Audiences are getting ready to revisit a Rage Virus-stricken England once again with the arrival of “28 Years Later.” If you’re looking for a full-length primer on everything that’s happened in the franchise, check out our comprehensive video above. But for now, a basic rundown: the end of the original film, “28 Days Later,” saw bike courier Jim (Cillian Murphy) become a post-apocalyptic hero after waking from a coma to discover that his country has been decimated by the virus, which was set free from a lab by a group of environmentalists. This fresh twist on the zombie apocalypse formula was mega-successful, resulting in a $85.7 million take worldwide at the box office. Critics loved the 2002 film as well; it sits at a 87% approval rating from 235 reviews submitted to Rotten Tomatoes.
The movie was so popular that it resulted in a sequel, which focused on completely different characters. 2007’s “28 Weeks Later” followed a family of three coping with life after the outbreak. Returning to a seemingly-safe London after hordes of infected die and NATO forces are in the process of repopulating the city, Tammy (Imogen Poots), Andy (Mackintosh Muggleton) and Don (Robert Carlyle) have barely settled in when Don learns a shocking truth — his wife, Alice (Catherine McCormack), has survived the outbreak despite his earlier abandonment of her.
In the end, competition was tougher for “28 Weeks Later,” which went up against “Spider-Man 3” at the box office. It grossed $64.2 million worldwide, somewhat of a comedown from the previous installment that put the whole franchise on ice. Reviews, too, were less enthusiastic about this version, awarding it a 72% approval rating with 196 critics weighing in at Rotten Tomatoes. But what does this all mean for “28 Years Later”?
How will 28 Years Later fare?
In spite of the lukewarm reception for “28 Weeks Later,” “28 Years Later” has potential to end up as one of 2025’s biggest horror hits. It’s become the genre’s hottest advance ticket seller of the year so far, outdoing even the blockbuster “Sinners.” This bodes very well for the movie’s success, as has the attention its trailer has garnered. The clip sits at over 26 million views as of this writing, with tens of millions more globally.
The film will follow the journey of a young boy named Spike (Alfie Williams) who leaves the only — and very highly protected — home he’s ever known on a remote island to find a doctor to treat his ill mother, Isla (Jodie Comer). His father Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) accompanies him on the trip to the mainland to complete his quest, which danger lurking all around them — from the infected or perhaps something else.
“28 Years Later” hits theaters on June 20.
