’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’: First Reactions

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The hotly anticipated sequel to Danny Boyle‘s 28 Years Later held its first screenings, and the initial reactions on social media to 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple suggest the film is a worthy (and weirder) follow-up.

While official critics reviews for Bone Temple are embargoed till closer to the film’s Jan. 16 release date, Columbia Pictures allowed press in the U.S. and U.K. to release social media reactions to press screenings on Tuesday night.

From a trailer released last week, the action in Bone Temple picks up the action after the events of 28 Years Later. Focusing on the human survivors of the Rage Virus in the North East of England, Bone Temple seems to focus on the dual narratives of Dr. Ian Kelson seeking a cure for the virus and Spike becoming part of Sir Jimmy Crystal’s murderous gang.

The film’s cast includes Ralph Fiennes as Kelson, Jack O’Connell as Sir Jimmy Crystal and Alfie Williams as Spike. Erin Kellyman, Emma Laird, Chi Lewis-Parry, Maura Bird, Sam Locke and Ghazi Al Ruffai are also in the confirmed cast, but there may be surprise inclusions.

Hedda and Candyman filmmaker Nia DaCosta takes over directing duties from Boyle on Bone Temple, the middle film in a new trilogy in the genre-defining 28 Days Later zombie franchise. DaCosta teased some details about her entry in the franchise at the Edinburgh Film Festival this year, and revealed that The Zone of Interest filmmaker Jonathan Glazer convinced her to take on the project.

Released in June, 28 Years Later was a huge hit with critics, scoring a 89 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film made over $150 million at the box office on a $60 million budget. Boyle and 28 Days Later writer Alex Garland produced Bone Temple, with Garland also penning the script for the film. Boyle is set to direct the third film to close the latest trilogy of films.

Bone Temple releases in theaters on Jan. 16, 2026.

See a selection of the social media reaction to 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple below.

THE BONE TEMPLE is brilliant: a sequel that operates on a much weirder wavelength than its predecessor, tackling the idea of a false god in a surprisingly thorny manner.

While not as formally inventive, I found its focused narrative to be stronger and more emotionally acute. pic.twitter.com/OeAqzSvU91

— Dimitri Kraus (@simplykraus) December 10, 2025

THE BONE TEMPLE is a brutally audacious follow up to 28 YEARS LATER that largely sidelines the infected to explore cultism, trauma, psychosis and compassion.

I really like its uncompromising, idiosyncratic ambition. It’s easily more polarising than 28YL.

Video coming in January pic.twitter.com/4KcKGSidml

— Ryan Hollinger (@ryanhollinger) December 9, 2025

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE deepens the franchise’s lore with new questions and some long-awaited answers in the quietest yet undeniably most brutal installment of the series. Ralph Fiennes is truly phenomenal here, adding new poetic layers of complexity to his character,… pic.twitter.com/BJabyCbOqS

— Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) December 10, 2025

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a great follow up to Danny Boyle’s recent sequel. Nia DaCosta recaptures the magic of the previous films with a propulsive story that utilises dynamic camerawork as it explores the cultish side of faith, religion, NHS and the balance between… pic.twitter.com/w8US703Yec

— Zak (@zakfilm) December 9, 2025

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026) –
What if isolation is as erosive as the virus flowing through the infected’s veins? DaCosta’s introversion of this world juxtaposes so precisely with the groundwork laid before her by Boyle. Hard to imagine a better start to the new year. pic.twitter.com/8jAM4sNpHl

— Giovanni Lago (@TheGiovanniLago) December 10, 2025

#28YearsLater: The Bone Temple – Yet more evidence that when you let Nia Da Costa cook, great things tend to happen. So much to love, with Ralph Fiennes walking away with the MVP and tearing the house down with one especially insane sequence that rightfully drew applause. Go see! pic.twitter.com/20s8pU3fLd

— Amon Warmann (@AmonWarmann) December 9, 2025

I think I can now say I saw 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE a while ago & it is a very entertaining & worthy sequel to the first film

The film also includes some of the best bonkers shit you’ll find in a film next year, I want one of these films annually for as long as I live pic.twitter.com/UyHG4fRi1L

— Jacob (@JacobFisherDF) December 10, 2025

Nia DaCosta is a director that more people need to keep their eyes on for the near future.

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE is one of the greatest horror movies of the decade, as it takes the first movie and goes 10 extra miles with the brutality and intensity of the world.

It… pic.twitter.com/Dc5vXqP20M

— Christopher Rates It 🦦 (@LuminousDagger) December 9, 2025

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE is beautifully chaotic, breathtaking, and everything I wanted it to be. Nia DaCosta brought her unique style to this world on a captivating way and I would watch Jack O’Connell and Ralph Finnes for hours. Another banger of a film for this franchise pic.twitter.com/7VVr3cBN6s

— Rachel Leishman (@RachelLeishman) December 10, 2025

28 Years Later The Bone Temple FREAKING RULES. Arguably the best of the FRANCHISE. It pulls no punches with its fantastic camerawork and beautiful message of faith, isolationism, hope and wonder. I was enraptured with it from start to finish. ABSOLUTELY GOATED @28YearsLaterMov pic.twitter.com/7IxT1ypSH4

— Brandon Benitez (@brandontalksss) December 10, 2025

28 Years Later #TheBoneTemple takes some big swings and most of them land.  Suspect it will divide fans but it’s nastier and – surprisingly – funnier than the first part, with mesmerizing performances from Jack O’Connell and Ralph Fiennes. pic.twitter.com/D9XezUW2m0

— Will Salmon (@evilrobotbill) December 9, 2025

#TheBoneTemple lacks the style of the last #28YearsLater, but it makes up for it with our lead characters (infected action is on the back burner).

Took a while for me to get invested… it’s a weird film… but the highs are HIGH. Final act rules! I want Part 3 rn! Ralph Fiennes!! pic.twitter.com/QpR7qOS1IM

— Adam Khan (@Adam_Khan100) December 9, 2025

Hello, massive 28 Days Later fan here and The Bone Temple is the sequel I was hoping 28 Years Later would be #28YearsLater

— Jacob Stolworthy (@JacobStolworthy) December 9, 2025

whatever doubts you had, if any, can be put to rest.

some all-timer needledrops in this. sauce and balls galore. jack o’connell rightfully gonna get his flowers for this but ralph fiennes man oh my god.

how’s that? https://t.co/uMS8kVtI9F

— brian berkman (@BrianBerkman) December 10, 2025