28 Years Later The Bone Temple scene
28 Years Later The Bone Temple theatrical release poster
Now Playing

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

The nature of evil awaits

R | 1h 49m | Horror, Thriller | January 16, 2026
94%
Rotten Tomatoes
7/10
IMDb
79
Metacritic
Watch Trailer
Scroll

Official Trailer

Watch the official trailer for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

The voice over in the trailer is the writer and futurist Arthur C. Clarke, taken from his appearance on the BBC 'Horizon' program on September 21, 1964.

About The Film

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a 2026 post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Nia DaCosta and written by Alex Garland. It was shot back-to-back with its predecessor 28 Years Later (2025), and serves as the fourth installment overall in the 28 Days Later film series.

Premise

Taking place after the events of the previous film, Spike is inducted into Sir Jimmy Crystal's gang of acrobatic killers in a post-apocalyptic Britain ravaged by the Rage Virus. Meanwhile, Dr. Ian Kelson forms a new relationship with potentially world-changing consequences.

Themes

Ralph Fiennes stated the film explores themes juxtaposing human violence with innate humanity amid brutality and the infected. Director Nia DaCosta stated that while the theme of the previous film was about the nature of family, The Bone Temple would be about the nature of evil, which would lead the next film to be about the nature of redemption.

Film Details

  • Directed by: Nia DaCosta
  • Written by: Alex Garland
  • Produced by: Andrew Macdonald, Peter Rice, Bernie Bellew, Danny Boyle, Alex Garland
  • Cinematography: Sean Bobbitt
  • Edited by: Jake Roberts
  • Music by: Hildur Guðnadóttir
  • Running time: 109 minutes
  • Countries: United Kingdom, United States
  • Language: English

Production Companies

  • Columbia Pictures
  • Decibel Films
  • DNA Films

Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing

Release Dates

United Kingdom: January 14, 2026

United States: January 16, 2026

The Cast

Meet the stars of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

Ralph Fiennes

Ralph Fiennes

Dr. Ian Kelson

A former GP dedicated to memorialising the victims of the epidemic.

Jack O'Connell

Jack O'Connell

Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal

The psychopathic leader of "the Jimmys", a cult modelled after Jimmy Savile.

Alfie Williams

Alfie Williams

Spike

A teenager who is on a personal quest on the mainland.

Chi Lewis-Parry

Chi Lewis-Parry

Samson

A physically imposing Alpha leader of the infected.

Emma Laird

Emma Laird

Jimmima

A member of the Jimmys.

Erin Kellyman

Erin Kellyman

Jimmy Ink

A member of the Jimmys.

Additional Cast

Louis Ashbourne Serkis as Tom
Maura Bird as Jimmy Jones
Ghazi Al Ruffai as Jimmy Snake
Sam Locke as Jimmy Fox

Cillian Murphy reprises his role as Jim, a former bicycle courier and survivor of the original outbreak from 28 Days Later. His appearance in The Bone Temple's ending serves as his character's reintroduction which sets up the planned third film.

Critical Reception

94% Certified Fresh
"A direct continuation of 28 Years Later that ups the gore while deepening the dread, The Bone Temple is finely adorned by Nia DaCosta's unnerving direction as well as Ralph Fiennes and Jack O'Connell's inspired performances." — Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus

User Reviews

7/10

"A movie of two halves"

Ralph Fiennes was perfect in this film. Fiennes expands graciously from his character introduced in the first film. He elevated every scene he was in, bringing a wide range of emotions from serious doctor to goofy dancing. The storyline with him and Samson is beautifully done. Great ending scene with the long awaited return of a fan favourite.

— harrylew132
8/10

"Proof the Rage Virus Never Lost Its Bite"

It doesn't coast on nostalgia or try to out-shock the originals for the sake of it. It feels confident, strange, and properly alive. The villain is genuinely fascinating—the kind that gets under your skin because they feel disturbingly plausible. This is a worthy sequel that respects the DNA of the franchise while pushing it somewhere darker and weirder.

— Katiegoldberg
9/10

"The 28 Years Trilogy continues thriving!"

I love how each 28 Days/Years movie focuses on different aspects and themes. This one involving cults, religion and philosophical elements added in with meaner, weirder and bolder ideas that keep things fresh. This is a movie strongly handled by two powerhouse performances from Ralph Fiennes and Jack O'Connell.

— AdrenalinDragon
7/10

"Fun, tense, bloody what else do you need?"

I thought 28 Years Later: Bone Temple was a solid entry overall and an enjoyable watch. The atmosphere and pacing worked well, and it kept me engaged throughout. Overall, it's a fun, tense film that fans of the franchise will likely enjoy.

— keenansoa
6/10

"A Temple Divided"

The absolute soul of the film—and easily its greatest highlight—is Ralph Fiennes. The depth he brings to the screen is unparalleled, particularly as we witness the evolving, complex relationship between his character and the alpha infected, Samson. The Bone Temple is worth the price of admission for Ralph Fiennes alone.

— Arthouse_dork

Behind The Scenes

Director Nia DaCosta Writer Alex Garland Producer Danny Boyle

Development

In April 2024, a sequel to 28 Years Later was reportedly in development, with Nia DaCosta in talks to direct the film, taking over from Danny Boyle, and Alex Garland returning to write the screenplay.

Feeling "protective of the legacy" of the franchise, DaCosta's pitch for the film was to avoid copying Danny Boyle's directorial style to instead create a personal and idiosyncratic work, and requested Alex Garland have more infected added to the script.

Filming

Principal photography began on August 19, 2024. The Bone Temple set was constructed in Redmire, North Yorkshire. In contrast to the previous film being filmed on iPhone 15 Pro cameras, The Bone Temple was filmed using the Arri Alexa 35 digital camera.

According to Ralph Fiennes, while Danny Boyle's direction in the preceding film was instinctive and fast-paced, Nia DaCosta's approach was more deliberate and meticulous, particularly in close-up shots, allowing actors additional time to develop subtle aspects of their performances.

The Samson Prosthetics

Chi Lewis-Parry reprised his role as the Alpha infected Samson, wearing a full-body prosthetic body suit. Each suit took seven artists six to eight hours to apply and could only be used once—the process was repeated more than 25 times during filming.

A scene in which Dr. Kelson and Samson dance to Duran Duran's "Rio" was not part of the original script but was improvised during filming.

Post Production

Visual effects work was overseen by Adam Gascoyne as Visual Effects Supervisor, coordinated through effects vendor Union VFX.

Hildur Guðnadóttir created the musical score for the film, having previously collaborated with DaCosta on the film Candyman (2021).

The Trilogy

The film was announced as part of a planned trilogy, with Alex Garland serving as screenwriter for all three. In January 2025, Boyle confirmed that he would direct the final film in the trilogy. In December 2025, Sony was officially moving forward with the third film, with Cillian Murphy in talks to reprise his role as Jim.