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Metro
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
9 skin-crawling zombie films to watch after 28 Years Later
Twenty-three years after we first saw the devastating effects of the Rage Virus, 28 Years Later has finally hit cinema screens. Rumours of a sequel to smash hit zombie films 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later have been rumbling following the release of the latter in 2007. And horror fans' prayers were answered when director Danny Boyle officially announced a third film was on the way with original writer Alex Garland returning. Not only that, 28 Years Later is part of a trilogy of films, so there's even more terrifying running undead moments to haunt our nightmares on the way. Released today in cinemas, 28 Years Later is set almost 30 years after the events of the first film (as the title would suggest), in which a group of survivors have found ways to live among the infected. Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, and Jodie Comer, it is undoubtedly one of the biggest horror films hitting the big screen in 2025. But before you check it out in cinemas, you can get in the mood for some brain-eating action with these nine zombie films streaming right now. Where to watch: StudioCanal+ via Prime Video You probably don't expect to end a zombie film in floods of tears, but we can promise that is likely to happen if you decide to watch Train to Busan. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, the 2016 horror film mostly takes place on a KTX train from Seoul to Busan when a zombie apocalypse breaks out in the city. Two of the passengers on the train are Seok-woo (Gong Yoo) and his daughter Su-an (Kim Su-an), travelling to see Seok-woo's estranged wife and Su-an's mum, Na-young. Where to watch: Prime Video The opening scene of 28 Days Later is incredibly eerie, with Cillian Murphy's Jim waking up to find the world ravaged by the Rage Virus. 2018 film The Night Eats The World begins much the same, with musician Sam (Anders Danielsen Lie) waking to find himself the lone survivor in a city hit by a zombie apocalypse. Trapped in an apartment, he barricades himself in and begins formulating a way to survive. Where to watch: Available to rent via Prime Video, Apple TV+, and the Sky Store Following in the footsteps of the 28 Days franchise, The Girl With All the Gifts is a refreshing and bleak take on the zombie film that questions the state of humanity. The film begins on a military base where children, who harbour a disease caused by a parasitic fungus, are held in the hope of obtaining the cure that turns humans into mindless zombies called 'hungries.' When the base is attacked, one child, Melanie (Sennia Nanua), escapes with teacher Helen Justineau (Gemma Arterton), Sergeant Eddie Parks (Paddy Considine), Dr. Caroline Caldwell (Glenn Close), and soldier Gallagher (Fisayo Akinade). Where to watch: Shudder via Prime Video Released last year, MadS quickly became one of the highest-rated horror films of 2024 according to Rotten Tomatoes, and it's easy to see why. Directed by David Moreau and told all in one, long take, it follows the story of French club kid Romain (Milton Riche), who wakes up from another night of partying to do it all over again. While driving, he encounters an escaped patient from a local medical facility who appears to be injured, drastically changing the course of his evening. Where to watch: Arrow via Prime Video Found footage films immerse us in the events onscreen, which is absolutely terrifying when you consider the events of REC. The 2007 film stars Manuela Velasco as reporter Ángela Vidal, who, along with her cameraman Pablo (Pablo Rosso), accompanies a group of firefighters to an emergency call at an apartment building. Once inside, she discovers an infection is spreading among the residents, and all occupants must follow a strict quarantine, with the events of the night being captured in full, horrifying detail by Pablo's camera. Where to watch: JustWatch TV and FOUND for free Another chilling found footage zombie film is Savageland, which unfolds in one of the most unique ways of any pick on this list. The mockumentary explores the massacre of a small border town separating Arizona and Mexico, with suspicion falling on the lone survivor. However, the photographic evidence captured by the man shows the chilling details of what really happened. Where to watch: Available to rent via Prime Video and Apple TV+ The adage 'til death do us part' is proven very, very false in the 2014 horror comedy Life After Beth. Loosely based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, Life After Beth follows Zach (Dane DeHaan), who is grieving the loss of his girlfriend Beth (Aubrey Plaza). However, when she is reanimated as a zombie, he is now tasked with preventing her deterioration while giving their relationship another shot at happiness. Where to watch: Prime Video Many films on this list take place in limited locations with protagonists defending themselves against flesh-hungry zombies in a contained space. And 2008 psychological thriller Pontypool, based on the novel Pontypool Changes Everything, is no different. The film follows radio announcer Grant Mazzy (Stephen McHattie), who finds himself trapped at his radio station during a live broadcast as a zombie outbreak begins, with Mazzy and the crew inside forced to fight for survival. Where to watch: Available to rent via Prime Video, Apple TV+, and the Sky Store More Trending Yes, Arnold Schwarzenegger is in a zombie film, and what's more, it will absolutely devastate you to your core. It is unique in that it is set after the zombie apocalypse, but society has not completely fallen; rather, it is coming to terms with the devastating effects it has had on society. In the Midwest United States, Wade (Schwarzenegger) is enjoying his final weeks with his daughter Maggie (Abigail Breslin) after she was bitten by a zombie and is slowly turning into one of them. 28 Years Later is in cinemas now. