‘28 Years Later’ Film Sparks Controversy Over Grim Ending, Expands Zombie Franchise

The 2025 film "28 Years Later," directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, continues the saga of the rage virus outbreak in Britain and serves as the first installment of a planned trilogy. Set in the Scottish Highlands and the tidal island of Lindisfarne, the story follows Jamie, his son Spike, and Isla, as they navigate a quarantined and infected-ridden Britain decades after the initial outbreak. The film's ending is notably divisive, featuring Spike's rescue by a cult led by a mysterious figure named Jimmy, who is revealed to be the boy seen escaping an infected attack at the film's start, symbolizing the decay of humanity and trauma-induced cult loyalty. Critics praise the film's cinematography and grim tone while expressing mixed feelings about the unsettling finale, with Rotten Tomatoes showing high critic ratings but a more moderate audience score. The movie introduces evolved infected variants called Alphas and portrays a grim post-apocalyptic world where survival often intersects with faith, violence, and cult dynamics. The sequel, "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple," directed by Nia DaCosta, is scheduled for release in January, promising to expand on the open-ended narrative left by this installment.