
Jodie Comer says being led by Danny Boyle in 28 Years Later was a 'proper dream'
Jodie Comer has said being led by director Danny Boyle on the set of 28 Years Later was a "proper dream".
Comer, who is best known for playing the antagonist Villanelle in the hit BBC series Killing Eve, was speaking at the 28 Years Later world premiere in London's Leicester Square on Wednesday evening.
28 Years Later is set in the same world as the 2002 apocalyptic horror 28 Days Later, which saw Cillian Murphy play a bicycle courier who awakes from a coma to discover the accidental release of a highly contagious, aggression-inducing virus has caused the breakdown of society.
The new instalment follows on almost three decades since the virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, where some have found a way to exist amid the infected despite an enforced quarantine.
When one of the group leaves the gated island they are residing on for a mission to the mainland, they discover secrets and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.
Comer features in the film alongside Ralph Fiennes and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
Comer said on Wednesday: "I was honoured when I got this script through.
"And you know, with the opportunity to sit down with Danny, who's a filmmaker who I've admired for a very long time, and to be kind of led by him and be on one of his sets is a proper dream."
She added that Boyle leads a "calm, playful, fun" set.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


RTÉ News
5 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Cillian Murphy will return in next 28 Years Later movie
28 Years Later director Danny Boyle has said that Cillian Murphy will reprise his role from the first movie in the next instalment of the zombie franchise early next year. The Cork-born actor played motorcycle courier Jim in 2002's 28 Days Later and Boyle and writer Alex Garland have another two movies planned for the series, both of which will feature Oscar winner Murphy. It follows speculation that the Peaky Blinders and Oppenheimer star would be back in the latest part of the franchise, 28 Years Later, which stars newcomer Alife Williams, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jodie Comer, and is in cinemas now. Speaking to RTÉ Entertainment, the 68-year-old director, who also made Trainspotting, Yesterday, and Slumdog Millionaire, said, "It's all linked to Cillian. He is a producer on this new film, 28 Years Later, and with his agreement, we didn't connect directly to that first film from 2002." The fourth part of the series, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, is due for release next January and there is also a fifth and final movie planned, with Boyle back behind the camera. "Cillian's character, Jim, will reappear and in fact he will appear at the end of The Bone Temple to take us into the fifth film and that will be his film, really," Boyle said. "28 years have passed and something is the same and something is very different. That's all I can tell you . . . " So, Cillian will be back? "Oh, he will be!" 28 Years Later is set on an isolated island in the northeast of England where a small community has continued to live uninfected as the rest of the Britain remains quarantined and contaminated by the Rage virus which turns people into a manic state. The new movie centres on 12-year-old Spike (Williams) and his parents, Isla (Comer) and Jamie (Taylor-Johnson), a scavenger and survivalist who takes his son on his first sortie to the mainland to make his first zombie kill. It is essentially a movie about a father and son relationship. "Yes, it is but it is flawed," says Boyle. "Jamie and Spike's relationship is intense but it is quite narrow in a way. Jamie wants to teach Spike quite specific skills but they are very gender-based and quite strict. "The girls are left at home and the boys are taken out to train and they have a nostalgia about when England was great and the long bowmen beat the French at Agincourt . . . Spike learns different lessons from his mother and, later, from Ralph Fiennes' character." A lot has changed since the first movie in the franchise back in 2002. Given the new film's themes of not so splendid isolation and a virus that has left Britain cut off from the rest of Europe, the tumults of Brexit and Covid were an irresistible framing device for Boyle and Garland. "It's definitely influenced by that," Boyle says. "You can't not be influenced by that but this is a not a political film about Brexit or a political film about Covid but they do pass through the film at times. "One of the wonderful things about the horror genre is that you can read things in that feel like the present day, like what's happening in Gaza or the way migrants are treated. "Covid had a particular influence on us and it's a slightly surprising one. It's not that cities were transformed in the way we saw at the beginning of 28 Days Later. It was the way behaviour changed over time after the initial alert, which was high scale panic and worry." Boyle adds, "People start to relax after that and they start to take risks and branch out and don't wear a mask all the time. It's just human nature to do it." Of course, Garland and Boyle do not forget the gore. The zombies in this franchise are not quite the shambling undead of B-movie yore but fleet-footed berserkers who pose real and immediate danger. And in 28 Years Later, Boyle and Garland give us two new breeds of zombie - the sluggish "Slow-Lows" and super-fast and strong Alphas. It seems that as time passes, the half-dead are evolving. "That again was a Covid thing," Boyle says. "We saw how Covid mutated and the variants arrived and in this film the variants that have emerged are very dangerous indeed and if anything, the landscape is more hostile and dangerous than the first film." It's been a busy few days in Dublin for Boyle. As well as doing press duties for 28 Years Later, he also attended the gala opening of his new movie at the Irish Film Centre and was given UCD's Literary and Historical Society James Joyce Award. No doubt he talked about his new film's star - 12-year-old newcomer Alife Williams, who plays Spike. "When we cast him, his shoe size was 6, by the time we finished the film, his shoe size was nine-and-a-half," laughs Boyle. "I kid you not." "He's transforming from a boy into a man, which is what happens in the film so he is perfectly cast. He was exceptionally accommodated by the other actors who passed on their knowledge to him - wittingly and unwittingly.


