Danny Boyle and Alex Garland are teaming back up to create a third installment to their popular zombie franchise, which began with their 2002 film 28 Days Later.
Fans of the post-apocalyptic horror film, directed by Boyle and written by Garland, should expect ‘a new zombie thriller that is expected to hit studios, streamers and other potential buyers later this week,’ according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The outlet claims that William Morris Agency (WMA), which reps Boyle and Garland, ‘will take out the package and handle the sale.’
Back in 2007, the duo served as executive producers on a follow-up to 28 Days Later, called 28 Weeks Later.
Coming soon: Danny Boyle and Alex Garland are teaming back up to create a third installment to their popular zombie franchise , which began with their 2002 film 28 Days Later; seen in 2022
Now, Boyle and Garland are reportedly working on launching a new trilogy.
While Boyle is already ‘attached to direct the first installment,’ Garland ‘would write all three’ films, which would ‘be in the $75 million range.’
Both would produce, alongside original producer Andrew Macdonald and Peter Rice.
28 Days starred Cillian Murphy, who won big at the 2024 Golden Globes over the weekend for his role in Oppenheimer, as a man that wakes up from a coma to find a deserted Britain that has been devastated by a highly contagious virus.
Back in November 2022, Boyle teased that he had finished writing a script for 28 Months Later.
Speaking to NME for the film’s 20th anniversary, Danny told how screenwriter Alex Garland has finished a script for the third film, with the director hopeful it will come to fruition.
He said: ‘I’d be very tempted [to direct it]. It feels like a very good time actually.
‘It’s funny, I hadn’t thought about it until you just said it, and I remembered, “Bang, this script!” which is again set in England, very much about England. Anyway, we’ll see… who knows?’
Long-awaited: Fans of the post-apocalyptic horror film, directed by Boyle and written by Garland, should expect ‘a new zombie thriller that is expected to hit studios, streamers and other potential buyers later this week,’ according to The Hollywood Reporter
The original film, released in 2002, was followed by 28 Weeks Later in 2007 which followed a US-led NATO military force attempting to create a safe zone in London.
Boyle told how it’s become harder to get a theatrical release for films due to the popularity of streaming, which has put him off making another movie.
He said: ‘It might come back into focus because one of the things that’s happening in the business at the moment is it has to be a big reason for you to go to the cinema, because there are less and less reasons.
‘It’s hard for companies distributing films and for cinema chains to show films, they’re struggling to get people into the cinema unless it’s something like Top Gun: Maverick or a Marvel.
The outlet claims that William Morris Agency (WMA), which reps Boyle and Garland, ‘will take out the package and handle the sale’
Third installment: Back in 2007, the duo served as executive producers on a follow-up to 28 Days Later, called 28 Weeks Later
Boyle previously hinted at the future of the franchise back in 2019 when he revealed the script for the third film had impressed him.
He told The Independent: ‘It’s properly good. The original film led to a bit of a resurgence in the zombie drama and it doesn’t reference any of that. It doesn’t feel stale at all.’
The original film – which also starred Naomie Harris and Brendan Gleeson – grossed $85.7million on a budget of $8million.
The sequel – starring Robert Carlyle, Idris Elba and Rose Byrne – made $65.8million on a $15milllion budget.