Sony releases intense trailer for ’28 Years Later’

Sony Pictures has released a synopsis, as well as an intense and creepy official trailer for Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s long-awaited horror film sequel “28 Years Later“.

As written on two of the recent posters ‘Time didn’t heal anything‘, ‘In 28 Days it began. In 28 weeks it spread. In 28 years it evolved‘; the RAGE virus has mutated into something stronger, and the infected have evolved! Possibly regaining some of their congnitive functions? Check out our recaps of the first two films here.

Official synopsis

There has been an official synopsis released which revealed more details about this film:

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.

In the trailer; there are throwbacks to the church being broken into, a family being uprooted by the infected attacking and an established community on an island which can be seen with a set of rules, and roles assigned. Nato troops are also under attack by what appears to be a large infected man.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is in shock as he stands outside, trailer scene from 28 years later. — Sony Pictures Releasing

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Alfie Williams and Ralph Feinnes can all be seen trying to survive this world of infected. There is a NATO soldier played by Edvin Ryding; who is seen protecting the boy, as well as a masked Erin Kellyman.

Jodie Comer’s character is not only fighting for her own survival, she is trying to keep her baby alive in a terrifying post-apocalyptic world, which is very risky as the infected can hear the slightest movements, the loud sound of a crying baby would cause plenty of them to turn up!

Bones and skulls are stacked up in a cultish way — Sony Pictures Releasing

The characters played by Feinnes, Comer and Williams encounter an area which is covered in bones and skulls stacked high, this seems to be connected to the “Bone Temple”.

There is going to be a second part to this film called 28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Temple – directed by Nia DaCosta and starring Cillian Murphy. The Oppenheimer actor isn’t confirmed to be in the 2025 movie, however it’s likely that Murphy’s character Jim only shows up briefly as a cameo, to tease his return for part 2.

Update January 9, 2024: In an article from Empire; Cillian Murphy does not appear part 1 of upcoming movie.

What is that audio recording in the 28 Years Later Trailer?

The eerie audio in the 28 Years Later trailer is directly from the 1915 recording of Rudyard Kipling’s 1902 poem “Boots”, recited by Taylor Holmes.

Kipling’s “Boots” poem depicted the forced long-marches of British Army infantry soldiers colonizing South Africa, during the Second Boer War, from 1899 to 1902.

The 1915 recording is also used in Navy SERE school; to train US troops and prepare them psychologically if they are ever caught and tortured. In the trailer, there are NATO troops fighting the infected, this is likely the training they are also given to navigate terrifying ordeals out there amongst the evolved infected. Either this or it is being used by the infected groups against the captured.