28 Weeks Later - Sequel to 28 days later

28 Days Later, Danny Boyle’s frightening horror movie set in London, was released in 2002. It was written by Alex Garland, a British novelist who also wrote The Beach, a novel which Danny Boyle adapted into a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. 28 Days Later starred Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, and Christopher Eccleston. The film chronicled the life of a man who awakens from a coma to find London completely thrashed by a “rage” virus that was released 28 days ago.

Now, on May 11th, 2007 we get to see what life is like 28 Weeks Later.

Danny Boyle decided not to direct the sequel, so Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, an award-winning Spanish filmmaker, is set to helm the feature. Fresnadillo will also help write it.

None of the original cast will be back this time around, as they’re busy with their own projects. The cast for 28 Weeks Later will include Robert Carlyle, Jeremy Renner, Rose Byrne, Harold Perrineau, and Idris Elba, best known for playing Stringer Bell on the hit police drama The Wire.

The movie takes place in London, like the original. The U.S. Army is slowly trying to restore order when a virus infected citizen enters the quarantined area and once more unleashes it on the populace.

I enjoyed 28 Days Later a lot, so I’m more than excited about a sequel. I’m also a huge zombie fan, and while rage infected people are not technically “zombies,” well, they’re close enough for me. I’m not too familiar with this cast, with the exception of Idris Elba, who I absolutely loved in The Wire. I have seen Robert Carlyle in one or two films, so I know that he’s got it where it counts. I’m slightly disappointed that Boyle isn’t directing the sequel, though, as I thought his directing in 28 Days Later was one of the best things about the film.