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28 Years Later has never been just another zombie story, and the upcoming sequel The Bone Temple is set to prove that once again. Jack O'Connell, who takes on a major role in the new film, put it simply when he told Rolling Stone:
"I don't think the infected are purely antagonists."
His words hint at a darker, more complex story ahead. So are we about to see the franchise turn its monsters into something much deeper? According to O'Connell, absolutely.
28 Years Later's Jack O’Connell on why The Bone Temple feels unlike anything we’ve seen before
When Jack O'Connell was first seen as Sir Jimmy Crystal in the last few minutes of 28 Years Later, it was hard to miss the impact. The cult leader stood out as both unsettling and somewhat magnetic. Now, with The Bone Temple, O'Connell steps in to carry the story forward, and he's making sure fans know this won't just be more of the same.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, he described the sequel to 28 Years Later as "the weird, deranged cousin" of the original. This description sets the stage for what fans can expect: a film that shares the same concept with Danny Boyle and Alex Garland's chilling creation, but one that has its own twisted route ahead.
Instead of simply recreating Boyle's style, director Nia DaCosta wanted to make something new. As she explained in the same interview, she pitched the project with the promise that she wouldn't attempt a Danny Boyle movie, because "that's impossible to make."
That commitment to originality is key. O'Connell's Sir Jimmy isn't just a villain. He lives in a world where human cruelty runs parallel to viral horror. O'Connell reveals;
"When we meet him, he's doing good. He seems to be doing something quite positive, but we definitely take him on a journey of twisted gaiety..."
It's that clash between appearances and reality that makes The Bone Temple feel like a dangerous evolution rather than a simple continuation to 28 Years Later.
Why The Bone Temple changes the way we see the infected
Right in the middle of O'Connell's comments is something that flips the franchise's expectations: The infected aren't being treated as faceless enemies. In his words;
"I don't think the infected are purely antagonists in our film. It definitely will make you consider that."
It's an idea for a series that first terrified fans by showing how quickly rage can consume the human body.
Director Nia DaCosta is leaning into that complexity. Rather than just pushing the infected into the background, she's exploring what it means to live with them and what their presence says about human nature.
In The Bone Temple, Ralph Fiennes returns as Dr. lan Kelson, a man who chooses to exist among the infected, forming a volatile connection with the towering figure, Samson. That relationship alone signals a shift in tone.
DaCosta teased that the movie's style changes depending on whether we're with Kelson or with O'Connell's cult, creating a dual narrative where the infected play roles that feel less like monsters and more like mirrors.
The sequel also follows young Spike, played by Alfie Williams, who now finds himself moving between Kelson's unsettling experiments and Sir Jimmy's dangerous community.
It's in that middle ground where the film's tension grows. The infected remain a constant threat, but they're no longer the simple embodiment of evil. Instead, they highlight how humanity itself can be just as disturbing. By pushing this theme, The Bone Temple isn't just about survival; it's about confronting what people can become when chaos takes over.
Jack O'Connell's take on The Bone Temple makes one thing clear: 28 Years Later is moving into a new territory. By refusing to label the infected as pure villains, the film dares audiences to see the horror world through a different lens.
With DaCosta's direction and O'Connell's performance, the 28 Years Later sequel promises not just scares but uncomfortable questions about who the real monsters are. January 2026 can't come soon enough.
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