28 Years Later's new trailer is out and has left many questioning whether it hides Cillian Murphy's Jim in plain sight. All set to revive a 20-year-old franchise and mark the inception of a trilogy of films, 28 Years Later looks harrowing but fascinating in its new trailer. Although it seemingly holds back from giving away too much about its story (which a trailer usually should), it confirms that even after three decades since the RAGE virus outbreak, the looming threat of the undead has not diminished. In fact, as the trailer suggests, things might have even gotten worse over time.
Almost throughout its runtime, Cillian Murphy's return as Jim has been one of the most hyped aspects of the film, the trailer maintains an air of ambiguity surrounding the character. Despite this, it is hard not to notice how many moments seemingly point at his presence and one even briefly features him.
28 Years Later Hiding Cillian Murphy's Jim Proves He's Not A Main Character
The Trailer Mostly Revolves Around Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Character
Although it has been a while since Cillian Murphy's return as Jim in 28 Years Later was confirmed, the capacity in which he will appear remains a topic of intense speculation. Nothing seems to be known about what happened to Jim after the first movie's events, suggesting he could be a significantly different person in the film. The trailer, too, primarily focuses on Aaron Taylor-Johnson's character while featuring Jodie Comer and Ralph Fiennes in brief scenes.
Despite being cast as one of the leads, Jack O'Connell is nowhere to be seen. Interestingly, Cillian Murphy is also not explicitly featured in the trailer. This could mean he is not among 's main characters. Given how Aaron Taylor-Johnson recently confirmed (via Mythical Kitchen's YouTube series) that the film's main star is a 13-year-old boy, Alfie, it would not be surprising if Cillian Murphy was not the central lead. However, this only further adds to the mystery surrounding his 28 Years Later role and the significance of his characterization.
28 Years Later May Secretly Reference Jim's Fate
The Trailer Seemingly Drops Subtle Nods To His Character
The name "Jimmy" appears in two scenes from 28 Years Later's trailer. One is when it is seen scrawled on the wall of a barn beside the quote, "Behold he is coming with the clouds." The other is when it is seen etched across the spine of an infected man. Both scenes establish that Jimmy is somewhat of a mythical figure who looms large over 28 Years Later's narrative. Since Cillian Murphy's character is named Jim in the franchise, Jimmy could very well be a reference to him.
28 Years Later: Release Date, Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know
The duo of Alex Garland and Danny Boyle are returning for 28 Years Later, a long-awaited sequel to the zombie film that changed the genre.
However, in the trailer's opening scene, a woman seemingly refers to her son as "Jimmy," which could mean that Jimmy is a different character altogether. It must also be noted that it is unclear whether the mother from the first sequence calls her son "Jimmy" or "Jamie." Since Aaron Taylor-Johnson's character is named Jamie in the movie, the opening scene could be his backstory. Owing to these baffling details from 28 Years Later's story, it is hard to determine whether Cillian Murphy's Jim is as significant in the overarching story as the trailer seemingly lets on.
Wait, Is That Cillian Murphy's Jim As An Infected?
Many Viewers Seem Certain They Have Spotted Cillian Murphy In The Trailer
Roughly at the 1 minute 47 second mark, 28 Years Later's trailer features a blink-or-miss moment in which an infected man rises from a field of flowers. While it is impossible to draw any conclusions from the fleeting one-second scene, the man eerily resembles Cillian Murphy. If the man is actually Jim from 28 Days Later, it establishes that the decades after the first movie's events have not been too kind to the Cillian Murphy character. It also suggests that in 28 Years Later's harrowing world, even heroic figures like Jim have not been immune to the age of time and the devastating effects of the RAGE virus.
Danny Boyle reportedly used several modified iPhone 15s to film 28 Years Later.
There is a slight possibility that the scene from the trailer was intentionally disclosed to throw viewers off about the true nature of Cillian Murphy's character. Even the behind-the-scenes footage from 28 Years Later featured the Oppenheimer star but seemingly suggested that his character was not infected. With so many conflicting details and potential revelations surrounding Jim, it looks like the people behind 28 Years Later have successfully managed to generate even more anticipation surrounding the film.
28 Years Later
- Release Date
- June 20, 2025
- Runtime
- 126 minutes
- Director
- Danny Boyle
28 Years Later: Set nearly three decades after the rage virus outbreak, a quarantined group survives on an isolated island connected to the mainland by a fortified causeway. When a member ventures into the mainland, they encounter mutated threats and unsettling truths about both the infected and fellow survivors.
- Cast
- Erin Kellyman, Geoffrey Newland, Gordon Alexander, Kim Allan, Joe Blakemore, Emma Laird, Edvin Ryding, Christopher Fulford, Sandy Batchelor, Celi Crossland, Ghazi Al Ruffai, Robert Rhodes
- Writers
- Danny Boyle, Alex Garland
- Franchise(s)
- 28 Days Later
- Main Genre
- Horror