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Incredible films that were shot on an iPhone including 28 Years Later and Netflix hit MORE: James Gunn confirms controversial scene from Superman trailer isn't in the final cut MORE: Jurassic World Rebirth embraces hardcore horror: 'I waited for the studio to say no'
Business Insider
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
The ending of '28 Years Later' explained and how it sets up the sequel, 'The Bone Temple'
Fans waited nearly 20 years for " 28 Years Later" — and its cliffhanger ending will likely leave them with more questions than answers. The film is set three decades on from when the Rage Virus escaped from a lab in Britain, causing the infected to become mindless and bloodthirsty zombie-like killers. It is essentially a coming of age story about a 12-year-old named Spike, who lives on an island that is cut off from the mainland during high tide, which protects his community from the infected. The opening scene of "28 Years Later" shows the infected attacking a young boy named Jimmy at the start of the outbreak. It then jumps forward to Spike's father, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), taking him hunting on the mainland as a rite of passage. They leave behind Spike's mother, Isla (Jodie Comer), who is bed-bound by a mystery illness that causes amnesia. Here's the ending explained, and how it sets up the sequel "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple." "28 Years Later" follows Spike as he tries to save his mother. After Spike spots a fire in the distance while on the mainland, Jamie tells him of a man called Doctor Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), whom he saw nonchalantly burning hundreds of bodies when he was younger. He warns Spike of how dangerous even the uninfected can be. However, Spike ignores him and decides to sneak Isla onto the mainland in the hopes the doctor can cure her. He creates a distraction by burning a general store and leaving during low tide. On the mainland, Spike and Isla meet Eric (Edvin Ryding), a Swedish NATO soldier whose squad washed up in England after their boat sank. He saves them from a number of infected, but threatens to kill them when Isla helps a pregnant infected woman give birth to an uninfected baby. However, he's stopped by a variant of the infected called an Alpha, who rips Eric's head and spine off his body. As they escape, Kelson suddenly appears and drugs the Alpha (Chi Lewis-Parry) with a blowdart, and provides Spike, Isla, and the baby with sanctuary in an area where he has built huge towers out of bones and skulls. He calls it the "Memento Mori," Latin for "Remember you die." In one of the film's quieter moments, he diagnoses Isla with cancer, which has spread to her brain. This explains her memory loss and extreme headaches. She chooses to let Kelson euthanize her and she tells Spike that she'll always be with him. She walks off into the darkness with Kelson, and he returns with her skull. In a heartbreaking moment, he lets Spike pick a spot in the Memento Mori to place it, and he climbs to the top of the tower, positioning her skull so that she's forever looking out onto the world. After Isla's death, Spike embraces life on the mainland. The next morning, Spike treks back to the island and leaves the baby outside the gate with a note explaining that she isn't infected, and that he's named her Isla. In a moment of rage and grief, Jamie races out to the sea at high tide to try to find Spike, but he has already disappeared. Spike's decision to leave the safety of the isolated island to explore the mainland alone appears to symbolize that he's left his childhood behind. But a group of infected soon find him while he's cooking fish, and he flees his camping spot. In the film's most surprising moment, he's saved by a man in a bright purple tracksuit and gold jewelry who calls himself Jimmy (Jack O'Connell). Most importantly, he's the boy who survived the film's savage opening. Jimmy is joined by several other young people with long blond hair and matching, colorful tracksuits who kill the infected with large spears. Their appearance is a stark contrast to Spike and the other island survivors, who are haggard. The group's look is reminiscent of Jimmy Savile. The once hugely popular British television presenter who after his death in 2011 was revealed to be a prolific sexual abuser of children and adults. It's possible that in the universe of the horror franchise, Savile's crimes were never uncovered. Jimmy asks Spike if he'd like to go with him, and the film ends there. The scene sets the stage for the sequel, "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple," which arrives in theaters on January 16, 2026.
