’28 Years Later’ becomes box office smash following successful opening weekend
28 Years Later, the much-anticipated sequel to the Danny Boyle classic zombie movie, has become a box office smash hit after taking in £3.9 million during its opening weekend across the UK and Ireland.
This figure puts the newest instalment in the franchise far ahead of its predecessors, with 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later opening in 2002 and 2007 with £1.5 million and £1.6 million, respectively.
It marks a positive development for the film, which stars Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, as a fourth instalment, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, has already been filmed and is slated to hit cinemas next year.
Director Boyle had previously stated that the continuation of the franchise beyond this point would be dependent on its current financial success. Subsequently, with its current high box office ratings, there is a possibility that it could develop further in the future.
For the franchise in its current state, Boyle also recently confirmed that its original lead star Cillian Murphy would return to his breakout role in next year’s film, after not appearing in the current instalment.
The film’s success will come as a relief to the director, who said at its premiere that he was worried how American audiences would take to the Geordie accents of its characters.
He explained: “Everybody was absolutely neurotically nervous about it but actually it turns out that the Geordie accent is fine,” before adding, “It is weird, you can’t predict this.”
Elsewhere, as far as some of his other classic cuts, Boyle admitted in a recent interview with The Guardian that he wouldn’t be able to make his 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire nowadays due to cultural appropriation, but did note, “That’s how it should be.”
Never Miss A Scene
The Far Out Film Newsletter
All the latest film news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.