28 Years Later trailer zombie is not Cillian Murphy, sources confirm
Art dealer Angus Neill has claimed he is the emaciated zombie in the trailer.
When the trailer for Danny Boyle’s long-awaited horror sequel 28 Years Later was released earlier this week, fans grew convinced that they’d spotted the first film’s star, Cillian Murphy, as a background character.
In one scene, an emaciated zombie rises from the floor, and fans were quick to argue it bore a striking resemblance to Murphy, who played bicycle courier Jim in the original film, seemingly confirming rumours that the Irish actor had returned to the dystopian franchise.
However, The Guardian has reported that the actor playing "Emaciated Infected" in the film is not Murphy, but rather newcomer Angus Neill, an art dealer and model.
Neill told the publication he was talent-spotted for the film by Boyle, claiming: "Danny told me he’d always had me in mind for the role. So we met up, hit it off, and I agreed to take part."
He continued: "On set he has an extraordinary ability to hypnotise you, and working with him on the film was a very, very intense experience."
Murphy played bicycle courier Jim in the original 2002 film 28 Days Later, who emerged from a hospital to find London besieged by a zombie-like rage virus.
Murphy previously said he would "love" be involved in a third film, telling The Independent of a potential sequel, while on promotional duties for Oppenheimer: "That's great to hear."
He continued: "I didn't know that – I would be there in a flash. I made two movies with both of those guys [Boyle and Garland], and I would love to work with them again. Of course, I'm there."
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28 Years Later is set nearly three decades after the first movie and follows a group of survivors who are living in quarantine on a small island, having managed to avoid being infected by the rage virus.
The new film stars Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (The Fall Guy) and Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), with Boyle returning to direct and Alex Garland returning to write after the 2002 original.
28 Years Later is coming to cinemas on 20th June 2025.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
