Nia DaCosta’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple hailed as the series' finest

Movieweb calls Nia DaCosta’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple the best installment in the 28 Days Later series, praising Alex Garland’s script and DaCosta’s direction in a film that continues to play out in the franchise’s post‑apocalyptic Britain.

The review highlights Ralph Fiennes’ turn as Dr. Ian Kelson, who has built the titular Bone Temple from human remains and pursues a risky effort to calm or possibly restore the infected by using Samson (Chi Lewis‑Parry) as a test subject. Jack O'Connell returns as the violent Jimmy Crystal, Alfie Williams appears again as Spike, and Erin Kellyman plays “Jimmy Ink,” while Danny Boyle is credited as an executive producer. The critic notes the film moves from poignant to funny to creepy to demented, and applauded a screening moment in which Fiennes takes his character to a grandiose place.

The review also mentions that last year’s franchise relaunch, 28 Years Later, was well received and that this installment deepens and evolves that world. The Bone Temple is scheduled for release on January 16, 2026, and the critic says the film includes a late appearance by a notable franchise face — an inclusion that was announced by Boyle months ago but is not necessary to the movie’s impact — and predicts it will likely remain a 2026 favorite.

Key Topics

Culture, Nia Dacosta, Alex Garland, Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'connell