Sony Pictures Entertainment has released a brand-new trailer for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, featuring additional footage that expands on the film’s central conflict. The latest look places greater emphasis on Ralph Fiennes’ character, Old Nick — who dubs himself Satan in the trailer — as he purports that the infected can be cured. His proposed method, however, hinges on “a leap into the unknown,” setting up one of the sequel’s key narrative threads.
The world introduced in 28 Days Later has long been defined by fear and uncertainty, and this follow-up continues to build on that foundation. The first film in the new trilogy, released earlier this year, marked the return of Danny Boyle and Alex Garland to the series. The Bone Temple, however, sees Nia DaCosta (Candyman [2021], Hedda) taking over directing duties as the franchise moves into the second chapter of its planned three-film arc.
The new trailer suggests a broader focus on the fractures within surviving communities. Alongside Old Nick’s controversial theory, the film follows Dr. Kelson (Fiennes) as he enters a dangerous new partnership, while Spike (Alfie Williams) finds himself drawn into an escalating encounter with Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell). With the infected now seemingly a reduced threat, these human conflicts appear to drive the story forward.
As a small sidenote, anyone who grew up in or around Bradford in the ’80s and ’90s will likely feel a wave of nostalgia when they spot the Richard Dunn Sports Centre, complete with its water slides (below), which features prominently in the trailer. It’s great to see the location on screen, but it’s equally striking — and a little sad — to see how empty and neglected it now looks. I spent many childhood birthdays there, so seeing it again brought back some very fond memories.
Serving as the trilogy’s envisaged midpoint, The Bone Temple continues the storyline established in 28 Years Later, which was met with strong audience interest on release. Producers Andrew Macdonald, Peter Rice, Bernard Bellew, Danny Boyle, and Alex Garland all return, with Cillian Murphy once again involved as Executive Producer.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is set to open exclusively in theaters on January 16, 2026.
