28 Years Later director Danny Boyle addresses Cillian Murphy’s absence

3 June 2025

’28 Years Later’ director Danny Boyle has teased “we don’t know what’s happened” to Cillian Murphy‘s Jim by the events of the movie.

The fate of Cillian Murphy’s Jim is still unknown by the events of 28 Years Later, director Danny Boyle has said

After starring in 2002’s ’28 Days Later’ as protagonist Jim, the future of Murphy’s character was left undecided alongside fellow survivor Selena – as portrayed by Naomie Harris – and now Boyle, 68, has insisted the fate of Jim and Selena is still unknown by the events of the sequel ’28 Years Later’.

Speaking at a fan event in New York City about ’28 Years Later’, the filmmaker said: “So, it’s independent from the first film, but it’s still the same apocalypse 28 years later as it was for Cillian Murphy in the first film and Naomie Harris.”

Even so, the filmmaker insisted the two new protagonists in ’28 Years Later’, as played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jodie Comer, were “more than worthy stand-ins” for Murphy’s Jim and Harris’ Selena.

He continued: “But this is 28 years later, and we don’t know what’s happened to them [Jim and Selena]. I’m not allowed to tell you, but these two are more than worthy stand-ins.”

Following ’28 Days Later’, the story was continued in the 2007 sequel ’28 Weeks Later’, which didn’t feature Murphy’s Jim and was directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo instead of Boyle.

’28 Years Later’ follows Jamie (Taylor-Johnson) and Isla (Comer) as they leave their tight-knit island community after their 12-year-old son Spike (Alfie Williams) embarks on a coming-of-age journey beyond the safety of the island, forcing the family to come face-to-face with the Rage Virus.

’28…