Alex Garland Says ’28 Years Later’ Wasn’t About COVID, But Admits the Pandemic Shaped the Film

More than 20 years after 28 Days Later introduced audiences to a terrifying vision of a virus-infected world, director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland are back with a new chapter. 28 Years Later, now playing in theaters through Sony Pictures, brings the original creative team together once again.

Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle also returns, and Cillian Murphy, the star of the first film, is involved as an executive producer.

The new story focuses on a small family living on an isolated island, far from the chaos on the mainland. Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and newcomer Alfie Williams play the lead roles.

When their supplies run low, the family is forced to return to the mainland, where they face danger from both the infected and other survivors. Ralph Fiennes and Jack O’Connell play some of the people they meet in this broken world—some helpful, some not.

In an interview with Variety, Alex Garland talked about how the film came to be. He said the idea had been in the air for a while. He and Boyle had discussed it over the years because the original film had never really faded away.

But it wasn’t until after the COVID pandemic that Garland gave the script a serious try. His first draft didn’t work. “It was too generic,” he said. But that failed attempt helped him explore a better direction. He eventually came up with a bigger idea that felt right.

Garland said the film wasn’t about COVID directly, but it couldn’t have been made without the pandemic’s influence. “It wouldn’t have been possible to work on this film without being informed of it in some way,” he explained. However, he stressed that COVID wasn’t the theme or reason for the story.

He also shared that the first version of the script fell into a familiar pattern seen in many virus-themed movies—using the virus as a weapon. “There was something lazy about it,” he said. So instead, they chose a different path that focused more on current fears and isolation.

The film features a large and varied cast. Alongside Comer and Taylor-Johnson are Edvin Ryding and Chi Lewis-Parry. Jack O’Connell leads a strange cult, and Emma Laird and Erin Kellyman play members of his group. The infected are still a big threat, but the film also explores how people have changed after years of surviving in a broken world.

28 Years Later opened in theaters on June 20, 2025, and has already brought in $60 million worldwide, equal to its budget. Critics have responded well. It holds an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 76 on Metacritic.

Some reviewers called it one of Boyle’s best films in years. Others thought it was too uneven, with shifts in tone that didn’t always work. Still, most agreed it had bold ideas and strong performances.

Sony has already confirmed that the movie was shot alongside a follow-up, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which will be released in January 2026.

I think 28 Years Later does a good job of continuing the story without trying to copy the original. It feels fresh and brave, even when it takes risks that don’t fully work. It’s a rough, intense ride that isn’t afraid to show a darker side of survival. What about you? Did the film live up to your expectations? Share your thoughts in the comments!