Danny Boyle provides details on new 28 Years Later trilogy with Cillian Murphy

'I'm sure we'll find a way of making it,' Danny Boyle told JOE.

This trilogy would eventually bring 28 Days Later star and Irish Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy back to the centre of the horror franchise.

Boyle made the comments to JOE when he spoke to us about 28 Years Later, his new sequel to 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, currently in cinemas.

The new horror revolves around a young boy named Spike (newcomer Alfie Williams), who leaves the safety of his English island to venture onto the zombie-infested mainland as part of a quest to save his family.

28 Years Later is intended to be the start of a new trilogy in the horror series. A second film, titled 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, has already been shot by director Nia DaCosta (Candyman) and is set for release on 6 January 2026.

This will see actor Cillian Murphy returning to the franchise in a small yet pivotal role. The Irish actor does not appear in the recently released 28 Years Later, despite earlier rumours that he would.

The plan then, after The Bone Temple, is for a third, as of yet untitled, 28 Years Later. Boyle would direct this trilogy capper, with Murphy starring in it.

When speaking to Boyle about the current 28 Years Later, JOE asked the filmmaker about how its trailer set the internet abuzz, when people falsely believed they had identified Murphy in the clip as a zombie.

Laughing, the director told us:

"That was a complete accident! I wish we'd thought of that. Maybe we could have done that.

"But there is this guy who looks a bit like a very, very hungry Cillian Murphy. Somebody pointed that out and we said: 'No, no, no, that's nonsense'. And then everybody's pointed it out since."

Murphy did produce 28 Years Later despite not appearing in it, with Boyle stating that the Irishman was "very supportive" during its making.

The director then explained: "[Cillian's] part of the planning of the whole trilogy of films that we're making. We've shot the first one, which is released now: 28 Years Later.

"We've shot the second one, which is released in January and will feature Cillian in one section of it. And then the third film is then his film.

"So, it's a kind of rainbow, a horror rainbow, and the pot of gold at the end of it is Cillian Murphy."

At this point, JOE asked Boyle if he was ever wary of committing to a trilogy plan. This is as we assumed that the making of this Cillian Murphy-starring trilogy capper would depend on the box office success of the now in cinemas 28 Years Later.

The director told us:

"It does, except that I'm sure we'll find a way of making it, even say, if we don't get as much money as we would like to do.

"Because I think the arc of the story is really satisfying. Each film should be satisfying on its own. You should be able to see them in any order you want.

"But to have completed the three would be wonderful. And like I say, you then have a connection back to the original film through Cillian.

"He's playing the same character, Jim. But he's got the 28 years of evidence on him. So, that's a beautiful extra arc as well that you'd be able to complete.

"That's quite rare to have that in a career. So, it's a wonderful thing to hang on for."

Boyle made those comments ahead of 28 Years Later's opening weekend in theatres. The film has since proven to be a big success both commercially and critically.

In just a few days since its release, the zombie horror has already recouped its $60 million budget at the box office, thus making the planned trilogy even more likely.

28 Years Later is in cinemas now.