Danny Boyle opens up about ’28 Days Later Part 3,’ says it will ‘have a lot of Cillian Murphy in it’

The long-awaited third installment of the 28 Days Later franchise is likely happening. Danny Boyle confirmed that 28 Years Later is moving forward, driven by the persistent interest from fans. While he stopped short of setting a firm release date, he noted that a very good script written by Alex Garland is already in place.

The project will be a significant homecoming for Cillian Murphy. Boyle emphasized that the film will have “a lot of Cillian Murphy in it.” He also joked about the actor’s physique, reflecting on his surprise during the filming of the original movie.

Boyle shared, “He’s gorgeous. When we took his kit off, I couldn’t believe it. He looked like Iggy Pop! Everything was glistening. Oh my God. He’s just one of those people. He doesn’t work out or anything like that: he just looks like that.”

Boyle also pondered whether Murphy would be willing to repeat those shirtless scenes now that he is an Oscar winner

Boyle offered these insights during the Zurich Film Festival, where he also discussed his latest project, Ink. In the film, Jack O’Connell portrays Larry Lamb, an editor tasked by Rupert Murdoch, played by Guy Pearce, to run The Sun newspaper. Boyle has been vocal about his admiration for O’Connell, praising his performance as the boyfriend in Back to Black.

He believes O’Connell is the perfect choice for the role of Lamb because he possesses a strange, compelling quality. Even when playing a character who descends into moral decay, O’Connell manages to keep the audience interested. Boyle compared the character’s trajectory to the intensity of Al Pacino at the end of The Godfather Part II.

The film explores a specific period in history when Murdoch first arrived in the United Kingdom. Boyle wanted to move past the typical caricatures of the media mogul, describing the younger version of the man as surprisingly prudish. He noted that the film examines how characters like Murdoch and President Donald Trump shift their allegiances to follow where the power lies.

Boyle believes the events depicted in the film, specifically the launch of the newspaper in 1969, created a direct path to our current media landscape. He argued that society has lost its dependable relationship with the truth, replacing it with loud stories and counter-intuitive declarations.

Boyle expressed his belief that the public is complicit in this shift, suggesting that people cannot simply blame the President for the current state of affairs. He stated, “I think you have to accept that you can’t just blame Trump, which I’ve just done, but you have to accept your own responsibility in it.” Despite these heavy themes, he maintains that change is still possible. He pointed to the emergence of politicians like Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who is focusing on long-term societal issues rather than divisiveness.

During his time at the festival, Boyle also weighed in on the James Bond franchise. He suggested that Jack O’Connell should be the one to take on the role of Bond next. Looking back at his own departure from the Bond film No Time to Die, he noted that the project fell apart due to creative differences with producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, as well as Daniel Craig.

Boyle expressed regret that his planned story with John Hodge did not move forward, though he remains confident in the future of the franchise under directors like Denis Villeneuve.