The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Wynne Evans slams BBC again over ‘double standards' after Naga Munchetty is hauled in over sex jibe
WYNNE Evans has lashed out at the BBC again over its "double standards". The axed radio star commented on The Sun revealing BBC Breakfast presenter Advertisement 2 Naga Munchetty is the first female presenter to be caught up in the series of scandals which have gripped the Beeb Credit: BBC 2 Wynne Evans hit out at the BBC over the handling of his Strictly scandals Credit: Dan Charity Wynne shared today's front page of the newspaper detailing the programme's toxicity row, amid claims Naga was reprimanded by bosses over two incidents in three years — including allegations she bullied a junior staffer. Posting The Sun front page in a now-deleted post, Wynne said: "I really wish Naga well and I hope she doesn't get hounded. "But come on @bbc @bbccymruwales what double standards. "Tim Davie [Director-general of the BBC] promised to protect people on Strictly from being hounded by the press, but he won't even meet with me." Advertisement READ MORE ON BBC Wynne recently sat down with The Sun's Clemmie Moodie to reveal his side of the story after losing his job following three allegations levelled against him. The first, dubbed 'gropegate', came when he moved his hand over pro partner waist in the Clauditorium. The other was when The Sun on Sunday revealed he had sent a sex toy to Jamie, which the EastEnders star was caught on camera laughing about. The third was from a video of him which, it was claimed, was in relation to married pro . Advertisement Most read in News TV He accused the BBC of abandoning him in the wake of a series of controversies that erupted during and after his time on Strictly Come Dancing. The corporation said he was offered a dedicated contact at the BBC and was offered "continued" mental health support since his contract concluded. BBC star Naga Munchetty hauled in by bosses over allegations she BULLIED a junior staffer and 'made an off-air sex jibe' Director General Tim Davie issued an unprecedented apology, and vowed to clean the show up, after a A raft of ex-contestants then came forward with their own horror stories. Another dancer, Advertisement Naga is the first female presenter to be caught up in the series of scandals which have gripped the Beeb. She was reprimanded by a senior producer over the sex jibe, but no formal action was taken. As the BBC is now facing questions of double standards, an insider said: 'If a male presenter made a sexual comment like that or falsely accused someone of theft, he'd be out the door. But with Naga, it gets brushed off.' A BBC spokesperson said: 'While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously.' Advertisement


The Irish Sun
7 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
16 must watch TV series of the summer – from Keeley Hawes spy thriller to Danny Dyer comedy and return of Netflix hits
THE summer telly schedules are bringing the heat — with can't-miss premieres and buzzy returns. Whether you want to escape with reality TV, like ITV's Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters, or get bingeing with red-hot dramas such as Netflix's Squid Game, there are plenty of shows to keep you glued to the couch. 14 Olivia Rodrigo will be among the famous faces at Glastonbury, which will be screened on the BBC Credit: Getty There's also the live drama of the And with the return of fan favourites such as The Summer I Turned Pretty, and Wednesday, you can settle in with some old friends. Jess Lester rounds up the best of the upcoming TV . . . Attack On London: Hunting The 7/7 Bombers -Netflix, July 14 Former Prime Minister Tony Blair features in a documentary on the 7/7 bombings NETFLIX is no stranger to a true-crime documentary, and this time it has turned its attentions to London's worst terrorist attack. READ MORE ON TV Through interviews , archive footage and expert analysis, including with then PM Tony Blair, it celebrates the resilience of those who worked around the clock to put the guilty individuals behind bars. There is a deeper dive into the broader issues of terrorism, too. Destination X - BBC, July 14 Rob Brydon is set to host a new competition show, Destination X Credit: THERE'S a Most read in News TV The show takes contestants on a journey on a blacked-out bus, sending them on a mystery road trip across Europe not telling them where they are, or where they are heading. Through a mix of clever challenges and red herrings, they must guess each destination or face elimination from the show, which is based on a popular Belgian format that launched last year. Think And with prize money likely up for grabs, it's all to play for. The Summer I Turned Pretty - Prime Video, July 16 