28 Years Later: The Bone Temple carves out a new, intensely focused chapter in the beloved horror franchise. Picking up immediately after its 2025 predecessor, this sequel is a remarkable achievement. It skillfully addresses lingering questions, deepens the world, and subverts expectations, delivering both genuine scares and surprising moments of dark humor. Director Nia DaCosta, working with a script from franchise co-creator Alex Garland, takes the reins, guiding audiences through a smaller, more concentrated narrative that ultimately amplifies its impact. This film isn’t just an excellent follow-up; it elevates the entire saga, stands powerfully on its own, and leaves viewers eagerly anticipating what comes next.
The third installment in the 28 Years Later series (and fifth overall in the broader franchise), The Bone Temple is projected for a dominant $20M+ opening over the Martin Luther King (MLK) holiday weekend. Early fan screenings sparked significant buzz, with critics praising its brutality, expanded lore, and standout performances, signaling a potential box office triumph for Sony Pictures.
A Brutal, Brainy Post-Apocalyptic Saga Unfolds
DaCosta’s The Bone Temple is heralded as an exhilarating horror epic that boldly expands the universe established by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland. It consciously moves beyond typical “zombie genre” tropes, embracing a more fluid concept of horror. The film is described as “gnarly and sublime,” propelled by the compelling performances of Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Chi Lewis-Parry, and Erin Kellyman. While previous films redefined “infected persons” and shifted settings to picturesque wilderness, this entry delves deeper into the human psyche. It explores the lengths people go to cope with profound tragedy and the desperate search for meaning in a world gone mad.
The narrative unfolds through two distinct yet converging storylines, each venturing into unexpected territory. The first follows Spike (Alfie Williams), the protagonist from the previous film, who has left his sheltered island life only to fall in with a ruthless, pop culture-obsessed cult. This group is led by the charismatic, self-proclaimed “prince,” Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell).
The Cult of Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal
Jack O’Connell delivers a magnificent, show-stealing performance as Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal, an instantly iconic horror villain. Building on his disturbing portrayal from the previous film—where he was likened to figures like Jimmy Savile—Crystal is now a fully realized cult leader. He commands a band of manic followers, all sporting blonde wigs and velour tracksuits, and all referring to themselves as “Jimmy.” This community, despite its outward smiles and proficiency in slaying the Infected, harbors a terrifying undercurrent of danger.
Jimmy’s disturbing backstory reveals a childhood trauma: he witnessed his pastor father’s death by the Rage Virus, which his father believed was the Rapture. This event twisted Jimmy’s perception, leading him to establish a perverted form of Christianity, crowning himself the “son of Satan.” He rules his followers with an iron fist and a dark, unsettling humor, believing he is gathering an army for his deceased father by brutally skinning other survivors. Spike, forced into this brutal existence, struggles to reconcile the cult’s cruelty with his own nature, seeking solace in the sharp-eyed Jimmy Ink (Erin Kellyman).
Dr. Kelson’s Quest for Salvation
The second storyline centers on Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), an enigmatic figure whose skin is stained red with iodine. Kelson, a learned and genteel medic, inhabits a unique “Bone Temple” — an ossuary constructed from human remains. Fiennes, in a powerful, eccentric turn, portrays Kelson as a character “half lunatic and half visionary,” combining elements of his most compelling roles. Kelson’s purpose is found in honoring the forgotten dead and, more profoundly, in seeking a scientific solution to the Rage Virus.
His fascination lies with Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), the imposing Alpha Infected introduced in the previous film. This unexpected and poignant relationship blossoms as Kelson explores whether Samson retains pre-infection memories or basic language skills, using morphine to facilitate tentative communication. This dynamic, played with surprising tenderness and even humor, offers a welcome respite from the franchise’s usual tension. Kelson’s relentless pursuit of a cure, even as Europe abandons the Infected to the British Isles, underscores a core theme: survival alone is insufficient; purpose and understanding are paramount.
Themes, Performances, and DaCosta’s Vision
The film masterfully contrasts Jimmy’s twisted religion with Kelson’s scientific pursuit, creating a fascinating struggle between faith and reason in a post-apocalyptic landscape. Alex Garland’s characteristically intrepid script, while exploring his consistent atheism, displays a genuine curiosity about the “absence and essence of God’s function” within pitiless environments. The recurring franchise theme that “people are much scarier than any of the monsters they might be afraid of” is powerfully reiterated here, with Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal emerging as a more disquieting threat than the Infected themselves.
