Somehow 28 Days Later came out two decades ago but the good news is, that means it’s time for a new iteration. Entitled 28 Years Later, the third film in the franchise is the continuation of the iconic zombie world.

28 Years Later follows the formula of the franchise, picking up decades after the original outbreak. The new film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jodie Comer in a world where zombies are still a real concern. But as exciting as a new entry into the universe is, the new trailer is missing something significant.

The footage opens with a group of children watching the Teletubbies, which would have been contemporary to the time of the original film. The kids’ quiet reprieve is broken when they are sequestered in a room to spare them from the violence of the outside world. As the images fly by, the trailer gets more and more chaotic, all to the soundtrack of Boots, a poem by Ripyard Kipling that imagines the repetitive thoughts of a British Army soldier. All elements come together to invite viewers into a compelling world, but still, one thing remains missing.

After Cillian Murphy’s substantial and warranted attention for Oppenheimer, it was almost a given that he would return to the franchise that gave him his cult status. Upon inspection of the trailer, however, there is no Murphy to be found. For the most part, the trailer follows Johnson’s character, who travels with a young boy to an encampment. The visuals are further interspersed with terrifying imagery of humans still trying their best to survive. It certainly isn’t a requirement to see Murphy return, but fans are still holding out hope. Rumors about his appearance in the film have been stoked, particularly after viewers think they spotted Murphy in the trailer. Officially he is credited as an executive producer, but his status as a fan-favorite alum has made viewers take a second look.

Cillian Murphy’s Jim was instrumental in setting up 28 Days Later

Before Robert Kirkman even had a chance to introduce viewers to Rick Grimes’ disorienting wake-up call in The Walking Dead, 28 Days Later beat him to it. In the 2002 film, Cillian Murphy plays Jim, a bike messenger who wakes up from a coma after almost a month. The world he wakes up in is unrecognizable as he walks around a vacant London city center. He is disturbed by the amount of missing person posters, and the empty streets. Quickly, he gets introduced to a world of angry monsters out for the taste of human flesh. 28 Days Later tells a socially conscious tale that isn’t just about zombies, but what would happen to the world if society fell apart. Humans are just as vicious as anyone, a theme that continues to be told in other horror tales like The Walking Dead and It Comes At Night.

28 Days Later was directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland who would go on to have impressive careers. The two return for the third film, and fans can only hope that Murphy will them in some capacity. While he wasn’t in the follow-up, 28 Weeks Later, his appearance would be a good bookend for the series. Zombies are more popular today than they ever have been, perhaps a response to anxieties of the real world. Hopefully, Murphy’s appearance in the film isn’t just conjecture.

Before Oppenheimer or Peaky Blinders, Cillian Murphy was in a little movie called 28 Days Later. The zombie film preceded The Walking Dead, even though it had quite a similar setup.

28 Days Later was directed by Danny Boyle, who collaborated with screenwriter Alex Garland in one of their many projects together. Murphy stars as Jim, and would go on to have quite an impressive career of his own. Rumored to appear in the third film of the franchise, 28 Years Later, many fans have been theorizing if Murphy how make an appearance. He is credited as an executive producer, and his recent awards buzz from his Christopher Nolan venture doesn’t hurt either.

The 28 Years Later trailer has been released, but besides visuals of Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jodie Comer in leading roles, no other acclaimed actors can be found. Not officially, at least. Fans have hypothesized that Murphy actually does appear in the trailer, but not in any way that viewers want to see him. One particularly haunting visual features an emaciated zombie that resembles Murphy to an uncomfortable degree. In an earlier statement, Sony executive producer confirmed that Murphy was involved, stating via IGN he is: “in a surprising way and in a way that grows.” The zombie pictured doesn’t appear to be growing anything, but that hasn’t stopped fans from feeding into this new theory.

The theory has spread like wildfire based solely on how the particular zombie looks in the horror sequel. It may be an easy way to incorporate Murphy, who certainly has a hectic filming schedule, but it does add a dour note to the uplifting ending of 28 Days Later.