Business Insider
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
The infected have evolved in '28 Years Later' — and they're scarier than ever
The "28 Days Later" franchise sees society collapsing after a virus escapes a lab and turns people into zombie-like killers. In "28 Years Later," while people have adapted to survive, the Rage Virus has evolved. Here's how the infected are different in the sequel. Warning: spoilers ahead for "28 Years Later." In " 28 Years Later," the Rage Virus that turned Britain post-apocalyptic in the original movie has evolved, meaning the survivors have new types of the infected to deal with. Spike (Alfie Williams), a 12-year-old boy, is the film's protagonist. He lives on the island of Lindisfarne, cut off from the mainland by the tide, which saves the community from the Rage Virus. His father, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), takes him hunting on the mainland as a rite of passage, and Spike learns how dangerous the rest of the country has become after 28 years of the virus spreading. It isn't long before the young boy comes face-to-face with the infected. "There have been evolutions because we didn't want to just stand still with them," the film's director Danny Boyle told IGN in June, referring to the infected. "28 Years Later" introduces "Slow Lows" and "Alphas." On the mainland, Jamie constantly reminds Spike to be vigilant of the infected, and explains that there are "Slow Lows" who crawl on the ground eating bugs. Slow lows are more bloated than the original infected, and their skin is pale and mottled. While they're easier to kill from a distance, their loud screams draw attention. Interestingly, Jamie chooses not to kill one of the Slow Lows when he realizes she's a little girl, and she flees into the undergrowth when he lets her go. But the Slow Lows pale in comparison to the "Alphas," who are much bigger and stronger than the other infected. One Alpha, who is nicknamed Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), shows off his brute strength by ripping a soldier's head off along with his spine with his bare hands. The Alphas can also withstand getting struck by several arrows without dying, although they can be killed by the large flaming javelins used by the guards on the Lindisfarne gate. Jamie tells Spike that in specific people, the Rage Virus acts like bodybuilding steroids, which appears to make them invulnerable to minor injuries. The Alphas make things difficult for Spike and his mother, Isla (Jodie Comer), when they go looking for a mysterious doctor on the mainland and come across one in the ruins of an old train. Knowing they can't kill an Alpha cranks up the terror in a nail-biting chase sequence.
