Cillian Murphy 'Ready' to Return for 28 Days Later Franchise's Fifth Film

Despite the box office flop of the latest entry, the actor remains keen to continue the zombie apocalypse series.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Cillian Murphy, who starred in the original 2003 film 28 Days Later, has expressed his eagerness to return for a planned fifth installment of the 28 Days Later franchise, despite the recent box office failure of the latest entry, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. While the future of the series remains uncertain after The Bone Temple's poor financial performance, Murphy said he is "ready anyway" to reprise his role.

Why it matters

The 28 Days Later franchise has built a dedicated fan base over the past two decades, and Murphy's involvement is seen as crucial to the series' continued success. The planned fifth film was intended to kickstart a new trilogy, but its viability is now in question following the disappointing box office results of The Bone Temple.

The details

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which featured only a cameo appearance by Murphy, was released in January 2026, just seven months after the previous film in the series, 28 Years Later. The Bone Temple failed to recoup its $63 million production budget, let alone the additional marketing costs, despite positive reviews. Series creator Danny Boyle had planned the two recent films as the start of a new trilogy, but the franchise's future is now uncertain.

  • 28 Days Later was released in 2003.
  • 28 Weeks Later, the sequel, was released in 2007.
  • 28 Years Later, the third film in the series, was released in 2025.
  • 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, the fourth film, was released in January 2026.

The players

Cillian Murphy

An Irish actor who starred in the original 2003 film 28 Days Later and has expressed his willingness to return for a planned fifth installment of the franchise.

Danny Boyle

The creator of the 28 Days Later franchise, who had planned the two most recent films as the start of a new trilogy.

Sony Pictures

The studio that reportedly gave the green light to a third entry in the planned new 28 Days Later trilogy, though its future remains uncertain.

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What they’re saying

“Hope so!" Murphy said, when asked for an update on the movie, which is believed to still be in the planning stages. "I'm ready anyway," he concluded.”

— Cillian Murphy (The Times)

What’s next

The future of the planned fifth 28 Days Later film remains uncertain, as the studio has not provided any updates since reportedly giving the project the green light in late 2025.

The takeaway

Despite the disappointing box office performance of the latest 28 Days Later film, the franchise's star Cillian Murphy remains enthusiastic about continuing the series, suggesting there is still fan interest in seeing the story progress. However, the viability of the planned new trilogy is now in question, and the future of the franchise hangs in the balance.