The indie horror film focuses on Murphy’s character, Jim, who wakes up from a coma to a nightmare. He represents the perspective of the audience, learning these new rules as people become infected by the Rage virus. Throughout all the death and suffering, Jim and Selena (Naomie Harris) make it past the brutal military to find some kind of peace. They are isolated within the natural beauty of the world that has not been touched by disease. Adding a coda where Jim does not get his happy ending is a depressing look at humanity.

Jim deserves his ending in 28 Days Later

These fan theories have not been substantiated as of yet, no matter how prevalent the online discourse is. The trouble with long-running post-apocalyptic stories is that typically everyone has to die at some point. The Walking Dead went on for 11 seasons and proved that to keep things fresh, no one is safe. Jim and Selena had a reprieve from this, and that message was uplifting. Despite all the pain and suffering, there is something still to look forward to.

Killing Jim after everything he has endured destroys this ending and leads to more pain. If this is the case, 28 Years Later is selling a story that means there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Only death awaits. 2002 and 2024 are different times; 28 Days Later came out at a time when people could look on the bright side. 28 Years Later could very well just be a response to the times that people are living in. Even so, that means that Jim’s survival is more necessary than ever. 28 Days Later had such a beautiful ending, it is heartbreaking to take that away.

Cillian Murphy continues to be the darling of cinema. We’re not quite sure whether he’s the hero we deserve, but he’s definitely the hero we need. After a benchmark 2023 where he was credited for saving cinema with his Oscar-winning role as the lead in the smash hit Oppenheimer, Murphy is back in the headlines for saving cinema again — this time in a completely different way.

Murphy and his wife, Yvonne McGuinness, have reportedly purchased a legendary theater in Ireland called the Phoenix Cinema in Dingle, County Kerry. The Irish star has quietly been working on closing the deal, which was earlier teased by a real estate agent who announced on social media some big news about an iconic property.

The Irish Independent now confirms it was Murphy and McGuinness who bought the theater. The Phoenix Cinema has a long, celebrated history in Ireland but sadly closed down in 2021 after financial difficulties faced by the previous owners. The theater boasts a history of over 100 years, with highlights including major film premieres where stars like Tom Cruise and his ex-wife Nicole Kidman were in attendance. It has also undergone major reconstruction periods, including in 1921 and 1938, when the entire theater burned down.

Speaking to the Irish Independent, McGuinness outlined their goal with the project, saying, “We want to open the doors again, expand the creative potential of the site, re-establishing its place in the cultural fabric of this unique town.” It’s quite irable for the reclusive couple to focus on something that directly affects their immediate surroundings, especially considering we live in a time when celebrity endorsements are not always aligned with what we know them for. Kanye West probably broke it down best when he brought up Lady Gaga’s relationship as creative director of Polaroid in his now-iconic 2009 interview with Zane Lowe when he said, “I like some of the Gaga songs, what the f*** does she know about cameras">asking Tarantino questions about what’s next after retirement, film programming is your answer. And honestly, he’s amazing at that too.

Murphy has slowly grown into a status that is just as revered as Cruise and Tarantino, and if this is how he chooses to flex his influence, then we can only say we’re 100% championing him. For Murphy’s die-hard fans, you’d be happy to hear that his next film is the long-awaited 28 Years Later. Maybe if the reconstruction perfectly aligns with the film’s release, fans may be able to get a screening of the film at the Phoenix Cinema. However, it doesn’t seem like he and McGuinness are currently in a rush to get the cinema back up. In a press release, they informed the public, among other things, that good things take time. Take all the time you need, Murphy and McGuinness. Cinema is already grateful for your service.

Some celebrities become awestruck when they meet the British royals for the first time. But not Paul Mescal, who was rather unimpressed in meeting King Charles III during the London premiere of Gladiator II at Leicester Square on Nov. 13.

