28 Years Later: 17 Behind-The-Scenes Secrets You Probably Didn't Know

Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer and Alfie Williams in 28 Years Later28 Years Later has been in cinemas for just over a week, but it’s fast becoming one of the most talked-about cinematic events of the year.Landing rave reviews from critics and a great reception at the box office, the long-awaited latest instalment in Danny Boyle’s iconic post-apocalyptic horror franchise has most definitely lived up to the hype.Starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes and newcomer Alfie Williams, the third instalment in the series follows a survivor community living on an island, before some of the group leave to uncover the secrets and horrors that lie on the mainland.And this is only the first in a whole new trilogy continuing the story, with sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple having already been shot and due for release early next year.To tide you over before then, though, here are 17 behind-the-scenes secrets about how the new movie was made…Many of 28 Years Later’s actions sequences were shot using iPhonesThe Oscar-winning director famously shot 2002’s 28 Days Later on digital cameras, giving the movie its distinctive grainy look and kinetic urgency. But for the new sequel 28 Years Later, the Trainspotting director went for something a little different.According to IGN, certain sequences were shot with iPhones, sometimes using as many as 20 at a time.Danny described that method of shooting with a rig as “basically a poor man’s bullet time”, referencing the iconic slow-mo effect pioneered by The Matrix.“Wherever, it gives you 180 degrees of vision of an action, and in the editing you can select any choice from it, either a conventional one-camera perspective or make your way instantly around reality, time-slicing the subject, jumping forward or backward for emphasis,” he said. “As it’s a horror movie, we use it for the violent scenes to emphasise their impact.”Danny Boyle said filming 28 Years Later with iPhones had another benefit, tooWhile the director outlined the technical reasoning for shooting on iPhones, there was also another important consideration that motivated his decision-making.“Filming with iPhones allowed us to move without huge amounts of equipment,” Danny told Wired in an interview.“A lot of Northumbria looks like it would have looked 1,000 years ago. So we were able to move quickly and lightly to areas of the countryside that we wanted to retain their lack of human imprint.”While this was seemingly partly a creative decision, it feels like a particularly significant choice from the director, whose 2000 movie The Beach infamously drove tourists to the picturesque Thai island where it was filmed and caused significant coral reef damage.One part of the 28 Years Later set took six months to completeView this post on InstagramA post shared by 28 Years Later (@28yearslatermovie)28 Years Later’s grim Bone Temple site featuring a towering pyre of human skulls took around six months to construct, with the design team using over 250,000 replica bones and 5,500 skulls, according to Time Out.This set was located in Redmire, a village and civil parish in North Yorkshire, with production designer Carson McColl claiming: “There was something about that location that felt that it’s remained unchanged for a long, long time”.An iconic British landmark was recreated in the film as a tributeIt may have come as a bit of a surprise to cinemagoers to see Northumberland’s famous Sycamore Gap tree briefly featured in one scene, given that it was felled in an act of vandalism in 2023, resulting in two men being found guilty of two counts of criminal damage.Standing for over 150 years, it was made internationally famous in 1991’s Robin Hood: Prince in Thieves starring Kevin Costner.The Sycamore Gap tree, pictured in 2015However, as 28 Years Later only began shooting in May of last year, The Beach director revealed how he recreated the tree with the help of some special effects.Speaking to Sky News, he explained: “It had already been destroyed by the time we came to film, so we recreated it for the same reasons that you see the Queen in this… all the things that have happened to us in the last 28 years have not happened.”The tree stump still stands, which could take another 150 years to return to its former glory. “So we’ve recreated it deliberately to say that it was still growing… which is a wonderful tribute,” Danny added.One specific location drew Danny Boyle to the North East to film 28 Years LaterSpeaking at a Newcastle gala screening in June, the director hailed the North East region of England as a “magic” place to make movies.Not only did he describe the area’s landscapes as “spectacular”, he revealed that one location in particular drew him up North for 28 Years Later.