Boyle says 28 Years Later part 3 will be made with more Cillian Murphy, and backs O'Connell for Bond
Speaking at the Zurich Film Festival, where he presented Ink, Danny Boyle said a third 28 Years Later film will be made from an Alex Garland script and will feature a lot of Cillian Murphy. He also said Jack O'Connell should play James Bond.
Updated (version 2). New coverage since the last version from Digital Spy, Evening Standard, Radio Times, The A.V. Club. Previously: “Boyle says 28 Years Later part 3 will be made, with Cillian Murphy, and backs O'Connell for Bond”.
1 / 6
The story, neutrally told
Danny Boyle said at the Zurich Film Festival that a third 28 Years Later film will be made, though he did not say when. VarietyLC “Quite when I’m not sure, but there’s a script – a very good script by Alex Garland” Read at Variety ↗ Evening StandardN ““‘28 Years 3,’ or whatever it ends up being called, will get made because people keep asking about it,” he said while speaking at the Zurich Film Festival.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ He said the film will have "a lot of Cillian Murphy in it" and joked about whether Murphy would undress on screen again now that he has an Oscar. Radio TimesN “"Whether he’ll take his kit off anymore, that I don’t know," Boyle joked. "He’s got the Oscar now."” Read at Radio Times ↗ Evening StandardN ““It will have a lot of Cillian Murphy in it,” the director said.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Sony was reported to have approved the third film in December 2025, but The Bone Temple underperformed, which Radio Times says put production in doubt. Evening StandardN “Sony officially gave the third film the green light in December 2025” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Radio TimesN “that film went on to underperform at the box office, seemingly throwing the production into doubt” Read at Radio Times ↗
Digital Spy puts the first film's takings at $151 million and The Bone Temple's at $58.5 million. Digital SpyN “The first film made a solid $151 million at the box office, but there was a sharp drop off for The Bone Temple, which made just $58.5 million on the big screen.” Read at Digital Spy ↗ Boyle also said: "They should cast Jack O’Connell as Bond." O'Connell stars in Boyle's new film Ink and appeared in both 28 Years Later films. VarietyLC ““They should cast Jack O’Connell as Bond,” he said.” Read at Variety ↗ Radio TimesN “Boyle also worked with O'Connell on 28 Years Later” Read at Radio Times ↗ Boyle was originally hired to direct Bond 25 but left over creative differences; Variety says he told the festival the producers lost confidence in the story he and John Hodge devised. ColliderN “Boyle departed over creative differences, and he subsequently revealed that his proposed movie would have taken Bond to Russia.” Read at Collider ↗ VarietyLC “they lost confidence in it. It’s a shame, because it could have been really good.” Read at Variety ↗
Denis Villeneuve is directing the next Bond film and Steven Knight is writing it; Boyle said Villeneuve is "amazing". ColliderN “Denis Villeneuve has since been tapped to direct the next installment, while Steven Knight is writing the screenplay.” Read at Collider ↗ VarietyLC ““Villeneuve is amazing.” Read at Variety ↗ Radio Times notes that another actor, Jack Barton, was reported in August to be favoured by the casting process. Radio TimesN “Jack Barton, who stars in the World War Two drama” Read at Radio Times ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Festival report on Boyle's wide-ranging remarks, leading with the sequel and Bond endorsement, then much space on Ink and its politics.
- Emphasis
- Bond casting, the No Time to Die departure, and Boyle's comments on Murdoch, Trump and truth.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the sequel's lack of a release date or The Bone Temple's box office.
- Charged language
- “adamant”
- For example
-
“Danny Boyle is adamant: “28 Years Later” part 3 will happen.” — Variety
Centre4 outlets
- Framing
- Franchise and fan-service items, treating the sequel as confirmed and centring on Murphy. Two pieces focus on the Bond pick and sequel status.
- Emphasis
- Murphy's role, box office context, Boyle's remarks on Murphy's physique, and Bond casting background.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Most pieces leave out Boyle's political remarks; the sequel pieces mostly skip the Bond remarks.