The Irish star, who plays Lucius Verus in the film, basically itted that he could care less if he met the sovereign or not. As is customary for royal premieres, the cast of the Ridley Scott-directed masterpiece lined up on the red carpet to meet the monarch before they entered Odeon Luxe Cinema. He was later asked if he felt nervous at all meeting Charles to which he itted: “I’m actually not as nervous as I thought I was gonna be” and shared his excitement for the monarch to see the film.

Mescal, 28, was further asked “what was it like meeting the King” and if he “had met him before” during a red carpet interview with Variety. He shared that he had “never met the King” before the Gladiator II premiere and when asked “how wild is that">

Meanwhile, others thought Mescal “handled that tone deaf question like a pro” and one said “he didn’t give any headlines but didn’t lie either.” But there were those who didn’t appreciate the actor’s response with one saying: “Irish people are so pathetic” and a second called him a “hypocrite” given that he chose to live in England (having lived in London since 2020) and so “should show a little respect for the country where he lives.” So, just another peaceful day of reasoned discussion on social media.

On June 4, Peaky Blinders fans rejoiced when Netflix confirmed an movie, starring Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby, with Steven Knight and Tom Harper returning to write and direct the film.

The show began in 2013 and ran for nine years before releasing its sixth and final season in 2022. Over these six seasons, Peaky Blinders had 36 episodes, with Academy Award winner Cillian Murphy starring in each one.

With the movie confirmed by Netflix, let’s look at some of the details we know so far.

The release window

At the time of writing, the release date of Peaky Blinders movie remains a mystery. What we do know, though, is that it’s set to start shooting this September. With that in mind, a smart guess would be that it’ll be released in the second half of 2025.

The cast

As mentioned above, Cillian Murphy is set to return as Tommy Shelby. As of writing, no other roles and actors have been confirmed to return from the show for the film. With the TV series having many different characters, there’s plenty of room for speculation, but we’d rather wait for official details in this regard.

Although Tom Harper and Steven Knight are set to return to the movie behind the scenes. The former directed the show’s first season in 2013. Knight, on the other hand, wrote the majority of the series.

The plot

Similarly to the release date and the cast, the plot of Peaky Blinders also remains unknown. In the finale of season six, without going into major spoilers, Tommy Shelby leaves with the intention of starting a new life.

However, Knight shared some minor details, claiming it will be “explosive”. “I’m genuinely thrilled that this movie is about to happen,” Knight said. “It will be an explosive chapter in the Peaky Blinders story. No holds barred. Full on Peaky Blinders at war.”

Tommy has been away too long. We can’t wait to see him back in action.

Alex Garland has made a name for himself with some of the bleakest and most visually stunning sci-fi films of the past few years. But at their core, these films are all about one thing: Humanity. Beneath the surface of any good sci-fi film is a conclusion about the way we live our lives.

Garland’s films typically point out human beings’ weakest traits. His most recent venture, Civil War, is perhaps closer to real life than to sci-fi than we would like, but the result is the same. In the film, journalists caught in the middle of a modern-day American Civil War find devastating truths on the home front. These themes are echoed in many of Garland’s films, stretching back to his beginnings in the entertainment industry.

28 Days Later

Garland’s foray into penning impressive stories began with the Danny Boyle film, 28 Days Later. Not only did it feature early work from Academy Award-winning actor, Cillian Murphy, but it was a significant change to zombie films as we know it. Bike messenger, Jim (Murphy), wakes up one day from an accident to find that the world has changed. A zombie outbreak has destroyed society, and he must find refuge with a group of survivors to outlast the sickness.

28 Days Later made zombies terrifying for the new millennium. Rage-filled and fast-running, these monsters were real threats. But at the heart of the film wasn’t the end of the world, it is how people act during it. One by one, Jim’s companions fall victim to the disease until he and Selena (Naomie Harris) are discovered by the military. This reversal of fortune may seem like a stroke of luck, but it is actually the opposite. As it turns out, when a branch of government has complete control over the end of the world, they don’t use it for good. Their abuse of power is one of the most sickening things about the film, and highlights how people devolve into the worst versions of themselves.

Dredd

By all s, Dredd is Garland’s directorial debut. While another filmmaker is officially credited, it is not a secret that Garland took control of the film and is its unofficial director. And what a debut it is. Based on the cult-favorite comic, Dredd takes place in a dystopian reality where nuclear bombs have turned America into a wasteland. The last dregs of humanity live in different Mega-Cities across the coast. Many reside in crime-laden tenement buildings where there is only one law. The law of the judges.

Crime has become so rampant that police have been replaced by Judges who carry out justice on the spot. Courts are a thing of the past. Karl Urban plays the titular Judge who takes a rookie, Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), under his wing for a training day she will never forget. At the end of the world, people’s true natures come out, and the only way to handle them is with a bullet. These Mega-Cities are full of corruption and crime. While outrageous, it is not so different from the world we live in now.

Never Let Me Go

Another adaptation, Never Let Me Go is a beautiful addition to Garland’s screenplays. Based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, the film follows 3 friends from their childhood at the boarding school, Hailsham, into adulthood. What seems like a coming-of-age story is a devastating portrait of how people are misused. It is revealed later that Hailsham is in reality a boarding school to raise clones for organ donation. Growing up, these children come to understand that they will live short lives and most likely die after their third donation.

Ishiguro’s novel is famously heartbreaking, and the film version wastes no time finding a shortcut to viewers’ tear ducts. No adults in the film see the characters as human beings. Instead, authority figures raise children like pigs for slaughter, and see no issue with them dying painful deaths from organ failure. Garland’s script notes how the more powerful will always abuse their power and exploit the less privileged.

Ex Machina

Ex Machina is the film that made Garland a director to watch. It also happens to be a feminist take on how the robot rebellion will inevitably start. When a young programmer, Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) gets cordially invited to take part in a visionary’s experiment, he gets more than he bargained for. He meets scientist Nathan (Oscar Isaac) and his creation, a robot named Ava (Alicia Vikander). Caleb is there to test Ava to see whether she can as a human, but throughout their interactions, he inevitably becomes enamored with her.

Films like Ex Machina are sci-fi at its best, demonstrating how men view women as nothing more than objects. The male characters’ actions are so deplorable that when Ava eventually escapes and traps them in the research facility, all you can think is: “Good for her.” Ex Machina cemented Garland as a true artist with a vision that would certainly yield more impressive feats in the future.

Annihilation

Garland takes Ex Machina even further in his 2018 film, Annihilation. The thesis of what makes someone a person is questioned after an extraterrestrial Shimmer starts affecting the environment. Lena (Natalie Portman) volunteers to explore the Shimmer after her husband, Kane (Oscar Isaac), returns from an expedition. Extremely different from when he left, Kane soon becomes sick, making many wonder what he experienced during his time in the Shimmer. As Lena and a team of scientists investigate the area, they start to fall as well, one by one.

Personhood is something that Garland often explores in his films, and this comes to a head when Lena returns. Like Kane, she is not who she was when she left. In reality, she may not be Lena at all, but the entity that came with the Shimmer. Annihilation is left up for interpretation in many ways, but has hallmarks of the filmmaker’s work. His characters are not glossy portrayals of people. His characters are flawed and difficult, even when they share life experiences or love. Annihilation also features a shadowy organization that only has an interest in what this technology can bring them. They send as many people into the Shimmer to experiment as possible, no matter what brutal fate awaits them. Genre films are especially adept at parsing out societal problems, something that Garland has perfected in his films over the years.

The Peaky Blinders hive is a thirsty bunch that can never be sated. Even after concluding six popular seasons in 2022, Steven Knight is ready to release a new family drama centered in the U.K.

Audiences bonded with Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and the of his oddly-named gang. Known for the razor blades sewn into their caps, the Peaky Blinders escalate their methods as Shelby gains more and more power. The series was a resolute success with streaming on Netflix and maintains an irable 8.8 stars on IMDb.

Knight’s new series will attempt to recapture this former glory in House of Guinness. Three guesses for what this one is about.

When is the plot of House of Guinness?