DaCosta’s forceful direction is crucial for navigating these complex themes and the film’s gruesome realities. She pulls no punches in depicting human-on-human brutality, emphasizing that the cultists are “every bit as infected as the zombies, and every bit as mindless.” Yet, she also balances this grimness with a “darkly comedic sense of timing” that is “pitch perfect.” This unexpected humor provides necessary distance, allowing audiences to appreciate the film’s satirical depth and the absurdities of survival.
Performances are uniformly strong. Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson is celebrated for his kind, wise, and deeply empathetic portrayal, making his comedic moments hilarious and tragic ones unbearable. Chi Lewis-Parry as Samson delivers incredible, subtle depth, transforming the Alpha Infected beyond a simple rage-fueled figure. Erin Kellyman as Jimmy Ink is an engaging screen presence, carrying much of the antagonist’s plot weight as a questioning figure who discerns the flaws in Jimmy’s preachings. Her dynamic with Spike mirrors the Kelson-Samson relationship, efficiently developing characters around a larger thematic idea.
Cinematic Craft and Unexpected Depth
Visually, Director of Photography Sean Bobbitt’s work is exceptional. While diverging from Danny Boyle’s mixed-media style, the cinematography pays homage to the original 28 Days Later with strategic POV shots framed through broken glass or natural foreground elements. A particularly powerful “match cut” early in the film juxtaposes a ruined cityscape with the gleaming spires of the titular Bone Temple. This visual statement symbolizes lost civilization giving way to a new, meticulously crafted yet dead world, encapsulating the movie’s core premise.
Hildur Guðnadóttir’s powerful horror score is another standout craft element. It ranges from ecclesiastical passages to gut-churning, droning soundscapes, incorporating orchestrated human moans that contribute to the mounting fear and emotional intensity. Diegetic music, from a precious record player, evokes nostalgia in a world gone mad, playing everything from heavy metal anthems like Iron Maiden’s “The Number of the Beast” to Duran Duran synth-pop.
The two parallel storylines eventually converge in a third act that tugs at the heartstrings, keeps audiences on the edge of their seats, and culminates in a sequence so hilariously audacious it reportedly led to spontaneous applause. This pivotal moment, where Jimmy Ink mistakenly identifies the iodine-doused Kelson (communing with Samson in his bone palace) as “Old Nick” (the Devil), leads to a climatic encounter between “father and son.” This encounter reshapes the trajectory for the next installment and features a satisfying coda with a major returning franchise figure, delighting long-time fans.
Ultimately, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a phenomenal film. It expands the 28 Later saga without simply rehashing previous installments, delivering a satisfying narrative that feels both deeply connected and remarkably fresh. Despite a minor critique regarding a “weirdly timid anticlimax” by some reviewers, the film’s strength lies in its ability to be simultaneously terrifying, entertaining, and profoundly thought-provoking. It leaves audiences rattled and elated, confident that this creative team will continue to deliver.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ different from previous films in the franchise?
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple distinguishes itself by shifting focus towards human-on-human horror and the philosophical struggle for purpose in a post-apocalyptic world. While retaining the franchise’s signature brutality, director Nia DaCosta infuses the film with a darkly comedic tone and a more cerebral approach to the Rage Virus. It moves away from standalone narratives, acting as a direct sequel and middle chapter, deeply connected to its immediate predecessor and setting up future installments. The film also uniquely explores the idea of an intelligent Alpha Infected, Samson, and challenges traditional zombie genre tropes.
Who are the key cast and creative team behind ‘The Bone Temple’?
The film is directed by Nia DaCosta, known for Candyman and Hedda, and written by franchise co-creator Alex Garland. Danny Boyle also serves as a producer. Key cast members include Alfie Williams as Spike, Jack O’Connell as the cult leader Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal, Ralph Fiennes as the enigmatic Dr. Ian Kelson, Chi Lewis-Parry as the Alpha Infected Samson, and Erin Kellyman as Jimmy Ink. Sean Bobbitt is the Director of Photography, and Hildur Guðnadóttir provides the powerful musical score.
Is ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ a standalone film, or do I need to see previous entries?
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple functions as a direct, long-range sequel, picking up immediately after the events of the 2025 film, 28 Years Later. While earlier films in the franchise could often be viewed independently, this installment is explicitly designed as a “companion piece” and a “middle chapter” in an emerging trilogy. Therefore, viewing 28 Years Later (2025) is essential for full comprehension of the plot, character arcs, and thematic depth. It’s an integral part of an ongoing, serialized saga.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple opens on January 16, offering a compelling blend of gore, wit, and emotional depth that pushes the boundaries of the post-apocalyptic horror genre.