14 Amazon Prime Video show The Summer I Turned Pretty is back for a third series Credit: Erika Doss/Prime IT'S set to be an emotional finale as The Summer I Turned Pretty returns for its third series, finishing up Jenny Han's much-loved trilogy of books. This time, there's a two-year time jump as Belly (Lola Tung) is further into her college education. Season two saw her end things with Conrad, and instead choose other love interest Jeremiah. But as they plan their future together, possibly even a wedding, Conrad returns and reignites long-simmering feelings between him and Belly. With the love triangle at the centre of the story, there's a mammoth 11 episodes for Belly to figure out what she really wants. But will she? Squid Game - Netflix, June 27 14 Surprise Netflix hit Squid Game is back for another new series at the end of June Credit: Netflix SQUID Game took the world by storm in 2021, and now its highly anticipated third and final series hopes to captivate audiences once again. We see lead character Seong Gi-hun, below, regroup with Cho Sang-woo and Kang Sae-byeok after the failed armed uprising from the previous season. The survivors are determined to bring down the cruel billionaires who orchestrate the deadly games. However, to succeed, they must first continue playing the brutal competitions , all while secretly plotting their escape. But the question remains: Will they survive the games this time and finally end the nightmare? The Couple Next Door - Channel 4, July FOLLOWING the success of the first series on Channel 4 – it was the broadcaster's biggest scripted series streaming launch ever – the drama is back with a fresh storyline and new cast. In this next chapter, the plot centres around Charlotte Roberts (Annabel Scholey), a brilliant heart surgeon, and her husband Jacob (Sam Palladio), a consultant anaesthetist. Things will be turned upside down when mysterious new hospital colleague Mia (Aggy K Adams, above) rents the house next door and becomes entangled in their personal and professional lives. While Charlotte navigates the reappearance of her past flame, the hunky Leo (Sendhil Ramamurthy), only time will tell whether Mia will spell disaster for the formerly happily married pair. The Assassin - Prime Video, July 14 Keeley Hawes is set to star in new Prime Video drama The Assassin Credit: THE ASSASSIN 2025 © Prime Video/Two Brothers Pictures/ Photographer: Robert Viglasky Keeley plays Julie, a retired assassin who is enjoying a quiet life on a remote Greek island – until her estranged son Edward arrives, that is. He has come to ask questions about his father, but it sets a whole chain of events in motion. Julie and Edward, played by The Good Doctor's Freddie, go on to uncover a dark conspiracy and are forced to head off on the run. Julie's complicated past then resurfaces and her fractured relationship with her son is put to the ultimate test. The Bear - Disney+, June 26 14 The Bear is back for a new series after the last ended on a cliffhanger Credit: 2025, FX. All rights reserved. IN what is likely to be the final series of Disney+'s much-loved drama, Jeremy Allen White is in a race against time to secure the restaurant's future. At the end of the last series, the restaurant was ripped apart by a review in The Chicago Tribune. Joined once again by Ayo Edebiri's Sydney , Ebon Moss-Bachrach's Richie and the rest of The Bear crew, Chef Carmy (White, above) will once again be chasing Michelin glory. It's all under wraps, but the cast will likely be packed with even more guest appearances, after series three featured John Cena, Thomas Keller and Will Poulter. Glastonbury - BBC, from June 27 THE BBC is showing more than 90 hours of the festival, with live streams from five main stages, and on-demand content for 30 days. The likes of Clara Amgo, Jo Whiley, Lauren Laverne and Huw Stephens will be there to guide viewers through the action on the iPlayer Glastonbury Channel. Neil Young The 1975, Olivia Rodrigo, The channel will also have special recap montages from previous festivals, including Beyonce and Coldplay. The Hostage - Netflix, August 21 14 Suranne Jones returns to our screens playing a Prime Minister in a new Netflix drama Credit: Des Willie/Netflix SHE'S played some big characters and now But her life is turned upside down when her husband is kidnapped and she is forced to work together with the French President, a long-time rival. The two powerful women, who are also being blackmailed, have to navigate betrayal, danger and looming threats to their careers and personal lives in this twisting five-parter. Also featuring are Queen Charlotte hunk Corey Mylchreest, Miss Scarlet's Sophie Robertson, Before Sunrise actress Julie Delpy and actor and musician Ashley 'Bashy' Thomas. Dora And The Search For Sol