When a 28 Days Later sequel was announced, many rushed to watch the hit horror film – but realised the film wasn’t available to stream anywhere.
It emerged that the film, following survivors of an incurable virus that ravages the world, had not been unavailable on streaming sites for years due to rights issues.
Moreover, it was also unavailable to rent online with DVD and Blu-Rays of the film, save for secondhand copies, revealed to be out of print.
The film was produced and distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures, which is now owned by Disney. However, the rights to 28 Days Later are owned by Sony, who won a bidding war for the sequel in February 2024.
In the run-up to28 Years Later’s release, the original, starring Cillian Murphy and Naomie Harris, was aired on BBC, which was shortly followed by its addition to BBC iPlayer.
28 Days Later was well-received upon release in November 2002, but has become even more acclaimed in recent years.
In reappreciations to have surfaced ahead of the sequel, the film, which some consider “terrifying”, has been called both “one of the mot influential horror films of the 21st century” and “a modern horror classic”.
The new film follows 28 Weeks Later, which was released in 2007 and is available to stream on Netflix. However, 28 Years Later is a direct sequel to the original. It’s the first in a planned trilogy.
Unlike the very first film in the series, which had a modest budget of just £8m, the new films have a reported budget of £75m each.
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Boyle has returned to direct 28 Years Later with Nia DaCosta, who made the Candyman remake in 2021, directing the following instalment, The Bone Temple. All three films have been written by Alex Garland, who wrote the 2002 original.
Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jack O’Connell, who’ll continue his villainous streak following Ryan Coogler’s acclaimed blockbuster Sinners, lead the cast.
Murphy won’t be in 28 Years Later, which is released on 20 June, but will be in The Bone Temple.
