Get ready to run from more zombies.
With Toy Story 4 being released this week, the idea of a ‘perfect trilogy’ – or something that’s close to perfection – has been on the minds of film fans.
We really like the latest adventure of Buzz, Woody, and co., but the original three films were excellent. How do you top that?
Well, in terms of the horror genre, the list of excellent trilogies is even more finite because there’s always the tendency to keep going back for more.
George Romero’s Living Dead films, Scream, Alien, Predator. The list of horror films goes on.
It’s possible to argue that Sam Raimi’s original Evil Dead trilogy (not the remake) stuck the landing and The Conjuring saga has the potential to be a wonderful self-contained saga of scares too, but three is a tricky number to get right.
However, the news that Danny Boyle and Alex Garland have an idea for another zombie film in the 28 Days Later saga is extremely exciting.
As weird as it is to imagine, there was a massive hullabaloo made when the wonderful 28 Days Later was released because zombie purists (they exist) were pissed off that Boyle gave his zombies the ability to run.
Fast forward almost 17 years (yep, we’re old) and that trait is now the norm in the genre.
Aside from being gritty as hell and terrifying, the original film also boasted terrific performances from the likes of Naomi Harris, Brendan Gleeson and a breakout role by Cillian Murphy.
Rather than go all out action and ‘balls to the wall’ with the sequel, the 2007 followup, 28 Weeks Later, that was directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, doubled-down on the character and drama.
How’s this for a cast; Robert Carlyle, Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner, Imogen Poots, and Idris Elba?
FYI, Renner’s understated performance is still one of his best and geeky point, the original trailer featuring ‘Time is Running Out’ by Muse is still breathtaking.
The budget and the set-pieces were scaled up, but it didn’t lose any of the characters in the process.
Well, it appears that 28 Months/Years Later is coming and Boyle believes that they’ve finally nailed the concept.
In an interview with the UK Independent, he said: “I have a wonderful idea for the third part. It’s properly good.. The original film led to a bit of a resurgence in the zombie drama and it doesn’t reference any of that. It doesn’t feel stale at all. He’s (Garland) concentrating on directing his own work at the moment, so it’s stood in abeyance really, but it’s a you-never-know.”
Truth be told, the prospect of Garland (Dredd, Annihilation Ex Machina) working again with Boyle is mouthwatering.
As for Boyle’s next feature, the wonderfully-upbeat and charming Yesterday is in cinemas on 28 June.
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