Dorado - Paramount+, July 4 STARTING off as an animation series in 2000, Dora The Explorer had her first live action film in 2019's Lost City Of Gold. Now she is back for more adventuring. This time, teenage Dora, played by Samantha Lorraine , is embarking on a new journey deep in the jungle on a quest to find the mythical treasure of Sol Dorado. Along the way she will have to battle villains, with the help of her loyal cousin Diego, archaeologist Camila the Crusader and her trusty sidekick Boots the monkey. After making its premiere on kids' channel Nickelodeon UK on July 2, it will be available to stream – for kids and adults – on Paramout+. The Institute - MGM+, July 13 14 Martin Freeman's son Joe features in Stephen King-based horror The Institute Credit: Chris Reardon/MGM+ BASED on a 2019 novel by horror writer Stephen King, this eight-episode thriller follows 12-year-old genius Luke Ellis, who is kidnapped and wakes up in a mysterious facility where children with unusual abilities are being held against their will. As Luke (played by Martin Freeman's son Joe) plots his escape, a former police officer, who has moved to the town for a quiet life, uncovers disturbing facts about the place, known as The Institute. Expect Stranger Things-style superpowers and the same kind of simmering discomfort as Stephen's previous TV adaptations, Castle Rock and The Outsider. Mr Bigstuff - Sky, July 14 Danny Dyer is back for a new series of Bafta winning comedy Mr Bigstuff Credit: ©Sky UK AFTER winning a Bafta for its first series, Sky's hit comedy returns for a second run, reuniting Ryan Sampson and Danny Dyer as brothers Glen and Lee. This time, the Essex duo navigate the Earth-shattering revelation that their dad might still be alive, sending the pair into a meltdown over how to locate him. Meanwhile, secrets threaten to tear the family apart. Expect a host of new characters, including Rula Lenska as the eccentric Rita, and Shaun Williamson playing a surprisingly angry children's entertainer. Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters - ITV, July 14 A brand new reality show will test the fears of celebrities when they dive with sharks WHAT better way to mark the 50th anniversary of the film Jaws than to challenge a group of ocean-phobic celebrities to dive alongside sharks? Filmed off the coast of Bimini in the Bahamas, this new reality format sees the group coming face to face with increasingly larger and more dangerous sharks. The high-stakes, five-part show will feature Sir From panic attacks to near-miss encounters with the apex predators, the celebrities will be pushed to their personal limits in what is sure to make fun viewing. Wednesday - Netflix, August 6 14 Addams Family inspired drama Wednesday is back for an eagerly awaited new series Credit: JONATHAN HESSION/NETFLIX HIT series Wednesday became Netflix's most-watched English-language series of all time, in large part thanks to Jenna Ortega's deadpan performance of the iconic Addams Family character. And after solidifying itself in pop culture with the help of a viral dance, there's little surprise the series is back, this time with a darker mystery. Wednesday returns to boarding school Nevermore only to discover there is a serial killer on the loose. Series two brings back fan favourites Morticia, Gomez and Pugsley, while fresh faces on the cast list include Steve Buscemi and Joanna Lumley . Uefa Women's Euros - ITV & BBC, from July 2 14 There is live sport to get excited about when the Women's European Championships kick off Credit: Getty THE BBC and ITV are sharing coverage of the Women's Euros in Switzerland as the Lionesses, captained by BBC Sport will air half of the group-stage matches, including both England and Wales' games against the Netherlands , as well as three of the tense quarter-finals. Commentary and analysis will come from The England v Wales clash on July 13 will be a big live draw for ITV. Both channels will simultaneously broadcast the final on July 27. Thursday Murder Club - Netflix, August 28 14 Screen legends Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan are set to feature in Thursday Murder Club Credit: Giles Keyte/Netflix RICHARD Osman's best-selling first book is hitting the box with a star-studded cast. The series follows sharp-witted retirees – ex-spy Elizabeth, former union activist Ron, retired psychiatrist Ibrahim and nurse Joyce – in a fancy village for old folks who meet to solve cold cases. But then they find themselves caught up in a current murder that happens on their doorstep – and like the nosy old folk they are, they get to work trying to solve it. With a cast list that includes Dame Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan, above, plus Sir Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie,