with other Alphas in order to take back the child, the island community may have to face off against an army of Infected rather than just isolated groups.

The Bone Temple should explore whether the arrival of Alphas changes the nature of the Infected enough for this terrifying threat to become a reality. This reveal could potentially shake up the dynamic of the entire franchise.

7

What Are Sir Jimmy And His Cult Up To?

They Also Pose A Huge Threat

The 28 Years Later character Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) poses an even more immediate threat than the Infected. The character is only briefly glimpsed in the movie, but his activities are teased throughout, most notably in a scene where Spike and his father (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) discover the hanging body of one of his victims.

The opening scene follows Jimmy escaping the beginning of the Rage virus outbreak in the Scottish Highlands.

It seems highly likely that The Bone Temple will feature Jimmy and his cult heavily. In doing so, it should specifically reveal what their mission is, so audiences understand the exact nature of the trouble that Spike will find himself in.

8

What Happened To Jim, Selena, & Hannah After 28 Days Later?

Jim Is Set To Return In The Bone Temple

The main characters who survive in the ending of 28 Days Later are Jim (Cillian Murphy), Selena (Naomie Harris), and Hannah (Megan Burns), who have not appeared in any subsequent installments. However, Jim is set to make a brief appearance in The Bone Temple.

While this scene will presumably explain what became of Jim, The Bone Temple also needs to explain what has happened to his companions in the past 28 years and, if they are not present alongside him in the new movie, why that is the case.

9

What Happened To Tammy & Andy After 28 Weeks Later?

They Are The Other Main Survivors Of The Franchise

28 Years Later somewhat retconned the ending of 28 Weeks Later, revealing that the Infected seen running through Paris were quickly destroyed, saving continental Europe from the Rage virus. However, it did not reveal what happened to siblings Tammy (Imogen Poots) and Andy (Mackintosh Muggleton), who just barely survived a disastrous attempt to repopulate England.

Because Andy was an asymptomatic carrier of the Rage virus, the implication seems to be that the virus began to spread in France because of him. However, the fact that mainland Europe has survived means that he was probably neutralized in some way that should be explained by The Bone Temple.

10

Will The Rage Virus Plague Ever End?

There Is Still Hope

Should The Bone Temple explain how the Infected have survived for so long, it could similarly reveal that they can still die out, as implied by the end of 28 Days Later. Should that be the case, it could also set up the possibility that there will eventually be an end to the devastating plague.

Alternately, should it choose to embrace a more dour turn for the franchise, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple could feature the beginning of a reversal of the status quo, where Britain becomes one of the safer places on Earth as the Rage virus begins to spread elsewhere across the globe.