28 Years Later opened to rave reviews last year, but only made a so-so $151.3 million worldwide on a reported $60 million budget. The movie was helmed by 28 Days Later director Danny Boyle, and he passed the torch to Nia DaCosta for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.
The sequel was similarly praised, and for many, was an even better movie than Boyle's effort. It ended with the return of Cillian Murphy as Jim, setting up Boyle's planned third chapter, likely revolving around him and Alfie Williams' Spike.
The filmmaker has said from the start that the threequel wasn't a sure thing. Now, with The Bone Temple making a mere $57.6 million on a reported $63 million budget, it's hard to imagine Sony allowing Boyle to conclude his trilogy when there's a good chance it will flop, even with Murphy in a starring role.
Both movies were pretty out there, and didn't really have much in common with 28 Days Later, a fairly traditional "zombie" survival thriller. It still had something to say about humans being as monstrous as those infected by the Rage Virus, but these follow-ups went to some weird, non-mainstream places (Jimmy Saville-inspired ninjas, for example).
That likely goes some way in explaining the drop in box office takings from movie one to two, and a new report from World of Reel (via FearHQ.com) suggests what we've heard about Sony greenlighting the threequel may not carry as much weight as you'd think.
According to the site, "I’ve heard from two separate sources that Sony is in no rush to make the trilogy capper happen, despite announcing it last December. In fact, I’ve heard Netflix has shown some interest in acquiring the sequel, but Danny Boyle isn’t having any of it. He wants a theatrical release for this final chapter, which is supposed to star Cillian Murphy."
28 Years Later and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple were pretty much shot back-to-back, meaning at least one sequel was always guaranteed. Even Murphy might not be enough of a selling point for Sony at this point, given the diminishing returns from that second chapter, and it's worth noting that the movie's official social media accounts are now billing The Bone Temple as "the ending you've been waiting for."
That may be a reference to Murphy's cameo, or an indication that, for now, the horror franchise is once again comatose...