So close to the ending of Peaky Blinders, House of Guinness is in its early stages. The series is still being developed and has no release date as of yet. Even the name itself is only a working title, according to Deadline, and could change in the future. Knight has similarly not released any perspective actors who could potentially star in the show, but there is no doubt that fans are clamoring for Murphy to return. The acclaimed actor recently earned an Academy Award for his portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb. The award increased his star power and has only added to his popularity.

Another frequent collaborator of Knight’s is Tom Hardy, who appeared in Peaky Blinders as well as other projects the creator penned, such as Locke and Taboo. Since the show aired, Peaky Blinders alum Anya Taylor-Joy’s, star has also risen dramatically in Hollywood, and would be a welcome addition to any cast. But as information is scarce, the only confirmation we have is what world Knight will be writing about. Deadline published a press release upon news of the venture:

“The show will tell the story of one of Europe’s most famous and enduring dynasties — The Guinness Family. Set in 19th-century Dublin and New York, it will focus on the consequences of the death of Benjamin Guinness, the man responsible for the extraordinary success of the Guinness brewery, and the far-reaching impact of his cunning will on the fate of his four adult children, Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Ben, as well as on a group of Dublin characters who work and interact with the growing juggernaut that is one of the most beloved alcoholic drinks today.”

House of Guinness will be more based in fact than Knight’s previous series. Anne Mensah of Netflix U.K. remarked that the shows would be similar in scope, but the new series would be more family-oriented. One can imagine that this would mean the Guinness family would be less likely to start gang wars with razor blades. We will only know for sure when information becomes more readily available.

The Oscars might just be simple movie awards for some, but they are monumental achievements for others. Even with the decrease in public interest, they’re still among the most prestigious awards one could ever win.

From under-represented communities breaking ground with the Academy to movie legends cementing their place among the all-time greats, the 96th Academy Awards achieved all kinds of records, even if some opportunities were controversially missed. One thing is for sure, though: history was made on March 10…

Milestone wins

Cillian Murphy wins the Oscar for Best Actor

The Irish have been dominating the entertainment industry in the past few years. Paul Mescal, Andrew Scott, Barry Keoghan, Colin Farrell, Saoirse Ronan, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Ruth Negga, Fiona Shaw, and, of course, Cillian Murphy — the world of movies and television owes a great debt of gratitude to the great nation of Ireland. And yet, never has an Irish-born person won an Oscar for Best Actor. Until now.

I know what you’re thinking — what about one of the greatest actors of all time and three-time Best Actor winner Daniel Day-Lewis? Well, DDL does indeed have British-Irish citizenship, but he was born in London. Murphy led the race after securing the SAG award in February, and sure enough his Best Actor win serves as a fitting climax to the Hollywood Irish renaissance of the 2020s.

Justine Triet wins the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay

Anatomy of a Fall Nation was holding out hope Justine Triet would win at least one Oscar on Sunday (I know this because I, too, am part of it). Despite her film taking Cannes and the world by storm this past year, Triet unfortunately wasn’t the favorite to win in either of the categories she was up for; Best Original Screenplay (she co-wrote Anatomy of a Fall with her partner Arthur Harari) and Best Director.

And yet, against all the odds, a miracle struck on Sunday and Triet came away with the Best Original Screenplay gong. This means she is the first French woman to win in that category. Due to Christopher Nolan beating her to Best Director, though, it’s still a fact that only three women have won the Oscar for Best Director in the past (Kathryn Bigelow, 2010; Chloé Zhao, 2021; Jane Campion, 2022).

The Zone of Interest wins the Oscar for Best International Film

The Best International Feature Film category was a funny one this year. Anatomy of a Fall, a French movie nominated in almost every big category, was not ’s submission for the bracket. Perfect Days is a Japanese film made by a German man, and Italy’s submission, Io Capitano, barely has a lick of Italian in its two-hour runtime.

Similarly, The Zone of Interest, spoken entirely in German and set in Poland, is a British film. As a result, the Oscar winner stands as the UK’s first-ever win in the Best International Film category. The space is reserved for movies spoken not in the English language. The UK’s previous nominees in the category were for films with Welsh dialogue.