- Charged language
- “Officially Confirms”“WILL happen”
- For example
-
“Danny Boyle confirms 28 Years Later Part 3 will happen, praises Alex Garland’s script, and says it will feature “a lot of Cillian Murphy.”” — Collider
“He's gorgeous. When we took his kit off, I couldn't believe it. He looked like Iggy Pop!” — Digital Spy
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Boyle said at the Zurich Film Festival that part 3 will be made and that Alex Garland has written a very good script.
- Boyle said the film will have a lot of Cillian Murphy in it.
- No release date has been announced for part 3.
- Boyle said Jack O'Connell should be cast as Bond.
Where accounts differ
-
How settled the third film is
- Left
- Variety presents Boyle as adamant that it will happen.
- Centre
- Collider, Evening Standard and Digital Spy treat it as confirmed. Radio Times and Collider note the weak box office of The Bone Temple and that no release date or filming has been announced.
-
A third 28 Years Later film will be made
Supported- Supports 4
- Variety, Collider, Digital Spy, Evening Standard
- Reports 1
- Radio Times
-
The third film will feature a lot of Cillian Murphy
Reported- Supports 1
- Evening Standard
- Reports 4
- Variety, Collider, Digital Spy, Radio Times
-
Jack O'Connell should be cast as the next James Bond
Reported- Reports 3
- Variety, Collider, Radio Times
Danny Boyle person
Says the film will be made because people keep asking, backs O'Connell for Bond and says the Bond producers lost confidence in his story.
““‘28 Years 3,’ or whatever it ends up being called, will get made because people keep asking about it,”” — Evening Standard
““They should cast Jack O’Connell as Bond,” he said.” — Variety
Cillian Murphy person
Coverage shows Murphy only through Boyle's remarks; the film is expected to give him a bigger role. Digital Spy says Murphy attributed the delay to filming only being allowed at certain times of year.
“Murphy himself said that the delay was actually down to the filming location only allowing cameras to roll at "certain times of the year"” — Digital Spy
Jack O'Connell person
Praised by Boyle as a Bond choice and for playing Larry Lamb in Ink.
“Danny Boyle has officially named one of the best actors working today” — Collider
Left2 articles
-
Neutral Interview-style festival report giving Boyle's remarks at length on the sequel, Bond and Ink.
-
Centre5 articles
-
Danny Boyle Officially Confirms Cillian Murphy’s Major ‘28 Years Later Part 3’ Return
Mixed Enthusiastic franchise news piece that calls the sequel confirmed but adds caution about the release date and box office.
-
Next James Bond actor pick by director Danny Boyle revealed as he teases 28 Years Later 3
Neutral Leads with Bond pick and sequel teaser, adding box-office doubt and a rival Bond candidate.
-
28 Years Later Part 3: Everything we know about sequel with ‘a lot of’ Cillian Murphy
Neutral Explainer-style 'everything we know' piece presenting Murphy's larger role as the draw.
-
Former James Bond Director Officially Confirms His Pick for the Next 007
Celebratory Bond-casting piece treating the endorsement as an 'official' pick, with franchise background.
Show 1 moreShow fewer
-
Mixed Reassurance to fans after silence, with box-office figures and Boyle's jokes about Murphy's physique.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 30 Sep 12:11 First VarietyLC Danny Boyle Says ‘28 Years Later Part 3’ Will ‘Have a Lot of Cillian Murphy in It’ and Backs Jack O’Connell as the Next James Bond
- 30 Sep 15:23 +3h 12m The A.V. ClubLC Danny Boyle endorses Jack O'Connell as the next James Bond
- 30 Sep 16:08 +3h 57m ColliderN Danny Boyle Officially Confirms Cillian Murphy’s Major ‘28 Years Later Part 3’ Return
- 30 Sep 16:44 +4h 33m Radio TimesN Next James Bond actor pick by director Danny Boyle revealed as he teases 28 Years Later 3
- 30 Sep 17:51 +5h 39m Evening StandardN 28 Years Later Part 3: Everything we know about sequel with ‘a lot of’ Cillian Murphy
- 30 Sep 19:14 +7h 3m ColliderN Former James Bond Director Officially Confirms His Pick for the Next 007
- 30 Sep 21:55 +9h 43m Digital SpyN 28 Years Later part 3 WILL happen and will feature a lot of 'gorgeous' Cillian Murphy, says Danny Boyle
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.