‘28 Years Later III' Moving Forward At Sony: Cillian Murphy to Star

Well, would you look at that. Less than 24 hours after “The Bone Temple” surprise-screened in NYC and LA, Sony has decided to move forward on “28 Years Later III,” which is set to star Cillian Murphy.

Alex Garland is writing the script. Boyle has said in interviews that if a third film were greenlit, he would return to direct. No further casting has been announced at this time. It’s possible that, if their characters survive in “The Bone Temple,” Alfie Williams, Ralph Fiennes and Jack O’Connell could return.

The narrative arc of the trilogy centers on a character named Spike, a 12-year-old boy played by Williams. The second film in the trilogy is titled “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” directed by Nia DaCosta (“Candyman,” “The Marvels”), and is scheduled for release in January.

Back in July, when asked if he planned to return for the third installment as director, Boyle didn’t hesitate. “100%,” he said. “I would love to, yes. God willing, etc., your health maintaining and all that kind of stuff,” he laughed. “But also it depends how the first film does. You might not want me to. You never know. You’ve got to realize that there are plenty of alternatives.”

Despite strong reviews, Boyle’s “28 Years Later” earned $70M domestically and $150M worldwide, a far cry from the promise of a trailer that had gone viral online. The film cost $60M to make, so it may have reached its break-even point. Regardless, it’s great that Boyle and Garland get to complete their trilogy.

We’re still not entirely sure whether ‘The Bone Temple’ will be a success at the box office, but Sony has decided to pull the trigger: a third film is now in the works. It’s a risky decision, but a major win for fans of the franchise who were hoping for Murphy’s return as Jim — who, it should be mentioned, does have a small cameo in ‘The Bone Temple.’

More to come …