Warning: This text accommodates spoilers for 28 Years Later.
There are lots of questions that have to be answered by 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. The film, which is due in theaters on January 16, 2026, is a direct sequel to 2025’s 28 Years Later, which itself was the third installment within the post-apocalyptic 28 Days Later franchise, which follows the devastating Rage virus sweeping by the British Isles.
Whereas authentic director Danny Boyle returned for the 2025 installment, the upcoming 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple was helmed by Candyman‘s Nia DaCosta. A 3rd installment in a Years trilogy can be in growth, with Boyle anticipated to return. Nonetheless, it has not but been funded, so Bone Temple could be the solely alternative to reply some main questions.
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1
How Are The Contaminated Nonetheless Alive?
Did 28 Days Later Get Retconned?
Within the universe of the 28 Days Later films, it does not essentially make sense that the Contaminated have survived lengthy sufficient to proceed terrorizing the countryside within the new trilogy. In actual fact, the ending of the unique film appeared to indicate that the Contaminated would die of hunger inside a lot of weeks as soon as they ran out of victims to eat.
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Whereas 28 Years Later options mutant variants of the Rage virus and depicts some Contaminated consuming animals, this nonetheless does not absolutely clarify how the Contaminated might have lasted almost three a long time, which is one thing that must be explored in The Bone Temple to ensure that the continuations to really feel extra credible.
2
How Did Lindisfarne Keep away from The Rage Virus?
The Island’s Historical past Is A Thriller
One of many key places in 28 Years Later is the tidal island of Lindisfarne, which is related to the mainland by a causeway that’s solely accessible throughout low tide. This isolation appears to have given the neighborhood sufficient time to construct fortifications and forestall the Rage virus from taking root.
Nonetheless, the Rage virus spreads so shortly that there are nonetheless some questions as to how Lindisfarne grew to become such a secure enclave. This historical past might doubtlessly be explored within the opening sequence of The Bone Temple, which is able to happen 28 years earlier than the primary occasions of the film if it follows franchise custom.
3
Why Are There So Many Contaminated Close to Lindisfarne?
The Space Is A lot Extra Remoted Than London
One factor that might have given the Lindisfarne neighborhood time to arrange for the onslaught of Contaminated was the truth that the island is off the Northeast coast of England, which is roughly 350 miles from London. That may be a lengthy approach to journey on foot, even for an Contaminated, which seemingly helped purchase time for them to arrange defenses.
Lindisfarne, also referred to as Holy Island, is an actual place.
Nonetheless, that amplifies the query of why there are such a lot of Contaminated within the surrounding space. Whereas it is attainable that they’ve been drawn by Lindisfarne’s actions, The Bone Temple ought to discover how the extent of Contaminated within the space compares to different areas of the nation.
4
What Precisely Is Going On Exterior The British Isles?
The Relaxation Of The World Is Nonetheless Intact
Whereas the opening of 28 Years Later confirmed that the Rage virus had not unfold exterior the British Isles, this truth was additional underscored by the arrival of Swedish NATO soldier Erik (Edvin Ryding), who defined a number of parts of recent life to Spike (Alfie Williams), revealing that the surface world nonetheless has issues such because the Web and supply drivers.
Whereas it might not make a lot sense for The Bone Temple to spend a lot time exterior of Britain, if any, it ought to expose the characters to extra details about the surface world that permits audiences to know how precisely the remainder of the world is functioning now that Britain has been utterly minimize off.
Protesters [may be] combating for the rescue of the quarantined inhabitants…
Along with the political and financial ramifications of a serious territory going darkish, the state of affairs on the British Isles may have most probably spurred activism, with protesters combating for the rescue of the quarantined inhabitants. This could possibly be an fascinating angle for the brand new film to discover not directly.
5
Is Samson The Non-Contaminated Child’s Father?
The Alpha Contaminated Performs An Essential Function In The Film
Certainly one of 28 Years Later‘s new Contaminated variants is called the Alpha, which is a stronger and smarter kind of Contaminated that leads bigger teams. Whereas a number of Alphas are proven, a very powerful is Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), who resides within the countryside the place Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) lives.
It’s closely implied that the non-infected child that the characters witness being born from an Contaminated was fathered by Samson, which would clarify his intense give attention to chasing down Alfie and his mom. The Bone Temple might discover this ingredient of the story additional, revealing extra about how the Contaminated could also be constructing their very own social buildings.
6
How A lot Of A Risk Do The Contaminated Alphas Pose?
They Might Alter The Course Of The Franchise
Whereas it looks as if the newborn has genuinely escaped an infection, its existence remains to be a menace to Lindisfarne. Ought to Samson select to work along with different Alphas with a view to take again the kid, the island neighborhood might must face off in opposition to a military of Contaminated moderately than simply remoted teams.
The Bone Temple ought to discover whether or not the arrival of Alphas modifications the character of the Contaminated sufficient for this terrifying menace to grow to be a actuality. This reveal might doubtlessly shake up the dynamic of all the franchise.
7
What Are Sir Jimmy And His Cult Up To?
They Additionally Pose A Enormous Risk
The 28 Years Later character Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) poses an much more speedy menace than the Contaminated. The character is simply briefly glimpsed within the film, however his actions are teased all through, most notably in a scene the place Spike and his father (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) uncover the hanging physique of considered one of his victims.
The opening scene follows Jimmy escaping the start of the Rage virus outbreak within the Scottish Highlands.
It appears extremely seemingly that The Bone Temple will function Jimmy and his cult closely. In doing so, it ought to particularly reveal what their mission is, so audiences perceive the precise nature of the difficulty that Spike will discover himself in.
8
What Occurred To Jim, Selena, & Hannah After 28 Days Later?
Jim Is Set To Return In The Bone Temple
The primary characters who survive within the ending of 28 Days Later are Jim (Cillian Murphy), Selena (Naomie Harris), and Hannah (Megan Burns), who haven’t appeared in any subsequent installments. Nonetheless, Jim is ready to make a short look in The Bone Temple.
Whereas this scene will presumably clarify what grew to become of Jim, The Bone Temple additionally wants to elucidate what has occurred to his companions previously 28 years and, if they aren’t current alongside him within the new film, why that’s the case.
9
What Occurred To Tammy & Andy After 28 Weeks Later?
They Are The Different Important Survivors Of The Franchise
28 Years Later considerably retconned the ending of 28 Weeks Later, revealing that the Contaminated seen working by Paris have been shortly destroyed, saving continental Europe from the Rage virus. Nonetheless, it didn’t reveal what occurred to siblings Tammy (Imogen Poots) and Andy (Waterproof coat Muggleton), who simply barely survived a disastrous try to repopulate England.
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As a result of Andy was an asymptomatic service of the Rage virus, the implication appears to be that the virus started to unfold in France due to him. Nonetheless, the truth that mainland Europe has survived signifies that he was most likely neutralized not directly that must be defined by The Bone Temple.
10
Will The Rage Virus Plague Ever Finish?
There Is Nonetheless Hope
Ought to The Bone Temple clarify how the Contaminated have survived for therefore lengthy, it might equally reveal that they’ll nonetheless die out, as implied by the top of 28 Days Later. Ought to that be the case, it might additionally arrange the chance that there’ll finally be an finish to the devastating plague.
Alternately, ought to it select to embrace a extra dour flip for the franchise, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple might function the start of a reversal of the established order, the place Britain turns into one of many safer locations on Earth because the Rage virus begins to unfold elsewhere throughout the globe.