“The first reason we’re here is Holy Island,” he explained, according to Cultured North East, referring to the island also known as Lindisfarne. “It’s a wonderful premise for a story, and the idea of a tidal causeway island is captivating. People get that idea very quickly,” he continued. “So in many ways it’s the perfect setting for this kind of film and this kind of idea.”Danny Boyle at the 28 Years Later premiere earlier this monthDanny Boyle was intent on one band scoring the film from the get-goIt goes without saying that Danny Boyle’s movies are iconic for their music choices, from Underworld’s Born Slippy in Trainspotting to A.R. Rahman’s Jai Ho in Slumdog Millionaire.Of course, the music for 28 Years Later was never going to be an afterthought. Scottish hip-hop group Young Fathers were tasked with this mighty responsibility, with Danny describing them as “sort of like the Beach Boys, but so hardcore” in an interview with Rolling Stone UK.“It was a huge risk because they’d never done a movie before and it’s that thing with any pop group, are you gonna trust the whole movie to them? But you go yeah! Yeah!”That disturbing poem from the very first 28 Years Later teaser has a darker history than you might realiseCan you remember the last time a movie trailer sent chills down your spine like this one did?The terrifying chant that you hear in the teaser – which also features briefly in the film – is a recitation of the poem Boots by Rudyard Kipling.Kipling’s poem was first published in 1903 and was intended to capture the monotony of soldiers marching in war, while the recording used in 28 Years Later is more than 100 years old, recorded in 1915 by the actor Taylor Holmes.Holmes’ recitation of the poem starts quite formulaic, but grows more frenzied by the end, and is considered so disturbing that it has even been used by the American military to train soldiers to resist psychological torture, used in what is called SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) schools.The Boots sequence even left 28 Years Later director Danny Boyle himself terrifiedDirector Danny knew that they’d found the right vibe for the trailer as soon as he heard the chilling poem for himself.“And then we watched the first trailer that Sony sent us – Alex [Garland] and I remember it vividly – and there was this [recording] on it, and we were like, ‘Fucking hell!’ It was startling in its power,” Danny told Variety.“The trailer is a very good trailer, but there was something more than that about that [recording], about that tune, about that poem. We tried it in our archive sequence, and it was like it was made for it.”The recording made its way into the trailer on the suggestion of Megan Barbour, then director of music at the Buddha Jones agency, who knew the recording via someone who had actually been in the SERE training.“We wanted to work off the strength of the visuals and didn’t want a lot of dialogue,” David Fruchbom, Sony EVP of global creative advertising, told Variety. “Buddha Jones [submitted] three different teaser trailers, and the one that had ‘Boots’ was clearly the way to go.”Many of the extras in 28 Years Later were cast locallyNewcomer Alfie Williams originally hails from the North East areaWith more than 80% of the film being shot at North East locations including Holy Island, Hexham and Waskerley in County Durham, 28 Years Later provided an opportunity for locals to be in the movie.Among extras was Hexham town councillor Roger Higgin, who told the Hexham Courant: “It was a great experience, and it’s fabulous that so much of the region provided the locations and the cast. I’m confident it’ll be an amazing film.”Another extra called Peter Thompson put himself forward for the opportunity because he heard casting was looking for runners and cyclists. “I do a lot of cycling around South West Northumberland,” he shared, being chosen as one of the ‘infected’.A supermarket worker called Laura Fulguzi was stacking shelves in Asda when she got the message that she’d been selected, according to the BBC.There was one part of 28 Years Later that was a real ‘nightmare’ for Danny Boyle to shootWith the movie taking place nearly three decades after the rage virus infected society in his original story, Danny highlighted the logic behind one very key detail.“I mean, if you’re recently infected, you’d have some clothes, but if you’ve been infected for a long time, the clothes would just disintegrate with the way that you behave,” he told People.In other words, the infected are naked. However due to the presence of now 14-year-old Alfie Williams in the movie, fully naked actors were not allowed on set under the Child Sex Offences Act.“We never knew that going in, it was a nightmare,” Danny added.“Interestingly, because there was a 12-year-old boy on set, you’re not allowed for anybody to be naked, not really naked, so they look naked, but it’s all prosthetics,” he elaborated.That only came to light during a conversation with the intimacy coordinator on the set. “So it’s like, ‘Oh my God,’ so we had to make everybody prosthetic genitals.”Danny Boyle regretted ignoring a big warning from his girlfriendMany viewers were left doing a double take when they spotted this member of the "infected" in the 28 Years Later trailerWhen the trailer for 28 Years Later arrived, excited fans believed they had spotted an infected character who bore an uncanny resemblance to Cillian Murphy – who, of course, starred as bicycle courier Jim in 28 Days Later.Before this was debunked, the internet ran wild with fan theories, suggesting that his character had succumbed to the virus in the new version of the story. Speaking to Empire, Danny admitted that he waved away concerns that people might mistake the mystery character for Cillian.