cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/10503609

Alex Garland is expected to write the scripts for all three of the 28 Years Later movies, but apparently didn’t want to direct them. Danny Boyle will only be directing the first one. For the second film, possibly titled 28 Years Later Part 2, he’ll be passing the helm over to Candyman and The Marvels director Nia DaCosta. Production on DaCosta’s sequel will begin immediately after Boyle wraps filming on his. They wanted to have the sequel director signed on before filming on the first movie begins, as they want to “make sure each director is on the same page in regard to the story while also having time to bring their own vision to life.”

While doing the press rounds for Oppenheimer last year, Murphy told Collider, “I was talking to Danny Boyle recently, and I said, ‘Danny, we shot the movie at the end of 2000.’ So I think we’re definitely approaching the 28 Years Later. But like I’ve always said, I’m up for it. I’d love to do it. If Alex [Garland] thinks there’s a script in it and Danny wants to do it, I’d love to do it.“ Despite the fact that Murphy is willing to reprise the role of Jim and is on board 28 Years Later as an executive producer, we still haven’t heard confirmation that he’ll actually be in the movie. While talking to Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast a couple months ago, Murphy said (with thanks to Coming Soon for the transcription), “It’s for (Danny Boyle and Alex Garland) to speak about, I suppose, but I think it’s been brewing for a while. The first movie was so important for me, as an actor. I love working with those guys. Alex has an idea. And Danny directing is just huge. Watch this space.”

While we wait to hear for sure if Cillian Murphy is or isn’t in the movie, other casting rumors have been floating around. According to industry scooper Daniel Richtman, Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) and Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy) are in talks to play the lead roles. Details on the characters they might be playing are, of course, being kept under wraps.

There was a bidding war over the distribution rights to the 28 Years Later trilogy, with Warner Bros. and Sony emerging as the final competitors – and Sony taking the win in the end. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Each movie will have a budget in the $60 million range but it’s unclear how goalposts or compensation may have changed during the high-stakes negotiations. A theatrical release was of great import to the filmmakers.” Sony had an edge in this race due to the fact that it’s headed up by Tom Rothman, who used to be at Fox and worked with Boyle on eight different movies there. Release dates have not yet been announced.

    • Panron@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      My worry after reading that brief blurb is that Cillian would be in the first movie for ~10 minutes, basically just to pass the torch onto the new protagonist(s), who this trilogy would be centered around.

      I’m tired of all these “pass the torch” movies, and I’m worried they’re using the long rumored/joked about “28 Years Later” to start a trilogy, rather than close out a trilogy.

      I’ll wait and see how it turns out it. 28 Days Later is one of those rare movies where I actually disliked it the first time I saw it but ended up watching it again a few days later and loved it.

      • Kelly@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        I’m tired of all these “pass the torch” movies,

        Its the obvious way to start a legacy sequel trilogy.

        Usually the old cast/characters just aren’t capable of new adventures of the same kind the made the franchise popular.

        Of course Jurassic World tried to do it differently by just setting a new story in the same world but the invited then old cast for the third film which was gratuitous. A scene where a small group of people sneak past a killer dinosaur loses it edge when its a small crowd. Then add the modern and legacy casts both needing their own arc and you get a film that over stays its welcome.

    • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝@feddit.ukOP
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      6 months ago

      As he’s the exec producer and the big draw on the acting front, he’ll be in front of the camera probably for the trilogy (as long as he wants to be anyway). I think they are just keeping their powder dry for a big announcement to help build momentum closer to the release date.