When the trailer for 28 Years Later dropped, fans of Danny Boyle’s iconic zombie horror franchise were buzzing with excitement—and a bit of confusion. The teaser featured a shot of an emaciated infected (or skinny zombie if you prefer) with prominent cheekbones and a haircut eerily reminiscent that looked just like Tommy Shelby. Naturally, the internet did what the internet does best: it connected the dots very, very badly and declared Cillian Murphy’s Jim—last seen in 2002’s 28 Days Later—was making his long-awaited return. Yeah, nah that isn’t what’s happening. Producer Andrew Macdonald has now set the record straight, confirming that Murphy is not in 28 Years Later. Speaking to Empire, Macdonald said:
“On this, we wanted him to be involved and he wanted to be involved. He is not in the first film, but I’m hoping there will be some Jim somewhere along the line.”
While Murphy won’t appear in the upcoming installment, he’s still playing a part in the new trilogy’s creation. “He’s involved at the moment as an executive producer,” Macdonald revealed. “And I would hope we can work with him in some way in the future in the trilogy.”
If nothing else, that comment leaves the door wide open for Murphy’s potential return in one of the follow-ups, such as Nia DaCosta’s already-shot 28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Temple, slated for release in 2026, or the third entry that hinges on the success of the upcoming film. But let’s be honest, we know Murphy will make an appearance at some point, even if it’s just not quite yet.
So Who is the Tommy Shelby Zombie?
As for the mistaken identity in the trailer? That credit goes to extra Angus Neill, who unknowingly became the internet’s number one Jim lookalike. Even director Danny Boyle admitted he didn’t see the resemblance—until his girlfriend pointed it out. Awkward.
“I showed my girlfriend the trailer and she said, ‘People will think that’s Cillian,’” Boyle shared with Empire. “I said, ‘Don’t be silly.’ I ignored her. So I’ve eaten a bit of humble pie since.”
28 Years Later is set to hit theaters on June 20, 2025. The film’s follow-up, The Bone Temple has already wrapped production, so we won’t have too much longer to wait to find out if Murphy eventually pops up in the new trilogy of movies. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on 28 Years Later.
- Release Date
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June 20, 2025
