Danny Boyle Explains How '28 Years Later' Got its Creepy Poem
Before 28 Years Later's release, you probably saw its trailers, which featured a recording of man performing a military chant alongside visuals of the film's destroyed world and infected. That would be 'Boots,' a 1903 poem by Jungle Book creator Rudyard Kipling (and performed by Taylor Holmes in 1915) inspired by the monotony of British soldiers marching hundreds of miles in southern Africa. But it's not just in the trailers, it's also in the film when Spike and his dad Jamie leave their isolated community for the infected-filled mainland.
Speaking to Variety, director Danny Boyle explained the team wanted something like a song or speech that could 'suggest the culture that the island was teaching its children,' and one that 'looked back to a time when England was great.' Such behavior, he continued, was 'regressive' and 'very much linked to Shakespeare,' in particular the Saint Crispin's Day speech from Henry V, which tells of 'the noble heroic English beating the French with their bows and arrows.'
During this search, Sony sent Boyle and writer Alex Garland the first trailer for 28 Years Later, and it was like a lightbulb moment. 'We were like, 'Fucking hell!' It was startling in its power,' he recalled. 'The trailer is very good, but there was something more than that about the recording [and] poem. We tried it in our archive sequence, and it was like it was made for it.'
'Boots' has been previously used by the US military in SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) schools, and that's ultimately how it came to 28 Years Later. Megan Barbour, a music director at ad firm Buddha Jones, heard of the recording from a SERE trainee and later sent it to the film's trailer editor. According to Sony's David Fruchbom, that first trailer needed to 'work off the strength of the visuals,' and Buddha ultimately gave them three versions to choose from—of those, the 'Boots' one was 'clearly the way to go.'
Audiences would certainly seem to agree, since fans have animated the 28 Years Later or used Holmes' dramatic reading into videos for Star Wars or other films. Boyle called the entire situation a 'reverse osmosis,' saying it 'came into the film and seemed to make sense of so much of what we'd been trying to reach for. […] It's amazing how it still maintains its impact.'
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
44 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Screen Talk Previews '28 Years Later' at the Box Office — and Fall Festival Hopefuls
The June 20 box office weekend looks like another blockbuster double-header with the releases of Disney/Pixar's animated family film 'Elio' and Sony's R-rated post-apocalyptic sequel '28 Years Later.' Danny Boyle's follow-up to his groundbreaking 2002 zombie classic '28 Days Later' has some of the best 2025 reviews for a franchise movie. (IndieWire's review is here.) Even if, as 'Screen Talk' co-hosts Ryan Lattanzio and Anne Thompson discuss on this week's IndieWire podcast episode, Ryan found it ultimately cloying and sentimental despite the imaginative filmmaking. Boyle (working from original '28 Days Later' scribe Alex Garland's script) shot the film entirely on the iPhone 15 Pro Max using rig technology, with the film introducing a 'poor man's bullet time' (as Boyle described to IndieWire) for some of the grisliest kills of those infected by the 'Rage' virus. More from IndieWire Apple TV+ Signs First-Look Film Deal with North Road's Chernin Entertainment 'You Kind of Have to Fight for More Room': Melissa Barrera Says Diverse Casting Has Net Effect on Productions '28 Years Later' introduces new characters played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and young newcomer Alfie Williams as members of a society eking out survival amid the virus' containment in Great Britain. The film is tracking to gross $28 million over the weekend but stands to exceed that figure. The new film was shot back-to-back with the sequel '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,' with a third film set to star Cillian Murphy still awaiting the official green light. Also opening this week is the Pixar space adventure 'Elio.' An original is always a challenge, and this one could open soft and build, the way both 'Elemental' ($484 million worldwide) and 'Encanto' did ($230 million). It's a delightful look at a young space nut who desperately wanted aliens to find him and welcome him, and then they do! In terms of the 2025 animation slate, though, Anne preferred the less expensive Cannes offering 'Arco,' which is set in the future and was picked up by Neon. The summer box office is looking up again after disappointing outings like 'John Wick' franchise entry 'Ballerina' and 'Karate Kid: Legends.' The live-action 'How to Train Your Dragon' has grossed more than $227 million worldwide since opening June 13. In terms of story and scope, it's very close to the 2010 animated original, and singularly, it's directed by animator Dean DeBlois, who directed the animated trilogy, all