A long-awaited sequel to the zombie flick 28 Days Later has officially been greenlit at Sony – with Cillian Murphy to executive produce and possibly star.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Sony won the rights to the two-part film, dubbed 28 Years Later, in a heated bidding war. Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland have returned, with Boyle directing Part One and Garland penning the script. Part Two's director will be "determined at a later stage." Murphy, who starred in the 2003 film, is set to executive produce. THR teases that Murphy "could possibly star" in the new sequel – though nothing has been confirmed.
The original film follows a bicycle courier (Murphy) who wakes up from a coma only to find that a virus (dubbed the 'rage virus') has all but destroyed society. The cast includes Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, Christopher Eccleston, Noah Huntley, and Stuart McQuarrie. 28 Days Later grossed $82 million against its $8 million budget, and effectively launched Murphy's career.
The movie, while not technically a 'zombie movie' according to Boyle, is credited with reinventing the zombie genre and paving the way for post-apocalyptic media. It was followed by a standalone sequel titled 28 Weeks Later. It's not clear how the 2007 sequel, which was directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and received positive reviews, will factor into 28 Years Later.