Missed milestone wins

Lily Gladstone winning the Oscar for Best Actress

Lily Gladstone has already made history by becoming the first Native American person to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress (three other, non-American, Indigenous women have been nominated before — Merle Oberon, Keisha Castle-Hughes, and Yalitza Aparicio). They also became the first Native American/Indigenous winner of the SAG Award in the same category, sending them well on their way to repeating the feat at the Oscars.

Gladstone’s arresting performance as Mollie Burkhart in Killers of the Flower Moon would’ve granted the actress her first career Oscar and made her the first Indigenous woman to win for an acting performance and the first Native American Oscar winner ever. Of course, this didn’t end up happening as Emma Stone took the gong for the second time for Poor Things. Likewise Osage Nation songwriter Scott George, and the author of Best Original Song contender “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People),” would’ve made history if he won as the first Native American man to be nominated in this category. However, Billie Eilish topped the category for Barbie‘s “What Was I Made For">Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

Of course, when you talk about Marty, you have to talk about Thelma. Possibly the greatest director-editor duo of all time, Scorsese’s film very nearly gave Thelma Schoonmaker a chance at making history too. The editor almost finally broke out of the four-way tie she’s been in since she won the Oscar for Best Editing for The Departed in 2007, bringing her total to three trophies (she had previously won for The Aviator and Raging Bull). Michael Kahn, Daniel Mandell, and Ralph Dawson all have three Oscars for Best Editing as well.

As it was, Schoonmaker lost out to Jennifer Lame for Oppenheimer, as predicted. Nevertheless, the turn of events shouldn’t be too sore for Schoonmaker as she remains the single most nominated person in the category with nine nods over the years — all but one for collaborations with Scorsese.

The source for all records included in this article is USBets.com.

If you were a working English actor in the past decade, odds are, you appeared in Peaky Blinders in some capacity — save for Cillian Murphy who is, of course, Irish. Before igniting the attention of Hollywood as the titular character in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, Murphy spent six seasons as the leader of the Peaky Blinders, Tommy Shelby.

Murphy was not the only performer of note to make an appearance in the series. Sam Neill, Tom Hardy, Sam Claflin, and Anya Taylor-Joy were just a few A-list actors with roles in the crime series. Peaky Blinders seems to be a portent for talent, as is the case with one season five actor, Cosmo Jarvis.

More recently, you may recognize Jarvis from the FX/Hulu phenomenon, Shōgun. Taking place in feudal Japan, Jarvis plays John Blackthorne, British navigator of a shipwrecked Dutch vessel. Confronted with cultural differences, Blackthorne struggles to survive while learning the language, customs, and warfare methods of Japan. Celebrated for its historical accuracy and representation, Shōgun features Jarvis starring in good company alongside Japanese icon Hiroyuki Sanada as Lord Toranaga. But once upon a time, Jarvis appeared for a short time in a crime series about the Birmingham gang.

Who was Cosmo Jarvis in Peaky Blinders?

Jarvis had a short tenure in Peaky Blinders, but it was memorable for many. The actor first appears at the end of season 5 as Barney, a friend of Shelby’s. The two were friends in the war but after his service, Barney was committed to an institution, most likely due to a form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from his time in battle.

Shelby breaks him out of the institution to assist him with his political endeavors. This comes to a head when Shelby clashes with Oswald Mosley (Claflin), a fascist member of Parliament. Shelby decides to assassinate Mosley with Barney’s help, and all the while his friend’s mental state starts to unravel.

Though Barney is a trustworthy friend and a good shot, his trauma during the war proves too much for him. His story ends abruptly during the assassination attempt; as Barney tries to shoot Mosley, he is shot first. It is only later that it becomes apparent that Mosely was saved by the IRA, which had a vested interest in him. Mosley survives, and goes on to find in Nazi .