“I showed my girlfriend the trailer and she said, ‘People will think that’s Cillian.’ I said, ‘Don’t be silly,’” he said. “I ignored her. So I’ve eaten a bit of humble pie since.”28 Years Later almost had a (slightly) different nameFirst there was 28 Days Later, then 28 Weeks Later (directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, while Danny stayed on as executive producer). Surely the logical sequel would be 28 Months Later?Well, that was definitely a possibility at one point. “There was a time when Months was absolutely on the table,” writer Alex Garland told Polygon. He even wrote a script under that name, but his relationship with the director became rocky after they worked together on the 2007 movie Sunshine together, before they later patched things up again.Speaking to NME in a 2022 interview for the anniversary of 28 Days Later, Cillian himself noted that completing the trilogy could be tricky: “I think there’s a problem with that, in that I’m 20 years older…”However they seem to have solved that problem by going with Years, instead, but we don’t know how much was carried over between scripts.Screenwriter Alex Garland admitted to ‘ripping off’ this beloved British movie in 28 Years LaterKes was apparently a big inspiration on 28 Years LaterIt might be the last movie you’d expect to influence a zombie thriller in 2025, but Ken Loach’s iconic 1969 coming-of-age drama Kes was a big inspiration to writer Alex Garland.“I ripped off this film called Kes, a very unexpected thing to rip off in a zombie movie,” he explained in an interview with ScreenRant.“The script I delivered and Kes, both focused on the experience of a young lad, and because I am ripping it off, I wanna direct people to the source material.”Jodie Comer studied a certain famous Geordie for accent tipsWe know scouser Jodie Comer is a master of accents, but when it came to playing a Geordie in 28 Years Later, she turned to inspiration in a very unlikely place.Speaking in an interview with Elle last year, the Killing Eve star revealed that she’d been watching old clips of Cheryl Tweedy from ber X Factor days to prepare.Jodie Comer used Cheryl as inspiration when putting together her 28 Years Later characterDanny Boyle had very specific reasoning for that wild twistJimmy Savile and 28 Years Later are two things you would never expect to find in the same sentence. Yet, in the new movie there’s a truly wild twist that references the disgraced media personality (yes, seriously).At the end of the film, 28 Years Later introduces Jack O’Connell as cult leader Sir Jimmy Crystal. Jimmy and his followers can be seen wearing white-blond wigs and tracksuits, bearing a striking resemblance to the late presenter who, after his death in 2011, was accused of sexually abusing hundreds of people, including children.According to Danny, that’s completely intentional, explaining to Business Insider: “He’s as much to do with pop culture as he is to do with sportswear, to do with cricket, to do with the honours system.“It’s all kind of twisting in this partial remembrance, clinging onto things and then recreating them as an image for followers.”“He’s a kaleidoscope, isn’t he?” writer Alex noted, referring to the movie character. “A sort of trippy, fucked up kaleidoscope.”There are other unexpected callbacks in that wild twist ending, tooEarly on in the film, we see a young Jimmy watching Teletubbies in a group of children before the “infected” break in and wreak havoc. As he makes his escape, the boy contemplates bringing a Power Rangers toy with him, but ultimately leaves it behind.When we see Jimmy and his followers, many have pointed out that their fight sequences references both Teletubbies and Power Rangers in a crossover no one could have predicted.Who could have predicted what a major part the Teletubbies would play in 28 Years Later?28 Years Later and its upcoming sequel were actually filmed back-to-backAfter years of speculation about whether the 28 Days Later franchise would be revived at all, Danny Boyle has since confirmed his plans for a brand new trilogy.The next film, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, was actually filmed back-to-back with the new movie, and is currently slated to come out 16 January 2026.The Marvels writer Nia DaCosta will be directing that one in place of Danny (who is staying on as a producer), with Alex Garland having once again written the script.Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Danny explained that it would have been “insane not to” shoot consecutively, due to practical and financial considerations.28 Years Later is in cinemas now.READ MORE:28 Years Later 'Alpha' Chi Lewis-Parry Answers Everyone's 1 Big Question About The Film28 Years Later Director Explains Why New Film Reverses Major Plot Point From Previous Sequel28 Years Later Viewers Are Still In Shock From That Teletubbies Callback In The Wild Final Scene

