# 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
**28 Years Later: The Bone Temple** is a 2026 post-apocalyptic horror film directed by [Nia DaCosta](https://www.edgepedia.org/nia-dacosta) and written by [Alex Garland](https://www.edgepedia.org/alex-garland), the fourth film in the *28 Days Later* franchise and the second installment of the new trilogy that began with *28 Years Later* (2025)[1](https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/28yearslaterthebonetemple/official-faqs). It was released theatrically on January 16, 2026, and streams on Netflix[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/28_years_later_the_bone_temple) • [3](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-release-date-news).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / writer | Nia DaCosta; screenplay by Alex Garland[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/28_years_later_the_bone_temple) |
| Franchise position | Fourth film in the *28 Days Later* series; second of the new trilogy, continuing directly after *28 Years Later* (2025)[1](https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/28yearslaterthebonetemple/official-faqs) |
| Release | Theaters January 16, 2026; PVOD February 17, 2026; Netflix streaming[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/28_years_later_the_bone_temple) • [3](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-release-date-news) |
| Principal cast | Ralph Fiennes (Dr. Ian Kelson), Jack O'Connell (Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal), Alfie Williams (Spike), Chi Lewis-Parry (Samson), Erin Kellyman (Jimmy Ink)[3](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-release-date-news) |
| Box office | $58,527,279 worldwide ($25,147,583 domestic, $33,379,696 international); $12,521,327 domestic opening[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt32141377/) |
| Critical scores | 91% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (351 reviews); Metascore 81, "Universal Acclaim" on Metacritic[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/28_years_later_the_bone_temple) • [5](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/28-years-later-the-bone-temple/) |
| Production | Filmed back-to-back with *28 Years Later*; produced by Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, Andrew Macdonald, Peter Rice, and Bernard Bellew[6](https://time.com/7294568/28-years-later-danny-boyle-interview/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/28_years_later_the_bone_temple) |
## Spoilers
### Premise and characters
The film picks up directly after the events of *28 Years Later*, decades after the Rage Virus outbreak in Britain[1](https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/28yearslaterthebonetemple/official-faqs). The title refers to an open-air memorial structure built by Dr. Ian Kelson ([Ralph Fiennes](https://www.edgepedia.org/ralph-fiennes)) from the skulls of victims of the Rage virus[7](https://www.bfi.org.uk/interviews/nia-dacosta-28-years-later-bone-temple). Kelson, a former general practitioner with the [National Health Service](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-health-service), has devoted his post-apocalyptic life to building the giant memorial out of the bones of the epidemic's dead[8](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/01/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-movie-review/685631/).
The other main thread follows Spike ([Alfie Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/alfie-williams)), the young protagonist of the previous film, who is rescued from the infected by a cult called the Jimmies, led by Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell)[7](https://www.bfi.org.uk/interviews/nia-dacosta-28-years-later-bone-temple) • [3](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-release-date-news). Sony's official FAQ describes the Jimmies as a lethal faction of survivors who serve as Crystal's self-styled "fingers," carrying out his bidding throughout the devastated countryside; Crystal teaches that Old Nick is his father and that he is fated to take power once the Rage Virus has run its course.[1](https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/28yearslaterthebonetemple/official-faqs) Netflix Tudum describes the group more bluntly as Satanists[3](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-release-date-news). The members carry Jimmy-based names, including Jimmy Ink ([Erin Kellyman](https://www.edgepedia.org/erin-kellyman)), Jimmima ([Emma Laird](https://www.edgepedia.org/emma-laird)), Jimmy Fox (Sam Locke), Jimmy Jimmy (Robert Rhodes), Jimmy Snake (Ghazi Al Ruffai), and Jimmy Jones (Maura Bird)[3](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-release-date-news).
A third narrative line follows [Samson](https://www.edgepedia.org/samson-28-days-later) ([Chi Lewis-Parry](https://www.edgepedia.org/chi-lewis-parry)), an "Alpha" infected who becomes a central character alongside Kelson[9](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/28-years-later-bone-temple-zombie-franchise-rolls-fuelled-blood-guts-duran-duran). The film's synopsis frames its central reversal: in the world of *The Bone Temple*, the infected are no longer the only threat to survival, and the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/28_years_later_the_bone_temple).
