How 28 Years Later 2 Changes the Ending for the Original 28 Days Later

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The release of 28 Years Later last summer brought director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland back together, having previously collaborated on the 2003 film 28 Days Later. However, the new film largely disregarded the story and characters from the original. While still set in the UK with people infected by ‘Rage’ roaming around, none of the previous characters or plot points carried over. Fans remained hopeful, though, knowing Cillian Murphy was a producer on the new films and rumors suggested his character, Jim, would eventually make an appearance. That brings us to this week’s release, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Be warned: spoilers ahead.

The latest film in the series finally lives up to expectations, bringing back Cillian Murphy as Jim and introducing his daughter, Sam, who is likely the child of Jim and Selena (played by Naomi Harris). However, Jim’s appearance at the end of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple changes how we understand the original film’s ending, especially now that these new movies have been released, and leaves us questioning what actually happened back then.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Makes You Rethink the Original Movie’s Ending

Let’s revisit the ending of 28 Days Later. After surviving the terrifying ordeal at Major Henry West’s country house and encountering rogue soldiers, another 28 days have passed. The infected are now weakening and starting to die from starvation. Jim, Selena, and Hannah (a character who doesn’t appear in the final scene of The Bone Temple) have found a safe place to stay in a small house. When they hear a plane approaching, they rush outside, having created a large “Hello” message using bedsheets and cloth. They unfurl the message and wave it, with Selena anxiously asking, “Do you think he saw us this time?”

The original film, 28 Days Later, ends on a positive note, suggesting the main characters survive and are close to being saved, with the infection also fading away, hinting at a possible return to normal life. However, the new movie, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, reveals that rescue never arrived. It’s not just that Jim is still living a rural life, but his reaction to encountering other survivors that truly shows their calls for help went unanswered.

When Jim’s daughter, Sam, spots Spike and Kelly fleeing and asks if they should help, Jim immediately agrees. This reveals a lot about Jim’s character and offers a new perspective on how the original film might have ended. His willingness to help suggests that he and the other survivors were left to fend for themselves, forcing them to adapt to being abandoned. Having experienced this hardship firsthand, they naturally want to assist others in need. This reinterprets the ending of 28 Days Later within the broader context of the franchise, even though the filmmakers didn’t intend for it to be viewed this way.

Interestingly, despite being a sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple also ends on a positive note, which fits with the overall message of the story. However, this ending might actually lessen the impact of the original 28 Days Later’s powerful conclusion. The original film’s ending, given its dark and intense tone, offered a sense of hope. The new ending doesn’t quite have the same effect. We’ll have to wait for the third film to see how everything connects and understand what happened to Jim over the years, but for now, The Bone Temple changes how we view the ending of the first movie.

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2026-01-18 17:11