Sony has responded to the massive viewership of the trailer for the upcoming zombie horror film 28 Years Later by bringing the original Danny Boyle-directed movie 28 Days Later to digital platforms. It will be available for purchase and rental beginning on Wednesday, December 18th.
After originally being released via Fox Searchlight Pictures in 2002, 28 Days Later has been nearly impossible to find online through legitimate means. It didn’t materialize on Disney-owned streaming platforms due to rights issues (the House of Mouse purchased Fox’s stake in Hulu in 2019), and was not available for purchase, either. Physical Blu-ray and DVD copies have also been difficult to track down.
Per Fangoria, however, producer Andrew MacDonald bought back the rights to the movie this past February and sold them to Sony ahead of the upcoming sequel. Now, Sony is heeding the enthused fan response to the 28 Years Later trailer, which racked up 60 million global views in its first 24 hours, according to Deadline.
That makes it the second-biggest of all time during that initial window behind It Chapter Two. Some of the 28 Years Later trailer’s popularity likely stems from speculation over a presumed appearance of original protagonist Cillian Murphy as an emaciated zombie.
However, an interview with a 28-year-old model named Angus Neill revealed he was actually the zombie in question. Murphy is still expected to have a role in 28 Years Later, though the details remain unclear. Revisit the trailer here, if you’d like.
Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, and Ralph Fiennes are set to star in the first installment of a planned trilogy involving director Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland. Nia DaCosta is expected to take over as director for the second film, with Boyle remaining as a producer. Meanwhile, Garland is attached to write all three movies.