## Production
**Back-to-back shooting.** *The Bone Temple* was filmed back-to-back with its predecessor, *28 Years Later*, and was already nearly finished by mid-2025 while the first film was in theaters[6](https://time.com/7294568/28-years-later-danny-boyle-interview/) • [10](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-06-18/danny-boyle-alex-garland-anthony-dod-mantle-28-years-later). [Danny Boyle](https://www.edgepedia.org/danny-boyle), who directed *28 Years Later*, handed the second installment to the American director Nia DaCosta, whose previous credits include *[Candyman](https://www.edgepedia.org/candyman-2021-film)* (2021) and *The Marvels*; Boyle said the choice was intended to "break up the boys' club"[6](https://time.com/7294568/28-years-later-danny-boyle-interview/). Garland wrote all three scripts of the planned trilogy[6](https://time.com/7294568/28-years-later-danny-boyle-interview/). The production was hosted in [North Yorkshire](https://www.edgepedia.org/north-yorkshire) in northern England[11](https://thecinemaholic.com/where-28-years-later-the-bone-temple-filmed/).
**Music.** The score is by [Hildur Guðnadóttir](https://www.edgepedia.org/hildur-gu-nadottir), which critics described as ranging from solemn, quasi-ecclesiastical passages to droning soundscapes[12](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-first-reviews/). The soundtrack also includes Radiohead's "Everything in Its Right Place" and Iron Maiden's "The Number of the Beast," used in the climactic sequence; the band issued a statement saying, "We don't let many people use our music but with the British vibe of this series and the knowledge that Danny Boyle, Alex Garland and director Nia DaCosta [made the film], we felt it was a calculated risk!"[13](https://www.loudersound.com/bands-artists/we-dont-let-many-people-use-our-music-but-we-felt-it-was-a-calculated-risk-iron-maiden-respond-to-the-jaw-dropping-28-years-later-the-bone-temple-scene-that-might-have-already-produced-2026s-best-needle-drop) • [14](https://apnews.com/article/8108fc8e8882a28ef0a26fd9f187d92e).
## Release and box office
The film opened wide in the United States on January 16, 2026, in 3,506 theaters, and landed in second place for the weekend behind *Avatar: Fire and Ash* with about $13 million through Sunday[15](https://site1.midtcweb.com/ecore/timesleader/TIM011926final.pdf) • [16](https://apnews.com/article/d5804b554898dd9473e8fdab100f7f52). Its final domestic gross was $25,147,583 against international receipts of $33,379,696, for a worldwide total of $58,527,279[4](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt32141377/). The Screen Dollars newsletter reported a production budget of $63 million[17](https://api.screendollars.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SCREENDOLLARS-NEWSLETTER-2026-01-18.pdf).
Home release followed quickly. The film arrived on premium video-on-demand on February 17, 2026, about a month after its theatrical premiere, mirroring the streaming strategy of its predecessor[18](https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-netflix-streaming-release-date/). It later premiered on Netflix in the United States[3](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-release-date-news), and a 4K Blu-ray release followed in April 2026[19](https://www.whathifi.com/streaming-entertainment/this-gory-sequel-is-finally-getting-a-4k-blu-ray-release-and-its-a-great-way-to-jumpstart-your-home-cinema-system).
## Reception
Critical response was strongly positive. The Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus calls it "a direct continuation of *28 Years Later* that ups the gore while deepening the dread," adorned by DaCosta's unnerving direction and the performances of Ralph Fiennes and Jack O'Connell; the film holds a 91% Tomatometer from 351 reviews and an 88% audience score[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/28_years_later_the_bone_temple). Metacritic assigned a Metascore of 81 based on 58 critic reviews, labeled "Universal Acclaim," with 88% of reviews positive and none negative[5](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/28-years-later-the-bone-temple/).
**Praise centered on Fiennes.** Peter Bradshaw of *The Guardian* called it the best chapter yet of the zombie horror series and found Fiennes phenomenal[20](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/reviews/2026/jan/13/all). *The Week* quoted Bradshaw's observation that it is rare for the fourth installment in a franchise to be the best film in it[21](https://theweek.com/culture-life/film/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-a-macabre-morality-tale). The Associated Press review called the film "bonkers" and "a triumph," noting its mix of disembowelment and laugh-out-loud humor[14](https://apnews.com/article/8108fc8e8882a28ef0a26fd9f187d92e).
**Criticisms** focused on the film's position as the middle chapter of a trilogy. Liz Shannon Miller of Consequence wrote that its biggest flaw may be that it does not fully work as a standalone feature, and Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com argued that the question of how the part relates to the whole overwhelms the integrity of the part[12](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-first-reviews/). David Ehrlich of IndieWire called the ending a "weirdly timid anticlimax" that resolves several storylines with an off-screen shrug[12](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-first-reviews/).