nominated for Best Animated Feature. On this week's 'Screen Talk,' Anne and Ryan also look down the pike at what could play at the fall festivals, with 'Bugonia' (Yorgos Lanthimos), 'Hamnet' (Chloé Zhao), and 'After the Hunt' (Luca Guadagnino) expected to play the Venice-to-Telluride circuit. We know Jim Jarmusch's 'Father Mother Sister Brother' will play Venice. Cannes winners like 'Sirât' (Oliver Laxe) and 'Sentimental Value' (Joachim Trier) will almost certainly make a splash at Telluride. The Venice lineup will be revealed the last week of July, and, per usual, we won't have the Telluride list until Labor Day of IndieWire The Best Thrillers Streaming on Netflix in June, from 'Vertigo' and 'Rear Window' to 'Emily the Criminal' All 12 Wes Anderson Movies, Ranked, from 'Bottle Rocket' to 'The Phoenician Scheme' Nightmare Film Shoots: The 38 Most Grueling Films Ever Made, from 'Deliverance' to 'The Wages of Fear'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Tommy Fleetwood's Wife Clare Fleetwood Has Surprising Role in His Career
Tommy Fleetwood's Wife Clare Fleetwood Has Surprising Role in His Career originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As the Travelers Championship heads into its final round on Sunday, Tommy Fleetwood stands at the top of the leaderboard with a stunning 16-under-par. The 34-year-old Englishman carded a bogey-free 63 in the third round, including an eagle on the 13th. If he holds onto his three-shot lead, Fleetwood can claim his first career PGA Tour victory, a title that has eluded him despite 41 top-10 finishes. Advertisement What makes his journey unique is the woman by his side: his wife and manager, Clare Fleetwood. Married to Tommy Fleetwood since 2017, Clare has played a crucial role in both his personal and professional life. The two first met through Tommy's brother, Joe, when Clare was already working in sports management. Despite a 23-year age gap, their relationship blossomed after she became his manager in 2015. Tommy Fleetwood looks on during the second round of the U.S. Open. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images 'As we ... sat there listening to different proposals, I'm like, 'I can do this,'' Clare, 57, shared on the Performance People podcast. ' But I just for some reason at the beginning thought I couldn't and I shouldn't. ... Then we gave it six months, and it worked, so we carried on.' Clare, a seasoned professional at Hambric Sports Management and vice president for European operations, initially considered stepping aside when their romance began. But after sitting through other management proposals, she realized, 'I can do this.' Tommy credits her with keeping him grounded, saying, 'She's very clever. ... She judges situations better than you do when you're playing.' The Fleetwoods share a son, Franklin, born in 2017, and Clare has two sons, Oscar and Mo, from a previous relationship. With Tommy's consistent performances and Clare's sharp guidance, the Fleetwood duo continues to chase that elusive PGA win. The Travelers Championship might finally be their moment. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Teenagers help produce latest Big Issue magazine
The latest edition of the Big Issue has been produced with the help of teenagers based in some of the economically disadvantaged areas of the country. Youth charity OnSide nominated a number of 13 to 18-year-olds engaged with their youth centres to provide content for this week's special edition of the magazine. Among interviewees chosen by the teenagers were X Factor winner James Arthur and influencer Simon Squibb. Topics covered include educational support for people with cerebral palsy and other special educational needs, and mental health challenges faced by youngsters, Hundreds of young Big Issue vendors have accessed support from the magazine for issues including health and wellbeing. Big Issue editor Paul McNamee said: 'Big Issue begins with opportunity. We offer young people who are frequently marginalised and on society's edge an opportunity to lift themselves up, both through the Big Issue's own earning and learning opportunities, and by championing their voices and views through our journalism. 'For this very special edition, we wanted to learn of the unfiltered hopes, concerns and future plans of this special group of young people. They chose the content, conducted the interviews, guided Big Issue team on how they wanted the pages will look.' Jamie Masraff, OnSide's chief executive, said: 'This special youth edition of the Big Issue highlights what people lucky enough to work with young people already know. 'Despite tired stereotypes, young people are not disengaged or lacking in ambition. They are brilliant, care about their communities and are deeply connected to the issues shaping society. 'We're proud to support this edition and even prouder of the young people who have made it happen. At a time when so many young people are facing unprecedented challenges, we need more opportunities for them to be seen, heard, and celebrated.'
