Danny Boyle reveals that 28 Years Later: Part III is now on hold. In the fast-paced landscape of Hollywood greenlights and shifting studio calendars, momentum can vanish almost as quickly as it arrives. Only a week after director Danny Boyle struck an upbeat note regarding the immediate future of his iconic horror franchise's latest expansion, expressing total confidence that the trilogy's grand finale would soon come to life, the visionary filmmaker has delivered an abrupt about-face. 

Talking about the movie, he has recently confirmed that plans for the third installment have officially been pushed aside.

During a Q&A session earlier today at the London Film Festival, director Danny Boyle revealed that the concluding chapter of the planned horror trilogy, 28 Years Later, has been temporarily shelved, according to Deadline. While Boyle noted that he still harbors hopes of eventually bringing the project to life should the financing fall into place, he pointed to writer Alex Garland’s current scheduling conflicts as a key factor behind the production delay.

“It’s on the back burner at the moment,” said Boyle.

“Alex has been off doing his own film, which is a huge project,” added the British filmmaker.

That ongoing delay stems from Alex Garland’s heavy focus on A24’s upcoming Elden Ring adaptation, keeping the acclaimed writer-director occupied while the final chapter of the zombie saga hangs in limbo. Interestingly, Elden Ring is also a project that has been fighting oblivion in a long development cycle.

This update, as reported by Deadline, comes as a frustrating shift following Boyle's upbeat remarks on September 30, when he shared that Garland had completed an exceptional script featuring a major role for Cillian Murphy, though an exact production window remained unclear. Earlier in the year, Boyle had also floated a tentative 2027 start date for filming, but this latest news makes that timeline look increasingly doubtful.

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There is also a slight hiccup that exacerbates the concern at hand regarding the box office of the second installment of 28 Years Later.

Adding to the complication, this hesitation follows the softer box-office performance of Nia DaCosta’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which grossed roughly $58.5 million globally against a $63 million budget. While it is disappointing to think the trilogy might remain incomplete, Danny Boyle remains hopeful about the project's future. 

For now, however, securing the necessary funding and waiting out Alex Garland's busy schedule means fans should not hold their breath for cameras to roll anytime soon. There are a lot of people out there who want to see the trilogy come to a fitting end, and for that, the last chapter of 28 Years Later needs to be made. 

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Are you also bummed about the disappointing update from Danny Boyle? Do let us know.