A new update confirms that the zombie in the 28 Years Later cast includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Erin Kellyman, Edvin Ryding, Jack O'Connell, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, and Chi Lewis-Parry. Cillian Murphy, who is an executive producer, is also expected to reprise his role as Jim.

Per The Guardian, sources have confirmed that the trailer zombie is not actually Murphy. Instead, this notably infected is played by a new actor and model, Angus Neill. According to the actor, he was picked for the zombie role partially for his striking looks. Neill spoke about his experience working with director Danny Boyle, who he said he "hit it off" with. Check out the full quote from Neill below:

“Danny told me he’d always had me in mind for the role. So we met up, hit it off, and I agreed to take part. On set he has an extraordinary ability to hypnotise you, and working with him on the film was a very, very intense experience.”

What This Means For 28 Years Later

The Nature Of Murphy's Role Is Still Up In The Air

The rumors about the zombie film came after the release of the 28 Years Later trailer earlier this week. The trailer is vague about plot elements, but viewers notice one particular zombie moment. Rising in a field is a particularly emaciated and skinny-looking zombie. Many people assumed this zombie was Murphy's Jim, drawing parallels between the character and the actor's striking cheekbones.

Another actor claiming the role seems proof that it is not Murphy in this zombie role. This not only relieves fan theories about the scene in question but also leaves questions about how Murphy will return in 28 Years Later. His character, Jim, survives after the end of the events in 28 Days Later but does not appear in the sequel film 28 Weeks Later. This leaves things up in the air as to what has been up with his character in the intermittent years.

Furthermore, leaked set photos have shown Murphy's return in the third installment, with his character alive and roaming around an unknown location. These images led to doubts about his character's potential demise and piled in other fan theories about Jim's fate. However, details about his character's involvement are sparse, especially whether the returning actor would have a major role in the movie.

Our Take On Cillian Murphy's 28 Years Later Role

Zombie Jim Has Not Been Ruled Out

While Murphy's appearance in 28 Years Later has been confirmed since May, the film's team is keeping the nature of his appearance locked tightly under wraps. Just because Murphy is not playing that specific zombie does not mean that infected Jim could not happen. It might in some ways make more sense for Jim to come back as a zombie, as the infection has been spreading across the course of years in the latest film. As more trailers and clips get released for 28 Years Later, it will be interesting to see how Murphy's role evolves.

28 Years Later will be released on June 20, 2025.

Source: The Guardian