Jack O’Connell Joins ‘28 Years Later’ Trilogy From Sony And Danny Boyle

Justin Kroll
·2 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

EXCLUSIVE: After landing the villain role in Ryan Coogler’s next project, Jack O’Connell continues to fill out his dance card. Sources tell Deadline that he is set to join the cast of 28 Years Later, a sequel to 2002’s 28 Days Later. Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes also star in the pic, which is part of a planned trilogy.

Danny Boyle is directing the first movie from a script by Alex Garland. Sony will release the film in theaters globally.

More from Deadline

While plot details are vague, the original 28 Days Later, directed by Boyle, written by Garland and released in 2002, centered on a bicycle courier (played by Cillian Murphy) who wakes from a coma to discover the world had been overrun with zombies following the outbreak of a virus. The pic grossed more than $82 million worldwide and led to the 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later, on which Boyle and Garland served solely as EPs. As for O’Connell, while his character description is unknown, sources say he will play more of a supporting character in first film and more of a lead role in second.

Deadline recently broke the news that the studio has already tapped Candyman director Nia DaCosta to helm the second part of the trilogy, and that the plan is to shoot both films back to back. As for the three newest cast members, the studio is clearly showing it means business, adding star power instead of going the lesser-known-actor route like in previous installments.

Boyle and Garland are also producing 28 Years Later, as is original producer Andrew Macdonald and Peter Rice. Bernie Bellew is also producing. Murphy is also returning as an executive producer.

O’Connell has been on quite a role as of late starting with the upcoming Focus biopic Amy Winehouse: Back To Black where he plays the musician’s husband. Off of the great reviews for his performance in that film, O’Connell went on to land the coveted antagonist role in Ryan Coogler’s upcoming film where he will co-star opposite Michael B. Jordan. The plan is that O’Connell shoots that film first and jumps right into production on 28 Years Later.

Most recently starring alongside Adam Driver as driver Peter Collins in Neon’s Michael Mann pic Ferrari, O’Connell has previously been seen in Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Benedict Andrews’ Seberg starring Kristen Stewart, Jodie Foster’s Money Monster, Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken, and David Mackenzie’s Starred Up among other titles. Notable TV credits include Godless, Rogue Heroes and The North Water.

He is repped by UTA, Range, Conway van Gelder Grant, and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.