Barney’s short time in the series is punctuated by tragedy. He is no better off than when we first met him. Before Shelby breaks him out of his confinement, he offers him a cyanide pill to end his suffering. Barney declines it, but still ends up in the same place. There was no help for those with mental health struggles at the time, and Barney’s story shows that in a heartbreaking fashion.

It’s Oscar time again. And no, not the handsome former boxer, but the 96th annual Academy Awards. Every year, the entertainment industry’s best and brightest go head to head for its most prestigious prize: a golden statue of a naked man holding a sword. The most prestigious categories include acting, screenplay, directing and the best movie of the year. Let’s take a look at the nominees for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

This award has been given out since the first Academy Awards back in 1927, when it was awarded to Emil Jannings, who won for two movies: The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh. Last year, Brendan Fraser won the award for his stellar work in The Whale. This year, the nominee field is just as varied as it could be, with several high-profile actors vying for the honor.

Bradley Cooper in Maestro

Maestro is the story of legendary composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre. It dives into the rise of what many consider music’s best composer, and explores the personal and intimate relationships he had with men and women.

Cooper plays the composer in all stages of his life, from an 80-year-old man to his beginnings as a young man searching for purpose, and meeting his future wife. There are notable prosthetics and an explosive scene where Bradley conducts an orchestra inside England’s Ely Cathedral. Cooper also directed the film.

This is his fourth best acting nomination. He was previously nominated for Silver Linings Playbook, American Sniper and A Star is Born.

Colman Domingo in Rustin

Rustin tells the story of Bayard Rustin, an important but often overlooked figure in the civil rights movement. The movie centers on a specific period in the openly gay activist’s life: The planning of the 1963 March on Washington where Martin Luther King gave his historic “I Have a Dream” speech.

Movie critic Chaz Ebert said that she could not stop thinking about Domingo’s performance after she watched it. Ebert said Domingo “nailed” Rustin’s “vaguely mid-Atlantic accent, his ferocious drive and aching vulnerability,” calling the actor’s take the best performance of 2023.

“Domingo’s performance captured the essence of Bayard’s soul with such arresting beauty and nuance that it left me floored,” she said. This is his first nomination.

Paul Giamatti in The Holdovers

The Holdovers tells the story of a crotchety teacher (Giamatti) at a prep school in New England who is forced to babysit students who didn’t have anywhere to go during Christmas Break. He becomes good friends with one of the students (Dominic Sessa) and the school’s head cook (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) and the trio form an unlikely bond.

This movie reunites Giamatti with director Alexander Payne, who directed Giamatti in the Oscar winning 2004 movie Sideways. It’s Giamatti’s second nomination; he was first nominated in 2005 for Cinderella Man as best ing actor.

Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer

Cillian Murphy plays the lead character, J. Robert Oppenheimer, in this 1940s period piece about the development of the atomic bomb and the repercussions of doing such work. Murphy’s character struggles deal with the ethical concerns of creating the world’s most powerful weapon all while carrying on an extramarital affair.

This is Murphy’s first Oscar nomination.

Jeffrey Wright in American Fiction

Based on a novel called Erasure by Percival Everett, American Fiction tells the story of Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Wright) a supremely intelligent upper class Black novelist whose books are critical darlings, but commercial failures. His latest novel is rejected for not being “Black enough,” so he writes a satirical novel about Black stereotypes, and it becomes a monster hit.

Wright has received high praise for his nuanced and also over-the-top take on the main character. This is his first Academy Award nomination.

Before groundbreaking actor Cillian Murphy won a Golden Globe for Best Actor for his exemplary work in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, the Irish megastar was turning heads within the horror realm back in 2002 for his work in post-apocalyptic extravaganza 28 Days Later. Flash forward to now, and gorehounds are wondering if the 47-year-old performer could possibly return for 28 Years Later.

28 Years Later, of course, would serve as the long-awaited sequel to Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later, where Murphy portrayed Jim — a bicycle courier who faces a destructive virus that results in an unsettling, post-apocalyptic society. In various deleted scenes and alternative endings, Murphy’s character was tragically killed, although he does survive in the actual ending of the original movie.

