The Marvels director Nia DaCosta might be gearing up for a horror comeback. The filmmaker, who previously helmed the Jordan Peele-produced Candyman reboot back in 2021, is being eyed to direct the second chapter of Sony's upcoming 28 Days Later spin-off series.
Having written the script with Civil War's Alex Garland, Danny Boyle is lined up to helm 28 Years Later, the first film in a new trilogy based on the iconic franchise, of which he helped launch. According to Deadline, Boyle, Garland, Andrew Macdonald, Bernie Bellow, and Peter Rice will produce the follow-up flick, while Oppenheimer's Cillian Murphy, who played 28 Days Later's protagonist Jim, will executive produce.
Outside of The Marvels and Candyman, DaCosta has directed Little Woods, a drama starring Lily James and Tessa Thompson, and is the middle of shooting a Hedda Gabler biopic with the latter.
The publication goes on to claim that Boyle's installment is aiming to start filming later this year, with DaCosta's shooting immediately after. That way, "the directors can get on the same page about where they see the story going while also bringing their own unique visions for each film."
Released in 2002, Boyle's 28 Days Later follows Murphy's bicycle courier Jim, as he tries to navigate a post-apocalyptic London – and later, Manchester – after waking up in hospital in the midst of a zombie takeover. (Yes, we know, very The Walking Dead). Brendan Gleeson and Naomie Harris also star.
28 Weeks Later, which unsurprisingly details the state of the world almost seven months after the initial virus outbreak, was released in 2007 and centers on Robert Carlyle's Don and his family. Early on, Don abandons his wife during a invasion from the infected, in order to save himself. Later, when he catches up to his children Tammy (Imogen Poots) and Andy (Mackintosh Muggleton), he's forced to reconcile with his actions.
It seems pretty safe to assume 28 Years Later will introduce us to fictional folks trying to overcome struggles almost three decades into the apocalypse.
While we wait for more news on 28 Years Later and its sequels, check out our list of the best horror movies of all time, or our guide to the most exciting upcoming horror movies heading our way.
