Before Cillian Murphy stepped into the shoes of the atom maestro in Oppenheimer, he had been a part of many underrated gems. 28 Days Later being one of them- a Danny Boyle zombie movie that effectively changed the genre forever. Given that the Irish actor was usually typecast as villains in films like Batman Begins, seeing him in a softer role in the 2002 film was a breath of fresh air.  

Now that the franchise is preparing for a comeback with the 28 Years Later trilogy, the big question on everyone's mind is whether Cillian Murphy will make a return to his iconic role after two decades. 

The highly-anticipated 28 Years Later trilogy, directed by Danny Boyle and produced by Sony Pictures, is attracting top-tier talent. According to a report from Deadline, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have signed on for the first installment, a sequel to the original 28 Days Later. However, disappointingly, Cillian Murphy, who headlined the original movie, and serves as an executive producer for the trilogy, will not be reprising his role in the first film. But, there is still a silver lining. 

According to Jeff Sneider, Cillian Murphy will still have a memorable cameo appearance in the second film, directed by Nia DaCosta, and will assume an important role in the third installment. Despite this, neither Boyle nor Garland has commented on his potential involvement. During an interview with Variety in December 2023, Murphy expressed his availability and interest in joining Boyle and Garland's sequels. This statement alone seemed like an unofficial confirmation to many. Nonetheless, the Oscar-winning actor has some exciting projects on the horizon.

Clearing the Confusion: Is Cillian Murphy’s ‘28 Years Later’ a Sequel or a Standalone Trilogy?

Recently, Cillian Murphy has taken a new direction in his career and signed on to portray antagonists, which is a departure from his usual repertoire of portraying morally ambiguous characters. 

In a conversation with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast earlier this year, Cillian Murphy revealed his yearning to play a villain once again. Shortly thereafter, a well-known leaker by the name of Jonathan on X hinted that the actor could be cast as the antagonist in Far Cry 7. The leaker shared an image featuring Murphy alongside a stick of dynamite with a 72-hour countdown, the number 7, and an animated crab. 

While this came with a cryptic caption that said, "If nothing changes by then," in French, fans were pretty convinced that it was real. However, fans were also convinced that Cillian Murphy would come to the Met Gala after he became the new face of Versace. But just like that fell through, it is probably best to just sit tight, play the waiting game, and see what the acclaimed star brings to the table after his stellar performance as Oppenheimer. 

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What do you think about the 28 Years Later trilogy in the making? Let us know your thoughts in the comment below!