28 Years Later: The BoneTemple is the second film in the new post-apocalyptic trilogy initiated by Danny Boyle. Directed by Nia DaCosta and written by Alex Garland, this horror opus is expected to hit French theaters on January 14, 2026. The cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, Chi Lewis-Parry, and Jodie Comer, as seen in the new trailer released by the distributor.
In this new installment of the saga, Dr. Kelson, played by Ralph Fiennes, continues his research in a world ravaged by the rabies virus. When he forms a relationship as disturbing as it is unexpected with a mysterious survivor, the repercussions are likely to upset an already precarious balance. Questions of responsibility, grief, and faith overlap with simple survival, as the scientist confronts the moral implications of his choices in the heart of a devastated landscape where political and social landmarks have disappeared.
At the same time, Spike's (Alfie Williams) wanderings cross paths with Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell), the unpredictable gang leader already glimpsed at the end of 28 Years Later. Their encounter turns into a nightmare when the young survivor discovers the hold Crystal has over a community of survivors fascinated by violence. In The Temple of the Dead, the main threat no longer comes from the infected, but from the lack of humanity that is taking hold of the survivors, who are willing to do anything to maintain a semblance of power.
At the center of this struggle for survival is a singular monument: a temple of human bones erected by Dr. Kelson, whose meaning gradually drifts toward worship. Part memorial, part funeral sanctuary, and part symbol of nascent fanaticism, this "temple" becomes the scene of disturbing rituals. It is in this space, laden with macabre images, that the characters' paths cross, while a reflection on faith, guilt, and the way horror can become a political as well as a spiritual language takes shape.
The release of 28 Years Later: The Temple of the Dead is part of a particularly turbulent franchise history. After the success of 28 Days Later in 2003 and then 28 Weeks Later in 2007, a third film, long referred to as 28 Months Later, remained stalled for years due to rights issues. In 2019, however, Danny Boyle confirmed that he was working on the project again with Alex Garland; five years later, the development resulted in 28 Years Later, released in 2025, which relaunches the saga in the form of a new trilogy, of which The Temple of the Dead is the second installment.
This new episode is entrusted to Nia DaCosta, noted for Candyman and her work in the Marvel universe. She succeeds Danny Boyle as director, while Alex Garland remains as screenwriter and Boyle remains as producer alongside Andrew Macdonald, Peter Rice, and Bernie Bellew. Filmed as a direct sequel to 28 Years Later, this second chapter was conceived as a diptych with the first film to ensure visual and narrative consistency throughout. According to information released by the production company, Cillian Murphy will not be reprising his iconic role as Jim, but will be involved as an executive producer, thus extending his connection with the franchise without returning to the screen.
Among the most striking staging choices, the "temple of bones" occupies a central place. Built in Redmire, Yorkshire, this set required nearly 250,000 fake bones and 5,500 skulls, and took six months to complete. Inspired by both a Covid memorial wall and the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania, it symbolizes how the saga now blends morbid spirituality, art brut, and symbolic horror. The music is entrusted to Hildur Guðnadóttir (Joker, Chernobyl), whose compositions should accompany this ritualistic and introspective dimension.
With The Temple of the Dead, the franchise is moving more towards the study of human behavior than the pure spectacle of the infected. The official synopsis emphasizes that "it is no longer the infected who pose the greatest threat to the survival of the human race—it is the lack of humanity among the survivors." This direction echoes seminal works of the genre, such as George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead and the series The Walking Dead, where communities of survivors gradually become the main antagonists. Here, the character of Jimmy Crystal, played by Jack O'Connell, emerges as a charismatic and particularly brutal gang leader at the head of a macabre cult linked to the temple of bones.
The universe remains deeply post-apocalyptic, but is tinged with mystical motifs: nocturnal processions, symbols engraved on bones, sermons delivered amid human remains. The staging is expected to alternate between visceral attack scenes and more subdued moments of tension, focusing on the characters' moral dilemmas. The film is clearly aimed at a knowledgeable audience familiar with contemporary horror cinema, but also at viewers who appreciate the raw realism and political dimension already present in 28 Days Later. Fans of the first film will recognize certain thematic echoes, even if this second installment seems to want to broaden the scope of the saga towards a more open reflection on fanaticism and the recovery from collective trauma.
Planned as the pivotal episode of the new trilogy, 28 Years Later: The Temple of the Dead bridges the rediscovery of the universe in 28 Years Later and a third film to be directed by Danny Boyle himself. This second chapter promises to deepen the mythology of the franchise by exploring what happens after the virus reappears: how do the survivors reinvent society, what collective narratives do they construct to make sense of the catastrophe, and how far are they willing to go to protect themselves from fear? The presence of Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson, Jack O'Connell as Jimmy Crystal, and Alfie Williams as Spike ensures continuity of characters, while the arrival of Jodie Comer and Erin Kellyman opens up new dramatic possibilities.
The French release, set for January 14, 2026, comes at a time when horror occupies an important place in the calendar, between studio productions and independent films. With its budget increased compared to the first installments and the economic success of 28 Years Later, which revived public interest in the saga, The Temple of the Dead presents itself as a strategic milestone for the franchise. The information available is currently limited to details provided by the distributor and production announcements; this new installment has not yet been shown to the press, and critical reception will become clear as the release date approaches.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Film | 2026
Theatrical release: January 14, 2026
Horror | Running time: not specified
Directed by Nia DaCosta | Starring Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams, Jodie Comer, Erin Kellyman, Chi Lewis-Parry
Original title: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
Country: Great Britain, U.S.A.
Extending the ravaged world discovered in 28 Years Later, this second episode focuses on how groups of survivors transform fear into doctrine, violence into a system, and the memory of the dead into a tool of power. Between the physical horror of the infected and the moral horror of communities turned in on themselves, 28 Days Later: The Temple of the Dead promises to be a central chapter in the trilogy, revolving around the temple of bones and the fractures that run through the last humans.
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