How will the ending of 28 Weeks Later affect the new film?

Filmmaker Danny Boyle recently spoke with Empire Magazine alongside 28 Years Later co-writer Alex Garland and producer Andrew Macdonald to discuss the upcoming third installment of the horror-thriller franchise, hitting theaters on June 20. During the interview for the magazine’s latest print edition, the trio addressed whether 28 Weeks Later, the 2007 sequel to 28 Days Later starring Cillian Murphy, is considered canon to the overall story since neither Boyle or Garland were involved with the film. Garland vaguely explained the second movie’s link to the new film by saying, “[28 Years Later is] not in conflict [with 28 Weeks Later, but] ‘canon’ [is] not a very Danny Boyle word.” Boyle added that the storyline and the connection between the films are “not mapped out like a scientific formula.”

The first poster for 28 Years Later that was released came with the logline, “Time didn’t heal anything,” which hinted how the focus would intentionally remain on the UK where the rage virus outbreak began — and where nothing has gotten better. The filmmakers are seemingly not interested in what a global apocalypse story looks like, but in isolated areas following specific characters and groups of people quarantined in those UK regions. It sounds like the ending of 28 Weeks Later — in which the zombie-like beings infected with the Rage Virus made it into Paris — will not be retconned, but any events occurring outside of the UK are not of concern to the story in 28 Years Later. In 28 Years Later, survivors are “still living in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine,” according to the film’s synopsis.

While speaking with Empire, Garland and Macdonald also shared that the plot for 28 Years Later was inspired by Brexit and how the world responded to the UK’s circumstances. Their comments about the inspiration behind the 2025 movie further explain the thought process behind their focus on the UK setting: “Covid was not in my mind because it was too recent and too present, but Brexit was,” Garland said. “[Especially how the rest of the world began to view the UK.] A sense of the globe just sort of shifting its position. Turning their backs, not really looking in this direction. Not really giving a shit [about the UK].” Macdonald added: “Nothing is allowed into Britain and nothing is allowed out. Britain has paused.”

It was recently confirmed that Murphy would unfortunately not be in the upcoming movie, though he is executive producing 28 Years Later. He could potentially have some involvement in the upcoming films in the new trilogy that is kicking off with 28 Years Later (the next installment, 28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Temple, will be directed by Nia DaCosta), Macdonald told Empire: “[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. He’s involved at the moment as an executive producer, and I would hope we can work with him in some way in the future in the trilogy.”

28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later are available to rent or buy on Prime Video.