Many fans of zombie cinema have waited a long, long time for another sequel to director Danny Boyle’s masterpiece 28 Days Later. That time is finally upon us as next year will see the release of 28 Years Later, which Boyle directed from a script by Alex Garland, who wrote the original as well. It turns out that people are particularly excited about this one as the recently released teaser trailer already ranks as one of the biggest horror trailers in history.
According to Deadline, the recently released trailer for 28 Years Later (which you can watch right here), racked up a massive 60.2 million views in its first 24 hours of release globally. To date, it has amassed more than 146 million views – and counting. That’s second only to It: Chapter Two, which racked up 96 million views in its first 24 hours. Mind you, that was the sequel to the highest-grossing horror movie of all time, 2017’s It. This to say, things look good for this one in the early going.
The outlet also offered some comparisons from recent history which suggest that the film is in for a killer run at the box office next summer. Comparisons include The Nun (55.4 million views, $53.8 million opening), The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (55.2 million views, $24.1 million opening) 2018’s Halloween (51.6 million views, $76.2 million opening) and Smile 2 (33.1 million views, $23 million opening). They also threw in the recent trailer for Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu (26.4M views). That one hasn’t hit theaters yet, but its prospects are good.
2002’s 28 Years Later was a hit in its day, taking in $82.7 million worldwide. More importantly, it became heralded as a modern classic and its audience has gained in the years since its original release. A sequel, 28 Weeks Later, was released in 2007. It was a success, albeit less so, with Boyle and Garland only scarcely involved.
Part of what makes the new film so exciting is that the original team is back together. They also assembled a stellar cast that includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Bullet Train), Ralph Fiennes (The Menu), Jodie Comer (The Bikeriders) and Cillian Murphy, reprising his role from the original. It’s also important to note that Sony already has filmed another sequel with Nia DaCosta (Candyman) in the director’s chair. The studio might look really smart for that decision, in the end. The synopsis for the sequel reads as follows:
“It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.”
28 Years Later is set to hit theaters on June 20, 2025. For more, get the lowdown on the forthcoming digital release of 28 Days Later.
