The so-called “zombie renaissance” may finally be running out of steam. The latest film in the long-running horror series, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, is being called one of the biggest box office disappointments of the winter. Despite wide praise from critics and fans, not enough people have been buying tickets. What went wrong?
The film opened strong but quickly dropped a stunning 71% over its last two weekends. According to industry trackers, The Bone Temple earned only $635,000 last week and has brought in just $20 million in the U.S. and $25 million abroad. With a production budget of $63 million, that’s a grim outlook. While early buzz and positive reviews gave hope for a slow-burn success, the numbers tell another story. For all the talk about how “the cinemas are back,” this proves not every franchise is safe.
The decline comes as a blow to fans and studio executives alike. Sony Pictures had already greenlit a third movie to complete the 28 Years Later trilogy. Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland were both on board to return, and production had reportedly begun. But now, those plans could be in danger. Can a franchise survive when the audience has stopped showing up?
There may still be a heartbeat. The Bone Temple was directed by Nia DaCosta and follows young survivor Spike, played by Alfie Williams, as he’s pulled into the chaos of a post-apocalyptic world ruled by Jack O’Connell’s Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal. Ralph Fiennes also stars as Dr. Ian Kelson, who uncovers a terrifying revelation about the infected that might change everything. The movie ends with a major surprise — the return of Cillian Murphy as Jim, the same character who made 28 Days Later a legend. Murphy’s Oscar win for Oppenheimer and his fame from Peaky Blinders could be exactly what draws audiences back for one last chapter.
On Rotten Tomatoes, The Bone Temple holds scores of 93% from critics and 88% from audiences — proof that the people who see it love it. So why didn’t they show up in theaters? Was it poor marketing? Or was releasing the film in January, the dead zone of Hollywood scheduling, a fatal misstep?
Director Nia DaCosta called the planned final film “really f*cking good.” Fans hope she’s right. The ending of The Bone Temple sets up Jim’s return in a story involving Spike’s new world. But will moviegoers ever get to see it? That answer may depend on whether Cillian Murphy’s star power can revive a franchise once thought unstoppable. In the end, the question isn’t just whether zombies can rise again — it’s whether Hollywood can still bring audiences back from the dead.
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English (US) · 