Category: Entertainment | Title: 28 Days Later Movies in Order: Complete Release Sequence and Timeline | Tag: 28 Days Later | Meta Description: Find the correct 28 Days Later movie order, release years, box office, and production details for the full franchise sequence...
28 Days Later Franchise Overview
The 28 Days Later series is a British horror franchise created by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland, produced by Fox Searchlight Pictures and distributed by 20th Century Studios. The series began with the release of 28 Days Later in 2002, followed by 28 Weeks Later in 2007, and the third main entry, 28 Years Later, scheduled for release in 2025. The franchise is known for its infected rage virus, handheld documentary style, and post-apocalyptic survival themes. The movies are set in a near-future United Kingdom after a mysterious virus turns humans into violent attackers within seconds.
The core films follow a direct narrative sequence that connects the original outbreak to a rebuilt society and eventual new threats. The series is produced by DNA Films and distributed by major studios including Fox Searchlight Pictures and Sony Pictures Releasing. Worldwide box office for the first two films combined exceeded 450 million USD, making the franchise a notable performer in the horror genre. The franchise has expanded into comic books and potential future installments, with 28 Years Later marking the next chapter in the timeline.
28 Days Later Movies in Order
The first film in the series is 28 Days Later, released in 2002. The movie follows Jim, played by Cillian Murphy, who wakes from a coma in a deserted London and encounters infected humans and small groups of survivors. The film introduced the rage virus, a pathogen that causes extreme aggression and is transmitted through blood and saliva. The movie was a critical and commercial success, grossing over 82 million USD worldwide against a budget of 8 million USD. It was produced by DNA Films and distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures.
The second film is 28 Weeks Later, released in 2007. The story takes place 28 weeks after the initial outbreak, when the U.S. Army helps secure and repopulate a quarantined London. The film follows Don and Tammy Harris, played by Robert Carlyle and Scarlett Johansson, as new dangers emerge from the original outbreak. The movie was directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and produced by Fox Atomic and DNA Films. It grossed over 64 million USD worldwide and introduced new transmission methods for the virus, including asymptomatic carriers.
28 Years Later and Future Installments
The third main film, 28 Years Later, is currently in development with a planned release in 2025. The project is produced by DNA Films and Sony Pictures Releasing, with Danny Boyle and Alex Garland returning as director and writer respectively. The film will feature a new cast while expanding the franchise's world and mythology. The production is based on the same core concept of a rage virus and societal collapse, but set decades after the previous events. The movie aims to explore how human civilization rebuilds and fractures again after a long period of post-outbreak stability.
The franchise has expanded beyond the main films through comic book series and potential spinoff projects. The 28 Days Later comic books, published by Fox Atomic Comics, explore events between the films and provide additional backstory on the virus and its spread. The series has influenced the post-apocalyptic horror genre and inspired discussions about pandemic preparedness and viral transmission in media. Future installments may continue the timeline established by the three main films, with 28 Years Later serving as the next major narrative entry in the series.