Speculation that Cillian Murphy plays a zombie featured in a trailer for 28 Years Later turns out to be off the mark.
On Tuesday, the first trailer for Sony’s horror epic quickly went viral, not just for heralding the return of the beloved zombie franchise after 17 years, but for a fleeting one-second shot of a skeletal zombie that bore a striking resemblance to the Oscar winner.
Fans immediately speculated that the 28 Days Later star might be reprising his role as Jim in the new installment - but left them equally devastated over the thought that Jim didn’t survive the zombie outbreak after all.
The Cork-born actor originally played the bicycle courier, who wakes up from a coma to find London ravaged by a deadly zombie virus, in the 2002 hit 28 Days Later.
While Jim survives the events of that film, he did not appear in the 2007 sequel, 28 Weeks Later.
Unlike its predecessors, the Alex Garland-penned film introduces a fresh cast and focuses on a new side of the zombie apocalypse. The ensemble includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Erin Kellyman, Edvin Ryding, Jack O'Connell, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, and Chi Lewis-Parry.
And now, sources have confirmed to The Guardian that the zombie featured in the trailer is not Murphy, who is an executive producer on the film, but rather art dealer and acting newcomer Angus Neill, who was talent-scouted by Boyle.
The London-based model revealed he was chosen for the role partly due to his striking appearance. Reflecting on his experience, Neill shared that he "hit it off" with the British director during production.
He told The Guardian: “Danny told me he’d always had me in mind for the role. So we met up, hit it off, and I agreed to take part.
“On set he has an extraordinary ability to hypnotise you, and working with him on the film was a very, very intense experience.”
The Standard has contacted Sony for comment.
While the zombie may not in fact be the Oppenheimer star, Murphy has consistently voiced his enthusiasm for a third installment.
In a January interview with The Independent, he said: “I would be there in a flash. I made two movies with both of those guys [Boyle and writer Alex Garland], and I would love to work with them again. Of course, I’m there.”
28 Years Later marks the beginning of a new trilogy of sequels, led by original director Boyle and screenwriter Garland.
The film is set to hit cinemas on June 20, 2025.
