After all, 28 years later, there will be no Cillian Murphy to be seen

When we last checked in on Cillian Murphy's return to Danny Boyle and Alex Garland's Anger Virus-led franchise, we debunked a fan theory that the 2024 Academy Award winner had signed up to star. as a zombie in “28 Years Later”. Yes, the emaciated figure rising from the field in the film's first trailer bore a slight resemblance to the actor, but in fact, the inanimate figure is portrayed by the surprisingly lean performer Angus Neill.

It brought movie fans back to square one with their harmlessly wild speculation about how Murphy would reprise his role as Jim in the long-awaited third installment of the series, his first since 2007's 28 Weeks Later. To some it came as a relief; While it might be temporarily amusing to write Murphy from the universe as a zombie, Jim definitely deserves better. After all, we experienced the horror of 28 Days Later using your WTF just waking up from a coma to find yourself in the apocalypse. If Jim is still alive after all these years, we'd like to see him as a survivor. Whether living in this reality has sharpened his mind or made him completely insane is up to Boyle and Garland, but damn, do the right thing by this man.

If you're still worried about Jim's role in 28 Years Later, I have… good news? At least you can take comfort in knowing that Murphy won't be playing a zombie this time around — at least not yet.

According to a new Empire interview with “28 Years Later” producer Andrew MacDonald, Murphy will not appear in “28 Years Later” at all, though he hopes Jim will return to the franchise in the future. “He's not in the first movie, but I hope there's a Jim somewhere,” he said. Regardless of whether the appearance of this future appears Nia DaCosta has already been shot 28 Days Later: The Bone Temple, due in 2026, or the raw cap of the proposed trilogy (which won't move forward until Sony can assess the box office performance of 28 Years Later). wait and see.

As for why the fandom has been convinced that Murphy will be in “28 Years Later,” despite the fact that he was never officially announced as a cast member and is missing a credit on the poster, blame Reddit and Sony executive Tom Rothman. After images surfaced of Murphy walking around the sequels in street clothes, fans began to spread rumors that Jim would make another appearance. Then Rothman told Deadline that Murphy would be in the film “but in a surprising way and in a way that grows”.

Is it possible that MacDonald is lying to hide a huge surprise? Maybe. You never want to take the dirty pool with your fanbase, but if Murphy's involvement is the shocking opening of the third act which worksthen go ahead and lie. All is forgiven if you deliver the goods. Here's hoping that's exactly what Boyle, Garland, and who knows, maybe Murphy do when 28 Days Later hits theaters on June 20, 2025.