Latest news with #28YearsLater:TheBoneTemple
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I Think 28 Years Later's Ending Has A Subtle, Twisted Pop Culture Reference That Americans May Have Missed
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Warning, there are spoilers ahead for 28 Years Later, which finally hit the 2025 movie schedule in mid-June. The ending of 28 Years Later has been discussed a lot. Not only does it bring the movie full circle from the opening scene, but it throws in a few pop culture references, and provides a 'hand off' to the sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which is already on the 2026 movie schedule. There is one pop culture reference that American audiences may have missed, and it involves one of the worst scandals in British entertainment history. That of Jimmy Savile, the now-disgraced (and deceased) DJ and TV personality. Let's get into it. In the final scene of 28 Years Later, Spike (Alfie Williams) has written home to his father to explain that he's taking off to be on his own for a while. As he sits on the side of a road and contemplates his next move, Spike is suddenly surrounded by Infected. As he readies himself to do battle, he's joined by 'Sir' Jimmy, played wonderfully by Jack O'Connell, and Jimmy's band of tracksuit-wearing warriors. The multi-colored tracksuits provide a nice callback to the beginning of the movie when we see Jimmy watching Teletubbies on TV as the Rage virus starts to take hold of Great Britain, 28 years before the central events of the film. It's also a nice callback to a scene where Spike decides against bringing his Power Ranger action figure on his first trip to the mainland. Those are both references that anyone in the United Kingdom and the United States would recognize right away. The third part of the reference, the tracksuits, Jimmy's haircut, and, indeed, his name, would be immediately recognizable to British audiences, but maybe not American ones. To me (and to many other eagle-eyed viewers), the reference to the notorious Jimmy Savile is obvious. Savile, who died in 2011, was the most famous DJ on Radio One for decades. He also hosted Top Of The Pops and his own show, Jimmy'll Fix It, a sort of Make-A-Wish Foundation kind of show. He was as famous for his charitable work as he was for his radio and TV presenting. That all changed after he died, and hundreds of accusations of Savile sexually abusing children came out publicly. Today, his reputation is completely disgraced as victim after victim has told their stories. So, why would writer Alex Garland and director Danny Boyle make reference to such a despicable person? Well, that's a little complicated, but it makes sense. This all started as a discussion on social media, and it has since been confirmed by Danny Boyle. Garland and Boyle have talked about how the movie is looking back in some ways. Remember, we're 28 years out from the Rage virus outbreak, so theoretically, in the world of 28 Years Later, the horrible acts committed by Savile were never revealed, and he was still thought of as a beloved DJ and TV presenter. This theory is reinforced by the use of the song 'Delilah' by Tom Jones, which used to be a staple on British radio but has been culturally canceled in recent years due to its problematic lyrics promoting violence against women. Again, in the world of 28 Years Later, that never happened, so the song's reputation has not suffered its true fate. While Savile's story is very well known in the UK, but, aside from a few documentaries, it wasn't a very big one in the United States. Many Americans may not fully get the reference, though some certainly will. If you've made it this far and haven't seen 28 Weeks Later, what are you waiting for? CinemaBlend's Mike Reyes gave the movie a 5-star review, and it's definitely one of my favorite movies of the year, as well.
Business Insider
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
A nude scene in '28 Years Later' has people talking. What to know about the 6-foot-8 actor who plays the super-strong zombie, Samson.
Danny Boyle's "28 Years Later" shows how the Rage Virus has evolved since 2002's "28 Days Later." The actor Chi Lewis-Parry plays an Alpha: a super-strong zombie. The British star is 6-feet-8-inches tall and was an MMA fighter before becoming an actor. " 28 Years Later" has got horror fans talking about its controversial ending, the fact it was shot using iPhones — and the moment a hulking zombie charges naked at the young main character, Spike, and his mother. The character, Samson, is an Alpha, meaning he was infected with a mutated version of the Rage Virus that made him super-strong. Chi Lewis-Parry, the British actor who plays Samson, has since revealed that he wasn't nude filming the scene because Alfie Williams, who plays Spike, was 13 at the time. "Yeah, they were prosthetics. There's a law that states, I think, because he's a child, you're allowed to have nudity but it has to be fake nudity. It was to protect him," Lewis-Parry told Variety in an interview published on Sunday. "And, as well, I'm really friendly and am always hugging people. I wouldn't have been doing that if I was fully in the nip!" Chi Lewis-Parry, a former MMA fighter, was also in 'Gladiator II' Before he became an actor, Lewis-Parry, who stands at 6-foot-8-inches, was an MMA fighter with nine wins under his belt between 2012 and 2020, according to ESPN. However, the 41-year-old told Variety that he's wanted to be an actor since seeing the poster for "Big Trouble in Little China" in 1986. He quit fighting shortly after the COVID lockdowns in 2021 to make acting his full-time career. He started out in the 2022 "Pistol" TV series as the Sex Pistols' bodyguard during their 1978 US tour. In 2022, 2023, and 2024, he had minor roles in TV shows including "Pennyworth" and " Slow Horses." His first major film role came in 2024 when he played Phoebus in " Gladiator II" alongside Paul Mescal. His character was killed by a rhino in the coliseum. "I had a confrontational scene with Paul that sets up his demise, but that got cut. So he became just the cocky guy who's got lots of energy," he told Variety. Teasing his next role, which is in "The Running Man" alongside Glen Powell, Lewis-Parry said: "I'm one of the runners and he's a very specific runner. I don't know how much more I'm allowed to say." Lewis-Parry might return in '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' Since Samson survives in "28 Years Later," it's likely that Lewis-Parry will return for the sequel, titled " The Bone Temple." He teased his involvement when speaking to Metro ahead of the film's release. "What can I tease? There's a part two," he said, before adding: "It's different, it's amazing." "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" was shot back-to-back with the first film and will be released in theaters in 2026.