Comments

Breaking news

US oil giant announces it will close office in Aberdeen

The Herald

Trump says without subsidies Musk would have to ‘head back home to South Africa’ - then threatens to investigate him with DOGE

about 1 hour ago

Energy bills to rise after Ofgem approves £24bn investment

Independent

The shocking scandals behind the Monaco throne as Prince Albert and Princess Charlene celebrate their wedding anniversary

about 1 hour ago

Trump threatens to turn DOGE on Musk as he warns billionaire will have to 'close up shop and head back to South Africa'

Dailymail

I've started throwing a cup of cold water over my husband every time he keeps to his lazy bathroom habits - I've been called 'bitter' but I'm tired of his excuses

about 1 hour ago

Dailymail

Major high street brand cuts 1,200 jobs as sales fall by nearly £100million - with firm blaming 'challenging market conditions'

about 1 hour ago

Dailymail

Paramedic's brain tumour was missed five times by doctors who blamed her symptoms on a 'lazy eye'

about 1 hour ago

Dailymail

Conor McGregor civil rape case appeal begins as judges consider claims Nikita Hand was 'beaten by her partner hours after the alleged sex attack'

about 1 hour ago

How does your title affect your car insurance quote? Data reveals price gulf between Mr, Mrs, Miss and Ms

Dailymail

Comments

Similar News

Man, 28, arrested after pregnant mother-of-two found dead in home

Midwife, 28, who was born without a womb reveals she is going to deliver her own baby from her surrogate best friend

Forgotten Blue Peter presenter tragically died at 28 after courageous health battle

Loved 28 Years Later? Here's Where To Stream 28 Days Later And 28 Weeks Later

Today's horoscope for June 28 as Libra sets some relationship boundaries

Adult film star Kylie Paige dead at 28

James Norton says she's 'crazily grateful' for the pain of his split from 28 Weeks Later star Imogen Poots as he moves on with Lily Allen

Scots woman kept 28 animals in 'rubbish and excrement' in 'appalling' incident

28 Years Later Viewers Are Still In Shock From That Teletubbies Callback In The Wild Final Scene

Wireless earbuds with 'crystal clear' sound now £28 in limited time deal after £100 price cut

Glasto in style! The £28,999 tipi for glamorous festival goers with helicopters (to avoid the pesky traffic), cutting edge wellness space and IV infusions

28 Years Later Director Claims Bosses Were 'Worried' About This Surprising Part Of The Film

Tube passenger who killed 'gentle' engineer, 28, after he brushed past him on escalator to serve less than six years in prison

28 Years Later Director Explains Why New Film Reverses Major Plot Point

28 Years Later 'Alpha' Chi Lewis-Parry Answers Everyone's 1 Big Question About The Film

Incredible moment boat with £18m of cocaine crashes onto beach after being chased for 28 miles at sea by 'Britain's FBI'

Story behind 28 Years Later's terrifying 'Boots' poem: How 110-year-old recording of Rudyard Kipling verses that scared viewers is used in US military training

How Ralph got ripped! Why 28 Years Later star dropped his suave, suited-and-booted image to become a rugged heartthrob at 62

28 Years Later Was Actually Filmed Using iPhones – Danny Boyle Explains Why

28 Years Later Director Danny Boyle Reveals Meaning Behind That Truly Wild Twist Ending

Breaking news

US oil giant announces it will close office in Aberdeen

Heatwave map reveals where could be hottest today after record-breaking temperatures

Mum’s heartbreaking plea after nine-day-old baby snatched by ‘fake support worker’

Carer who threw dementia sufferer, 88, around like a ‘rag doll’ avoids jail

Inside the royal train after King Charles announces its retirement after 123 years

One dead and two injured in knife rampage in Germany

Trump And Elon Musk Reignite Row As President Ponders Tesla CEO's Return To South Africa

Let's Settle This: Should You Shower In The Morning Or At Night?

