The alternate endings for ’28 Days Later’
In the annals of post-apocalyptic horror, few films have had the visceral impact of Danny Boyle’s 2002 outbreak thriller, 28 Days Later. Known for its brutal realism, harrowing images of a desolate London, and thought-provoking exploration of human nature in times of extreme crisis, the film has become a touchstone of the genre. However, fans may be surprised to learn of the multiple alternate endings that Boyle and his team explored before landing on the released version.
The film, as it stands, ends on a somewhat hopeful note for our three protagonists – Jim, Selena, and Hannah – getting spotted by a passing aeroplane after Jim survives a near-fatal gunshot wound. But the DVD extras reveal three alternate endings, all of which share a chilling commonality: Jim’s death.
One alternate ending follows a path similar to the theatrical release. The group escapes the clutches of the unhinged soldiers but finds refuge not in the idyllic countryside but in a nearby hospital. Here, despite their best efforts, Jim succumbs to his wounds. Left in the world on their own, Selena and Hannah set off together, creating a strikingly sombre ending to their harrowing journey.
Another ending mirrors the released one but casts a darker shadow. Selena and Hannah are again seen outside, waving at the passing aeroplane. However, in this rendition, they are alone, their desperate optimism in stark contrast to the absence of the man who had become their companion and saviour, Jim, having died following the conflict with the soldiers.
But the most dramatically divergent and emotionally charged ending involves an entirely different path for the protagonists. This finale omits the soldiers’ storyline entirely. After Hannah’s father, Frank, becomes infected, the survivors take him to a hospital in a desperate attempt to cure him. Here, they encounter a character not seen in the released film – a man who teaches them that the virus can be eradicated through a complete blood transfusion.
In a last act of nobility, Jim offers up his own blood along with his life, dying on the operating table so that Frank can survive and live happily (or relatively happily, considering the apocalypse and all that) with his daughter. It’s a bittersweet ending that sees the preservation of a family at the expense of one of British cinema’s most endearing protagonists. However, whilst the theatrical ending may seem somewhat Hollywood or upbeat, something about the ‘hero’ sacrificing himself feels even more schmaltzy — and particularly tonally inconsistent with the rest of the film, which really emphasises the dog-eat-dog mentality needed for survival.
Despite leaving a legacy that completely redefined the zombie genre, the divisive nature of the endings and the producers’ yearning for audience satisfaction weirdly resulted in the US release, including one of the darker endings as a ‘what if’ sort of post-credit sequence. Steve Gilula, president of marketing and distribution at Fox Searchlight, argued their decision, saying: “Ever since the movie was released in England, the debate has raged about which was the more appropriate ending”.
In a sense,” he added, “both endings are the director’s cut.”
You can watch the endings below to decide for yourself.
