Earlier this year, the fate of a third “28 Years Later” seemed up in the air following soft box-office for the first film and disastrous box-office for the second, even though critical acclaim was high.
Then last month, Danny Boyle confirmed that movement had stalled on the Cillian Murphy-led third entry as “financing still needs to be set” and the movie is “on the back burner at the moment”.
Now, offering an update on where things stand to Deadline this week, he says he’s still keen to make it but needs to find someone to pay for it:
“Alex [Garland] has written a fantastic script. Seriously, he’s written a fantastic script, so we’ve got to raise the money to make it.”
Boyle also confirmed that Cillian Murphy was game to return for a much bigger part this time:
“I mean, he’s up for it, and it’s a fantastic part — Alex has written this fantastic part for him. Those of you who saw [Bone Temple], he’s teased at the end of that, and then the third film does complete the story in a beautiful, mathematically perfect way in which the circle is closed in a way that even Chris Nolan might admire, actually, because it’s perfect. So let’s hope it all comes together.”
Last year’s “28 Years Later” made $151 million worldwide on a $60 million budget. Then, less than a year later came “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” which remains one of the best reviewed studio films of this year. But it lost money, pulling in just $57 million worldwide on a $63 million budget and losing Sony around $30 million.
At this point it appears Sony doesn’t want to make the film leading people to ask if anyone else is interested – especially Netflix where Sony has an existing major deal and where Boyle just did “Ink” with.
