28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

After being rescued by the Fingers, a gang of fighters led by the psychopathic Satan worshipper "Sir Lord" Jimmy Crystal,^[a] Spike is forced to kill Jimmy Shite in a death match as an initiation. Sir Jimmy renames the young boy "Jimmy" to match the other Fingers, who include the empathetic Jimmy Ink and the sadistic Jimmima.

Dr Ian Kelson, who covers his skin in iodine solution to protect himself from the virus, continues to build up the Bone Temple, an ossuary for those killed in the Rage Virus epidemic, while the Alpha Infected, Samson, repeatedly visits him. Kelson deduces that Samson is becoming addicted to the morphine from his blowgun, deliberately allowing himself to be drugged. Samson no longer attacks Kelson, and the two develop a friendship as his humanity begins to resurface.

The Fingers raid a farm inhabited by survivors, including Tom and his pregnant partner, Cathy. From a distance, Jimmy Ink catches sight of the Bone Temple and Kelson dancing with Samson. In a barn, Cathy hides as Sir Jimmy orders the Fingers to skin the captured survivors alive as a sacrifice to Old Nick, claiming that Satan is his father.

Running low on sedatives, Kelson prepares to euthanise Samson, but is overjoyed when Samson says his first word, "moon", suggesting that the Rage Virus may be treatable. Meanwhile, Jimmy Ink, who is growing disillusioned with Sir Jimmy, takes pity on Spike and protects him. Sir Jimmy offers Tom a place in the gang if he can win a death match against a Finger, but Tom is outmatched by his opponent, Jimmima. Cathy breaks her cover to kill Jimmima and Tom sets the barn on fire with a gas tank, killing several of the Fingers before being killed himself. Sir Jimmy sends Spike to capture Cathy; Spike, traumatised, begs her to take him with her, but Cathy does not trust him, and escapes.

With the gang's numbers and morale low, Sir Jimmy threatens to kill Spike for his failure to capture Cathy, but Ink suggests they visit Kelson—whom she assumes is Old Nick, having mistaken the iodine for red skin and Samson as a demon—and let him decide Spike's fate. At the Bone Temple, Sir Jimmy meets Kelson alone and threatens to kill him if Kelson does not pose as Satan and substantiate Sir Jimmy's leadership over the Fingers.

The next morning, Spike tries to leave Sir Jimmy's camp, but is confronted by Jimmy Fox, who attempts to kill him to avenge Jimmy Shite's death. Ink kills Fox and brings Spike back. Kelson fears that his research on Samson will be cut short and, in a premature attempt to grant him peace, administers him a cocktail of antipsychotics and other drugs, hypothesising that the Rage Virus causes aggression indirectly via psychotic hallucinations. Experiencing some clarity, Samson visits the abandoned train where he hallucinates a childhood memory of being on the train. When he speaks normally again, a pack of infected attack him as if he were uninfected.

That night, Kelson complies with Sir Jimmy's demands, impersonating Satan in a pyrotechnic-filled performance of Iron Maiden's "The Number of the Beast" while exposing the gang to hallucinogens. Upon recognising Spike, Kelson betrays Sir Jimmy by ordering the Fingers to crucify him. Sir Jimmy fatally stabs Kelson, and Ink is forced to kill the other two Fingers in self-defence. Spike stabs Sir Jimmy to avenge Kelson, before comforting the dying Kelson. Ink crucifies Sir Jimmy on an inverted cross. Spike and Ink—whose real name is Kellie—leave the Bone Temple. Samson arrives and greets Kelson by name. He thanks him as Kelson succumbs to his wounds, and carries his body away. Sir Jimmy is attacked by an infected.

Some time later, Spike and Kellie are attempting to escape a group of infected, unaware that they are being observed by Jim, a survivor of the initial outbreak of the Rage Virus,^[b] and his teenage daughter Sam, who break off a history lesson about postwar Europe to go to their aid.

Clockwise from top left: Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell, and Alfie Williams return from 28 Years Later, while Cillian Murphy returns from 28 Days Later.

• Ralph Fiennes as Dr Ian Kelson, a former GP dedicated to memorialising the victims of the epidemic.
• Jack O'Connell as Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal, a psychopathic gang leader who styles himself and his gang after Jimmy Savile.^[6]
• Alfie Williams as Spike, a boy who is on a personal quest on the mainland.
• Erin Kellyman as Jimmy Ink / Kellie, a tattooed member of the Fingers, who befriends Spike.
• Chi Lewis-Parry as 'Samson', a physically imposing Alpha leader of the infected.
• Emma Laird as Jimmima, a sadistic member of the Fingers.
• Sam Locke as Jimmy Fox, one of the Fingers who is close with Jimmy Shite.^[7]
• Robert Rhodes as Jimmy Jimmy, a scarred member of the Fingers.
• Ghazi Al Ruffai as Jimmy Snake, a skinny member of the Fingers.^[7]
• Maura Bird as Jimmy Jones, a non-binary member of the Fingers.
• Connor Newall as Jimmy Shite, a large member of the Fingers.^[8]
• Louis Ashbourne Serkis as Tom, a male survivor.
• Mirren Mack as Cathy, a pregnant survivor.
• David Sterne as George, a male survivor.

Cillian Murphy makes an uncredited appearance as Jim, a former bicycle courier and survivor of the original outbreak. Murphy reprises his role from 28 Days Later,^[9] with his appearance in The Bone Temple's ending serving as his character's reintroduction which sets up the planned fifth film.^[10] Sam, Jim's daughter, is portrayed by Maiya Eastmond.^{[11][12][13][14]}

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple was first released in the United Kingdom by Sony Pictures Releasing on 13 January 2026 as part of a double bill with 28 Years Later,^[36] before being released individually the following day on 14 January, with the film released in the United States on 16 January 2026.^[37]

The Bone Temple was announced as the second part of a planned trilogy,^[26] with Garland writing all three.^[45] In January 2025, Boyle confirmed that he would direct the final film in the trilogy.^[46] That September, Murphy said that the third film would only be produced if the second was a success.^[10] That December, it was reported that Sony was moving forward with a potential third installment prior to the theatrical release, with Murphy in talks to reprise his role as Jim and Garland writing.^[47][48][49]

However, The Bone Temple's weaker performance at the box office ($58,522,222 worldwide) compared to 28 Years Later ($151,329,249 worldwide) led to concerns that a third film may not come to be.^[50][51][52] In a June 2025 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Boyle said, “We’re still trying to get the money for the third one.”^[53]