Sky News
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Director Danny Boyle on how 28 Years Later could be seen as an allegory for Brexit
Director Danny Boyle has said his latest film 28 Years Later could be seen as an allegory for Brexit. Boyle's original zombie horror, 28 Days Later, was a groundbreaking film which revitalised the genre. Now, his follow-up 28 Years Later gives an insight into how much of humanity is still standing almost three decades after the deadly Rage virus took hold. "It's a very ambitious picture of what's happened to the British mainland 28 years after the original infection," he tells Sky News. The film shows how mainland Europe has cut Britain off, the country is isolated, with the remaining population left to fend for itself, which Boyle says could be seen as an allegory for Brexit or the pandemic. "There is an element of that… horror is a wonderful genre because you can put transparencies against it, you can put COVID against it… you can put Brexit against it as well, and you read things into it like that and it's deliciously flexible," he says. Central to this new story is a new character, a young boy called Spike, played by newcomer Alfie Williams, whose character has been raised on a remote coastal Island with Jodie Comer starring as his mum. "To get to see how Danny and his team work on set and then see the final product, it's been a dream," Comer says. Fans won't have to wait quite so long for the follow-up to this, with a triptych of films planned this time around. While the second has already been shot and is due out next January, the really scary thing for Boyle currently is securing the financing to make the last instalment. "We're hoping we do well enough to get the third film financed... we want there to be three films ultimately," he says. 'A wonderful tribute' to Sycamore Gap Boyle's film also features a digital recreation of the Sycamore Gap tree, which the director says he hopes will be "a wonderful tribute" to Northumberland's iconic tree. Eagle-eyed viewers will spot the tree is still standing in scenes for Boyle's apocalyptic horror despite being felled in September 2023. Boyle explains: "It had already been destroyed by the time we came to film, so we recreated it for the same reasons that you see the Queen in this… all the things that have happened to us in the last 28 years have not happened." As well as forming a part of people's personal lives, as the scene of wedding proposals, ashes being scattered and countless photographs, it had already held a place in pop culture, featuring in the 1991 Kevin Costner film Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves. It is a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment in the film, but Boyle said given how much of what they shot is filmed in the beautiful Northumbria countryside, to resurrect "one of their most beautiful icons" was a "real privilege which we felt we couldn't ignore". "So we've recreated it deliberately to say that it was still growing… which is a wonderful tribute," he adds. 28 Years Later is out on 20 June.
Daily Record
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
28 Years Later Rotten Tomatoes score is almost perfect as film sets new record
28 Years Later is already gaining widespread praise as the early reviews roll in Ahead of its cinema release, 28 Years Later is already turning heads and creating a buzz among critics. The third instalment in the 28 Days Later series has debuted with an impressive rating on Rotten Tomatoes - becoming the highest ranked title in the franchise on the film review website. The unreleased movie has been rated an impressive 96% rating on the critics' score platform. This rating surpasses 2002 original 28 Day Later, starring Cillian Murphy, which holds a Certified Fresh score of 87%. Additionally, the movie had a critics' score of 72% and an audience score of 66%. While 28 Years Later, directed by Danny Boyle, has yet to receive an audience rating - as it is not officially released in cinemas until June 20 - the initial critic reviews suggest the film will be another worldwide hit with viewers. The upcoming film is set nearly three decades after the Rage Virus outbreak and follows a group of survivors living on the tidal island of Lindisfarne. The plot focuses on Jamie, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, his pregnant wife Isla, portrayed by Jodie Comer, and their teenage son, Spike. Speaking to Empire, director Danny Boyle described the community within the film as "a closed and necessarily very tight community". He continued: "There are very strict defence laws, obviously, to survive that long in what is effectively an ongoing hostile environment. They've created a successful community, as they see it." But when the family is forced to journey to the mainland, they're reminded that the virus still poses a terrifying threat to them. Ralph Fiennes, who plays Dr Ian Kelson in the film, spoke to IndieWire about the plot, saying: "It centres on a young boy who wants to find a doctor to help his dying mother." "But of course, around them hiding in forests and hills and woods are the infected," he continued. Critics are praising the film not only for its thrilling horror elements, but also for its emotion and artistic vision. Esther Zuckerman, a critic for Bloomberg News, stated: "One of the strangest, most exhilarating blockbusters in recent memory. It's a truly bizarre piece of art that's somehow both grotesque and extremely moving." Jonathan Sim, of branded the production "exceptional" and a "bleak, depressing drama". He continued: "It contains elements of the zombie genre with its exceptional action and horror sequences." Spencer Perry of ComicBook noted: "28 Years Later is not only a wholly captivating blockbuster, but one with layers that will keep us talking until the second movie comes out, which is the only trouble." Katie Doll, of CBR echoed the excitement, saying: "What easily could've been a cash-grab to capitalise on the zombie renaissance is instead a raw thriller with relatable human emotion at its centre." 28 Years Later will be released in UK cinemas on June 20.