Express Tribune
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
28 Years Later: Fans question ending amid Power Rangers comparisons
The ending of 28 Years Later has divided fans after an unexpected twist that many are comparing to Power Rangers. While the film features tense action and horror sequences, it closes with a stylised scene that caught audiences off guard. As Spike (Alfie Williams) faces a swarm of infected, a group in colourful tracksuits appears, fighting off zombies with martial arts. Their leader, Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell), invites Spike to join them. The dramatic shift in tone, featuring coordinated moves and vibrant outfits, drew immediate comparisons to the classic action series. On social media, viewers shared mixed reactions. One wrote, 'The ending of 28 Years Later was crazy where Df the power rangers came from,' while another commented, 'I didn't expect a cameo from the power rangers.' A third added, 'I swear some of the choices in that movie are just baffling and that ending straight up does feel like an episode from Power Rangers.' Some pointed to a Power Rangers toy shown earlier in the film as a potential clue to the ending. 'Spike had some sort of Power Ranger toy that he was gonna take with him and his dad,' one viewer noted. Director Danny Boyle addressed the scene in an interview with The Independent, saying, '[The ending] is about reintroducing evil into what has been a compassionate environment,' and explained that each film explores a theme—this one, the nature of evil. As discussion continues, anticipation grows for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, set to release on January 16, 2026.
Hindustan Times
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Danny Boyle reveals filming 28 Years Later was a 'nightmare'; here's why
28 Years Later director Danny Boyle has opened up about an unexpected hurdle while making the new film in the popular zombie franchise. Speaking at the London premiere earlier this week, Boyle said it was a "nightmare" when he learned about a rule that affected how scenes were shot. (Also Read: Anil Kapoor meets Danny Boyle in London says, 'we spoke about family, friends and the future') Director Danny Boyle poses for photographers upon arrival at the World premiere of 28 Years Later, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)(Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP) The movie takes place nearly three decades after the Rage virus destroyed society. Boyle, while speaking to People, said that, in reality, infected people who had been living that long with the virus would likely have no clothes left. "I mean, if you're recently infected, you'd have some clothes, but if you've been infected for a long time, the clothes would just disintegrate with the way that you behave," Boyle told PEOPLE. However, there was an issue. A 14-year-old actor, Alfie Williams, plays a key role in the film as the son of Aaron Taylor-Johnson's character. Because of laws protecting child actors, the set could not include fully naked people, even if they were only supposed to appear infected. Danny Boyle on why filming 28 Years Later was a nightmare "We never knew that going in, it was a nightmare," Boyle said. "Interestingly, because there was a 12-year-old boy on set, you're not allowed for anybody to be naked, not really naked, so they look naked, but it's all prosthetics," Boyle added. 28 Years Later is the third movie in the series, following 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. The film hit theatres on June 20. A fourth film, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, directed by Nia DaCosta and produced by Boyle, is expected to be released in January 2026. (ANI )
USA Today
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Is there a post credit scene in 28 Years Later?
The newest sequel in the 28 Days Later franchise hit theaters on Friday, with audiences heading to see what the rage virus had done to the United Kingdom in the nearly three decades since it began. The story picks up with Spike (Alfie Williams) and his dad (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) heading onto the mainland from the safety of their island refuge for a coming-of-age hunting trip. Warning: Spoilers for 28 Years Later follow! Eventually Spike and his mother Isla (the wonderful Jodie Comer) go on a search for a doctor (Ralph Fiennes) that can hopefully help her migraines and bouts of confusion. They, of course, run into a lot of trouble with hordes of infected and a particularly difficult Alpha (the more evolved and stronger infected). After finding Dr. Kelson, Spike has to come to grips with grief and death in a new way, and he decides to stay out on the mainland to learn more about himself. So, is there a post-credit scene in 28 Years Later? The short answer is no, you can leave when the credits start to roll. The longer answer is that there should have been one. Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland ended the movie with a bizarre scene that involves track-suited, karate fighting killers in blond wigs, led by ringleader Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell). It's a deep cut reference to disgraced British television host Jimmy Savile, but it's also a drastic tonal shift from the rest of the movie. The newest movie is actually the launching point for a hopeful new trilogy, starting with 28 Years Later and continuing with the January 2026 release of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Since the final scene seems to be more of a lead-in to that follow up film, it would have been less of a vibe shift had it followed a wave of credits.