Police Open Criminal Investigation After Bob Vylan And Kneecap's Glastonbury Sets

Keir Starmer Braced For Biggest Labour Rebellion Of His Time As PM Over Welfare Cuts

PHOTO COLLECTION: Best of Wimbledon Tennis First Round

Trump says without subsidies Musk would have to ‘head back home to South Africa’ - then threatens to investigate him with DOGE

Energy bills to rise after Ofgem approves £24bn investment

Dentist cracks centuries-old maths puzzle hidden in famous Leonardo Da Vinci drawing

Voices: ‘Strong leader’ or ‘out of touch’? Welfare revolt splits readers’ opinions on Starmer

A stabbing attack at a German company kills 1 person and seriously wounds 2

Iowa's civil rights protections no longer include gender identity as new law takes effect

What is a heat dome? Weather system explained as UK and Europe hit by sweltering temperatures

The suspension of Thailand's prime minister over a leaked phone call stirs familiar turmoil

Trans charity demands investigation into EHRC following Supreme Court ruling on gender

Over 1,000 children in Australia urged to undergo STI tests after childcare abuse charges

Photo highlights from T-Rex World Championship Races

Putin preparing for new operation in European territories, Zelensky warns

Starmer braced for biggest rebellion of premiership as Labour MPs rail against benefit cuts

Journalists at satirical magazine in Turkey arrested over Prophet Muhammad cartoon

Kim Jong Un cries mourning North Korean soldiers killed in Putin’s war against Ukraine

Premium Bonds cuts prize rate again – are they still worth it?

Labour welfare bill latest: Starmer warned secret rebels ready to sink benefits cuts in key vote today

Donald Macdonald dies as tributes paid to popular kids TV presenter

Tulisa devastated after famous dad's death as N-Dubz cousin Dappy speaks out

Phone charger 'blew up and set bed on fire' seconds after Scot plugged it in

Common prescription drugs that can be fatal when taken in scorching 35C heatwaves

Woman left with permanent sunburned red nose after falling asleep on holiday

Mellrichstadt: Knifeman's brutal attack at company leaves one dead and two injured

Six major UK weather warnings issued for 36C heatwave as temperatures higher than Barbados

Mum has 'perfect response' to neighbour who said they were 'superior household'

'I was left disfigured after 15-minute nap in my garden'

Tourist gift shop worker, 33, wins £5,000 payout after he was forced to quit his job in bizarre sexism row

The shocking scandals behind the Monaco throne as Prince Albert and Princess Charlene celebrate their wedding anniversary

Trump threatens to turn DOGE on Musk as he warns billionaire will have to 'close up shop and head back to South Africa'

Vet issues urgent warning over social media trend - saying it could KILL your dog

Expert issues major warning to users of period tracker apps

I've started throwing a cup of cold water over my husband every time he keeps to his lazy bathroom habits - I've been called 'bitter' but I'm tired of his excuses

Major high street brand cuts 1,200 jobs as sales fall by nearly £100million - with firm blaming 'challenging market conditions'

Paramedic's brain tumour was missed five times by doctors who blamed her symptoms on a 'lazy eye'

Conor McGregor civil rape case appeal begins as judges consider claims Nikita Hand was 'beaten by her partner hours after the alleged sex attack'

How does your title affect your car insurance quote? Data reveals price gulf between Mr, Mrs, Miss and Ms

Urgent warning as prescription drug taken by tens of thousands recalled due to cancer risk

Tulisa's dad dead: Singer devastated as Mungo Jerry keyboard player, Steve Contostavlos, known as Plato, passes away

One dead as knifeman goes on rampage stabbing four in Germany

Travel warning issued to people using fat jabs to slim down for their summer holidays: they could be in for a shock

Nicole Scherzinger looks fabulous at 47 as she shows off her incredible bikini body to celebrate birthday

Thai prime minister suspended over leaked phone call

Hot weather continues in parts of England but temperatures cool elsewhere

Al-Hilal 'climb Everest' - but 'worrying signs' for Man City

Millions of 'lovebugs' swarm hikers in South Korea

House prices see biggest monthly fall for over two years