Warning: This article contains spoilers for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

The 28 Years Later franchise is caught between two worlds. Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s 2025 film of the same name (an expansion of their 2002 cult-classic, 28 Days Later starring Cillian Murphy) received immense acclaim upon its release, both critically and commercially. Its follow-up, 2026’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, directed by Nia D’Costa, received even greater critical acclaim and, in particular, amazing audience scores.

Early preview screenings for the film, which was shot back-to-back with 28 Years Later, were so positive that it was reported Sony moved forward with development of the planned third and final installment of the franchise, with Cillian Murphy in talks to reprise his role. But, after The Bone Temple’s floundering performance at the box office, the chances of this trilogy-capping film actually happening seem to be in danger now more than ever.

The Latest Updates On 28 Years Later 3’s Development

The latest official update on 28 Years Later 3 came last December, in which Deadline reported, “Sony is proceeding with a third 28 Years Later movie following the electric fan reaction from recent screenings of the second film.” They also stated, “28 Days Later star Cillian Murphy, who reprises his role in The Bone Temple, is in talks, and franchise scribe Alex Garland is currently writing part 3.”

As of 2026, there have been no further developments. The performance of The Bone Temple at the box office has led many to question whether the third film is still going to be made. After all, when asked about it in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Danny Boyle remarked, “We’re still trying to get the money.” If Sony does indeed move forward with the project, there are some pros and cons that have to be considered.

Will 28 Years Later 3 Still Happen After The Bone Temple?

There are plenty of reasons that it would make sense for the third 28 Years Later movie to go ahead, as there are still so many questions and storylines within the franchise that haven’t had the chance to be resolved.

From the question of what happened to Jamie (Aaron Taylor Johnson), to Alpha Samson’s (Chi Lewis-Pantry) battle against the rage virus, to Spike (Alfie Williams) escaping the clutches of the Fingers (led by Jack O’Connell), to the reintroduction of Jim (Cillian Murphy) into the fray all these years later, there’s no shortage of mysteries we’d be left with were a follow-up film to not go forward. It would be fascinating to see how it all ends, and there is a strong argument for giving Danny Boyle and Alex Garland the opportunity to do that.

On the other hand, the financial failure of The Bone Temple likely won’t be ignored. The film, against a $63 million budget, pulled in just shy of $58 million worldwide (as per Box Office Mojo). This doesn’t account for the marketing budget, which Deadline confirmed to be around $70 million. As such, it’s not hard to see why Sony may have put a hold on the development of the third installment.

With how expensive these films have become to produce (in comparison to 28 Days Later, which was made on a much more modest budget of $8 million), another release could be considered a risky investment. Ultimately, it seems the matter may come down to whether Sony takes a gamble and hope the third film recaptures the success of previous installments, or whether they play it safe to avoid potentially losing more money.

Considering the various box office bombs Sony has endured the past couple of years (Madame Web, Kraven the Hunter, Fly Me To the Moon, A Big Beautiful Journey), it might be the smart choice to cut their losses. But, given the number of invested fans who are anxiously hoping for the next movie, hopefully the franchise will be able to close out with a third and final installment of the 28 Years Later trilogy.