28 Years Later Director Recalls Nightmare Filming Naked Zombies Amid Child Actor Rules

Director Danny Boyle described filming the naked zombie scenes in "28 Years Later" as a "nightmare" due to unexpected legal restrictions protecting the film's child star, Alfie Williams. Since the story takes place nearly 30 years after the initial outbreak, zombies would realistically have no clothes, but the presence of a minor on set meant actors could not be truly naked under the Child Sex Offences Act. To comply, the production used prosthetic genitals to create the illusion of nudity. Boyle emphasized his desire to push boundaries with nudity and gore, balancing brutal horror elements against the innocence of child characters and natural landscapes, a creative choice supported by the studio. The film, written by Alex Garland and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes, has been well-received and continues the franchise 23 years after the original "28 Days Later." A fourth installment titled "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" is also in development.