## The trilogy and what comes next
Boyle and Garland planned the new series as three linked films, each complete in itself but sharing a character arc[6](https://time.com/7294568/28-years-later-danny-boyle-interview/). Although [Cillian Murphy](https://www.edgepedia.org/cillian-murphy), star of the original *28 Days Later*, does not share screen time with O'Connell in *The Bone Temple*, he makes a cameo right at the end of the film, after O'Connell's character has been killed[22](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/28-years-later-stars-cillian-murphy-and-jack-oconnell-are-set-to-play-brothers-in-a-quiet-place-3/).
In December 2025, Variety reported that [Sony Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/sony-pictures) had decided to proceed with a third film following positive fan reactions to early screenings of *The Bone Temple*, with Alex Garland writing the script and Cillian Murphy in talks to reprise his role as Jim[23](https://au.variety.com/2025/film/news/28-years-later-3-cillian-murphy-in-talks-30972/). Boyle is expected to return to direct the final movie, which had no announced title or release date[17](https://api.screendollars.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SCREENDOLLARS-NEWSLETTER-2026-01-18.pdf). Boyle has hinted that the third film will be "a bigger story about redemption" centered on Murphy's Jim[6](https://time.com/7294568/28-years-later-danny-boyle-interview/).
## References
1. [28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Official FAQs, Sony Pictures Entertainment](https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/28yearslaterthebonetemple/official-faqs)
2. [28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/28_years_later_the_bone_temple)
3. [28 Years Later The Bone Temple: Plot, Cast, Where to Stream, Netflix Tudum](https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-release-date-news)
4. [28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Box Office Mojo](https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt32141377/)
5. [28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/28-years-later-the-bone-temple/)
6. [Why the 28 Years Later Franchise Has Always Been About More Than Zombies, Time](https://time.com/7294568/28-years-later-danny-boyle-interview/)
7. [Nia DaCosta on 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, BFI](https://www.bfi.org.uk/interviews/nia-dacosta-28-years-later-bone-temple)
8. [An Apocalypse Film That Will Prompt Wild Cheering, The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/01/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-movie-review/685631/)
9. [28 Years Later: The Bone Temple review, Sight and Sound, BFI](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/28-years-later-bone-temple-zombie-franchise-rolls-fuelled-blood-guts-duran-duran)
10. [A dream team reunites to bring zombie horror home again, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-06-18/danny-boyle-alex-garland-anthony-dod-mantle-28-years-later)
11. [Where Was 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Filmed?, The Cinemaholic](https://thecinemaholic.com/where-28-years-later-the-bone-temple-filmed/)
12. [28 Years Later: The Bone Temple First Reviews, Rotten Tomatoes Editorial](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-first-reviews/)
13. [Iron Maiden respond to the 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple needle drop, Louder Sound](https://www.loudersound.com/bands-artists/we-dont-let-many-people-use-our-music-but-we-felt-it-was-a-calculated-risk-iron-maiden-respond-to-the-jaw-dropping-28-years-later-the-bone-temple-scene-that-might-have-already-produced-2026s-best-needle-drop)
14. [Movie Review: '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' is a bonkers and triumphant zombie movie, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/8108fc8e8882a28ef0a26fd9f187d92e)
15. [Times Leader, January 19, 2026](https://site1.midtcweb.com/ecore/timesleader/TIM011926final.pdf)
16. [Box Office: '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' opens behind 'Avatar: Fire and Ash', AP News](https://apnews.com/article/d5804b554898dd9473e8fdab100f7f52)
17. [Screen Dollars Newsletter, January 18, 2026](https://api.screendollars.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/SCREENDOLLARS-NEWSLETTER-2026-01-18.pdf)
18. ['28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' Gets Netflix Premiere Date, What's on Netflix](https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-netflix-streaming-release-date/)
19. [This gory sequel is finally getting a 4K Blu-ray release, What Hi-Fi?](https://www.whathifi.com/streaming-entertainment/this-gory-sequel-is-finally-getting-a-4k-blu-ray-release-and-its-a-great-way-to-jumpstart-your-home-cinema-system)
20. [The Guardian reviews, January 13, 2026](https://www.theguardian.com/tone/reviews/2026/jan/13/all)
21. [28 Years Later: The Bone Temple – 'a macabre morality tale', The Week](https://theweek.com/culture-life/film/28-years-later-the-bone-temple-a-macabre-morality-tale)
22. [28 Years Later stars Cillian Murphy and Jack O'Connell set to play brothers in A Quiet Place 3, GamesRadar](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/28-years-later-stars-cillian-murphy-and-jack-oconnell-are-set-to-play-brothers-in-a-quiet-place-3/)
23. ['28 Years Later III' Going Forward at Sony, Variety](https://au.variety.com/2025/film/news/28-years-later-3-cillian-murphy-in-talks-30972/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Franchise and series entries as standalone works › Horror and slasher series film entries › 2020s releases*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license