- 28 Years Later is coming to cinemas in June 2025
- The sequel will kick-start a new trilogy
- Elements of the movie were filmed on an iPhone
28 Years Later has reignited horror fans’ rabid hunger for Danny Boyle’s groundbreaking 2002 zombie movie 28 Days Later.
Almost 25 years after the release of his franchise starter, Boyle is back to continue this dystopian franchise. The first film followed Cillian Murphy’s Jim as he tried to survive in a Britain ravaged by a virus that transforms people into a state of constant rage.
Read more: Everything we know about 28 Years Later as trailer drops
After sitting out of 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later, Boyle and original movie scribe Alex Garland have reportedly landed on a story requiring multiple instalments.
28 Years Later Part 2: The Bone Temple is already in the can, with The Marvels’ filmmaker Nia DaCosta at the helm. Following the release of 28 Years Later, Boyle will return to direct the trilogy’s as-yet-untitled final chapter.
Read more: Who will direct 28 Years Later Part 3?
However, that’s jumping ahead a bit.
We’re yet to see 28 Years Later – and according to Boyle, we should expect some major differences. He recently told Empire that the film would be “about what that 28 years gives you” and the terrifying impact that comes with living with a long-term viral pandemic.
Off camera, there are changes afoot too, with rumors suggesting 28 Years Later shot on an iPhone. Is there any truth to this? Here’s what we know.
Did 28 Years Later film on an iPhone?
Yes, according to reports, Boyle shot elements of 28 Days Later on an iPhone.
Confirmation of this news originally appeared on Wired in mid-September 2024, with the outlet stating that the movie “shot over the summer with a bunch of adapted iPhone 15s.”
Wired continued, suggesting that the film’s $75 million budget would make it the biggest movie to date to film key scenes using the smartphone tech that many of us have in our pockets.
The same report floats the idea that this use of handheld devices tracks back to the film’s first instalment, 28 Days Later. Here, Boyle and his long-time cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle used a Canon XL-1. This camera cost just $4000 and recorded directly to MiniDV digital video tapes. The choice gave 28 Days Later a more raw, immediate and grounded feel.
Mantle returns to Boyle’s side to shoot 28 Years Later where it looks like the duo are keen to shake things up once more by using iPhone cameras.
When is The Bone Temple released?
28 Years Later Part 2: The Bone Temple will hit cinemas on 16 January 2026. This means fans will have a six-month wait between Boyle’s sequel and its DaCosta-directed follow-up.
It’s currently unclear whether DaCosta chose to film any segments of her movie with iPhone technology. However, it has been confirmed that the film shot back-to-back with Boyle’s instalment. This means it’s possible that there was some crossover in filmmaking styles.
