28 Years Later, the highly anticipated third instalment of the horror franchise, is now in cinemas and, amongst all the scares and gore, one thing that has left viewers more perplexed than anything is the unexpected ending.
The new film is a sequel to the 2002 post-apocalyptic horror28 Days Later, which ignores 2007’s 28 Weeks Later. Both the first and the third film are directed by Danny Boyle.
It stars Alfie Williams as Spike, a 12-year-old kept safe from the virus while living on a small island connected to the mainland by a heavily defended causeway.
The follow-up, which also features Jodie Comer and Ralph Fiennes, starts on the day Spike is taken on a mission to the mainland for the very first time with his dad, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
A sequel, The Bone Temple, is set to be released in January 2026 and the final scene ends on a cliffhanger, which directly sets up the next film.
*Warning: The rest of this article contains major spoilers for 28 Years Later *
The film ends with Spike encountering a cult on the mainland that is led by the disturbing Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell). As things get weirder, it’s revealed that the group are kung fu experts and have taken their fashion inspirations, which include blonde wigs and shell suits, from disgraced presenter Jimmy Savile.
Needless to say, the ending has left fans when and truly baffled.
“Watched 28 Years Later last night and I can’t believe they had a character called Jimmy who dressed exactly like Jimmy Savile,” wrote one person.
Another remarked: “If you have an itch that can only be scratched by watching a film that ends with ninjas who are all dressed like Jimmy Savile, then go and watch 28 Years Later. I’m not even joking.”
“Movie was alright, epic cinematography. Not sure why there were 15 Jimmy Saviles at the end though,” joked another.
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A fourth noted: “I went to see 28 Years Later and I thought it was a smart, gripping and unexpected sequel in the series. I even liked the weird Kill Bill Jimmy Savile end!”
Others have attempted to provide some theories as to what is exactly happening. “In the world of 28 Years Later, Jimmy Savile was never outed as a pervert and was still a beloved entertainer in the minds of all survivors,” said one viewer.
A second fan claimed: “Crazy that the Jimmy character in 28 Years Later resembled Jimmy Savile – I guess with the UK pretty much coming to an end in 2002 in that world he was never exposed for his crimes”.
Speaking to The Independent, Boyle disclosed an intriguing detail about O’Connell’s character, revealing the final scene is not the first time he is shown in the film.
“The role of Jack O’Connell’s character and his family, which is a replacement, really, for the family he loses at the beginning of the film, is to reintroduce evil into what has become a compassionate environment,” he said.
“I asked Alex [Garland, writer] right at the beginning to just tell me what’s the nature of each of the films, and he said that the nature of the first film is about family. The second film is about the nature of evil. And you’re about to meet a lot more of them when it’ll be more appropriate to talk about them in the second film.”
Jimmy will be a main character in the sequel, which is also set to reintroduce Cillian Murphy’s Jim, the protagonist from the first film.