From 28 Days Later and beyond, Murphy built himself an illustrious career, although his horror roots have always remained. And despite his overwhelming success, the question still begs as to whether or not Murphy could make his much-anticipated return to the face-melting franchise.

So, could Murphy be in 28 Years Later?

At the time of this writing, no announcements have been formally made as to whether or not Murphy will return for the sequel, but all signs seem to be pointing at the decision happening in the future. Having already worked with director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland on both 28 Days movies in the past, Murphy was unsurprisingly quick to respond that he would “be there in a flash” for another film. 

“I made two movies with both of those guys, and I would love to work with them again,” Murphy added on to his previous statement. So while the Irishman has not yet been publicly involved in the project, it seems evident that Murphy would be willing to work around his ever-growing schedule to star in another 28 Days horror flick.

When it comes to modern horror masterpieces, 28 Days Later is up there with the very best.

Danny Boyle’s London-based undead apocalypse horror also introduced the wonderful Cillian Murphy to the wider world, which is a gift that we are forever thankful for (except in India, apparently). The plot of the movie — which is often seen as reviving the zombie genre despite Boyle not calling it a zombie film — follows a bike courier who wakes up after a four-week long coma, only to find that a highly contagious and dangerous virus was released while he was under. This has caused the breakdown of society in the U.K, and led to a race of deadly creatures roaming the streets. He finds fellow survivors, and they all attempt to stay alive while avoiding the zombie hordes.

It also spawned a sequel (which Boyle and his co-creator Alex Garland were only executive producers on), 28 Weeks Later. And, now, after years of teasing, director Danny Boyle has confirmed we’re set to get a new installment: 28 Years Later.

But, wait. Aren’t we missing a measurement of time? Why was there no 28 Months Later ever released? In interviews Boyle and Garland have explained their reasoning — and to be fair to them, it makes a lot of sense. Read on to find out why 28 Months Later never got made.

Why did 28 Months Later never get made?

There’s a few reasons we were denied a 28 Months Later. Garland confirmed that the people who owned the rights to the franchise weren’t that interested in a new film, something that must have changed given the recent announcement. Given the massive cultural impact of the first, it must have also been a bit daunting to try and follow up.

Last year Garland also confirmed that for a long time he was done with the franchise and wanted to work on fresh stories, telling Inverse:

“I resisted it for a long time because there were things about 28 Weeks that bugged me. I just thought, ‘F*** that. I’d rather try to write a different story in a different world.'”

He then foreshadowed the recent announcement by adding:

“But a few years ago an idea materialized in my head for what would be really 28 Years Later. Danny always liked the idea.”

It appears the reason that Years is being used instead of Months is simply because it’s been far too long to use the latter. Over two decades have ed since the original was released, and if Murphy is once again in the cast (he said he’d “be there in a flash”), then the ing of time would need to be ed for.

Fans will be aware that there were three alternate endings that all saw Murphy’s character die, so perhaps if they had been in the final cut, we’d be getting a Months film. Either way, we’re just happy the team are back together and on the verge of making another movie.

What do we know about 28 Years Later so far?

We don’t know much about 28 Years Later at this moment in time. We are aware that Boyle is likely to direct it, and that he and Garland are hoping to turn it into a trilogy. It’s still in very early development stages, though, and funding hasn’t been secured either.

However, with their names attached, we doubt they will be searching for money for long. Both Boyle and Garland have incredible CVs. The former has won an Oscar, and is responsible for some truly memorable flicks like Trainspotting and 127 Hours. Garland has been no slouch either, directing Ex Machina, and is about to see his A24 production Civil War released.

Early rumors say the pair are looking for around $75 million in funding, which is nearly 10 times the cost of the iconic original.

We also know that it will once again be set in England, thanks to a Boyle quote from an NME interview he did in 2022: “It feels like a very good time actually. It’s funny, I hadn’t thought about it until you just said it, and I ed ‘Bang, this script!’ which is again set in England, very much about England.’”