A ‘Sinners’ Star Gets Down & Dirty in First Images From ‘28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’

Barely a year after 28 Years Later debuted in theaters, the sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is ready to make its presence known. The film is the fourth installment in the 28 . . . . Later film franchise, and for the first time, longtime director Danny Boyle steps aside for someone else as Nia DaCosta takes over. The Bone Temple takes place a short while after 28 Years Later and follows a cult that has risen even with the virus’ continued devastation around England. After his electric performance as the vampire Remmick in Ryan Coogler‘s megahit Sinners, Jack O’Connell puts his talents on display once again as the cult leader Jimmy. New images from the film debuting in theaters on January 16, 2026, preview O’Connell in his cult leader era. Meanwhile, Dr. Kelson’s (Ralph Fiennes) atypical relationship with his infected giant, Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), continues to be put on display, as seen in another image.

The Bone Temple and its predecessor are connected through Spike (Alfie Williams), who, at the end of the latest film, meets Jimmy and his people, the Jimmies. This sequel is not about the monsters that live outside, but those inside us. “[It] is the weird, deranged cousin to 28 Years Later, who you might be a bit ashamed of because they have weird, questionable interests. We see how much nature is the unstoppable force at the end of the day. Nature prevails. The world will take its natural course with or without humans. But I don’t think the infected are purely antagonists in our film. It definitely will make you consider that,” O’Connell said in an interview.

What Is ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’ About?

What happens when the apocalypse hits and people begin to reorganize themselves for decades? Well, 28 years later, a cult emerges. The Bone Temple is an exploration of how this cult operates within the context of the film. The world is divided into factions. While there is Jimmy and his Jimmies, there is also Kelson and his Samson. How do such people coexist? Spike takes the viewers through the different tones of these worlds. What happened to Jimmy that led him to create a cult of personality? And in the timeline of a doctor and a huge infected monster’s relationship, where are Kelson and Samson? Their evolution is a “big part of the movie,” teased DaCosta. The film also stars Erin Kellyman.

Watch 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple when the film hits theaters on January 16, 2026. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.