- The new 28 Years Later trailer is here
- It features an eerie song that has terrified fans
- Danny Boyle’s sequel is set for a June 2025 release
28 Years Later has dropped its second trailer – and like the first, fans are dissecting every moment of it.
Arriving 23 years after the first film in the series 28 Days Later, this new instalment reunited director Danny Boyle with his original movie collaborators Cillian Murphy and Alex Garland.
The movie’s second trailer dropped in mid-April 2025. Watch it below:
Meanwhile, the first teaser landed in late 2024 and become one of the most viewed horror trailers ever.
Eagle-eyed viewers were convinced they’d spotted the return of Murphy’s zombie survivor Jim. Appearing skeletal and – let’s face it – very Zombie-like – he looked the part but it was later confirmed to not be Murphy after all.
Read more: Where is 28 Days Later available to stream?
Jim aside, another element of the 28 Years Later trailer caught people’s attention. The reveal is soundtracked to an eerie spoken-word track that details the horrible onslaught of war.
As the trailer progresses, this creepy track steadily builds, ramping up the tension and the terror until the voice is close to screaming. It’s a musical choice that perfectly compliments Boyle’s harrowing visuals, setting the scene nicely for the frights the film surely has in store.
However, it’s left many viewers wondering what this creepy song actually is. As it turns out, this sinister audio track has links to real-life war scenarios.
What is the recording in the 28 Years Later trailer?
The recording in the 28 Years Later trailer is actually a poem by Rudyard Kipling called Boots. It was first published in 1903 and In a poetry collection called The Five Nations.
Through its evocative lyrics, it details the monotonous dredge of war, illustrating the thoughts of members of the British army infantry as they’re forced to make their way through South Africa in the Second Boer war.
Read more: Everything we know about 28 Years Later
The 28 Years Later trailer features a version of the poem recorded by American actor Taylor Holmes in 1915. It’s used to great effect to, mirroring the survivors’ ongoing and seemingly never-ending battle with the infected.
The poem has links to real-life war scenarios too. It’s reportedyly used by the US Navy to test the tenacity and grit of their new recruits. According to reports, recruits are forced to listen to the track on repeat whilst in cells to test their ability to endure hostile surroundings.
What are the lyrics to the poem in the trailer?
Kipling’s prose features the repetition of the word ‘Boots’, which gives the poem its name. Below, you’ll find the full lyrics, a portion of which feature in the 28 Years Later trailer.
“We’re foot—slog—slog—slog—sloggin’ over Africa—Foot—foot—foot—foot—sloggin’ over Africa —
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin’ up and down again!)
There’s no discharge in the war!
Seven—six—eleven—five—nine-an’-twenty mile to-day—Four—eleven—seventeen—thirty-two the day before —
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin’ up and down again!)
There’s no discharge in the war!
Don’t—don’t—don’t—don’t—look at what’s in front of you.
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin’ up an’ down again);
Men—men—men—men—men go mad with watchin’ em,
An’ there’s no discharge in the war!
Count—count—count—count—the bullets in the bandoliers.
If—your—eyes—drop—they will get atop o’ you!
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin’ up and down again) —
There’s no discharge in the war!
We—can—stick—out—’unger, thirst, an’ weariness,
But—not—not—not—not the chronic sight of ’em—Boot—boots—boots—boots—movin’ up an’ down again,
An’ there’s no discharge in the war!
‘Taint—so—bad—by—day because o’ company,
But night—brings—long—strings—o’ forty thousand million
Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin’ up an’ down again.
There’s no discharge in the war!
I—’ave—marched—six—weeks in ‘Ell an’ certify
It—is—not—fire—devils, dark, or anything,
But boots—boots—boots—boots—movin’ up an’ down again,
An’ there’s no discharge in the war!
Try—try—try—try—to think o’ something different—Oh—my—God—keep—me from goin’ lunatic!
(Boots—boots—boots—boots—movin’ up an’ down again!)
There’s no discharge in the war!”
