‘28 Years Later: Part III’ sidelined; Danny Boyle says it’s on the ‘back burner’
Danny Boyle revealed a planned Part III is officially on hold, not the update fans were hoping for.
Speaking during a Q&A at the London Film Festival, Danny Boyle said the planned finale of his revived zombie saga is being paused for now, citing scheduling and money as the sticking points. He pointed to writer and franchise co-creator Alex Garland’s calendar as the immediate hurdle, with financing still to be locked.
“It ’s on the back burner at the moment,” Boyle said. “Alex has been off doing his own film, which is a huge project.”
Garland is reportedly tied up on an A24 adaptation of Elden Ring, a commitment that’s keeping him from moving forward on the third movie for the time being, according to Deadline. No new timetable was offered.
Whiplash from last week
The pause comes just days after Boyle struck a far sunnier tone. On September 30, he said Garland had turned in an “exceptional” script for the trilogy capper and teased a substantial role for Cillian Murphy. Earlier this year, Boyle had even floated a tentative 2027 start for filming, a window that now looks shaky.
- Sept. 30: Boyle says the script is in and praises it; Murphy would have a major role.
- Earlier this year: A tentative 2027 production start is mentioned.
- Today: Boyle says the third film is on hold while scheduling and financing get sorted.
Box office headwind
Adding to the complication, Nia DaCosta’s middle entry, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, has underperformed, grossing about $58.5 million worldwide against a reported $63 million budget. That softer result likely makes the final chapter a tougher financial lift.
Boyle still expressed hope the movie will happen once Garland is free and the money comes together. For now, the third film in 28 Years Later: Part III has no production start or release date.