Cillian Murphy recently reflected on a surprising mix-up among fans who believed he was the zombie shown briefly in the debut trailer for 28 Years Later. The trailer, released in December, featured a gaunt, emaciated infected character, which sparked speculation because Murphy is an executive producer on the film and had previously lost weight for his role in Oppenheimer.
Despite the theory, the emaciated zombie, known as Emaciated Infected, was actually portrayed by Angus Neill, an art dealer and model discovered by director Danny Boyle. Murphy himself addressed these rumors during an interview with The Observer, revealing that his son brought the speculation to his attention.
Murphy’s Wry Response to Zombie Look-Alike Confusion
Murphy responded with characteristic dry humor to the confusion over his supposed zombie portrayal. He commented,
“That’s great people think I look like a zombie cadaver. It’s very flattering.”
This joking response puts to rest the fan theories connecting him to the unsettling infected figure in the promotional material.
Murphy played the lead character Jim in the original 28 Days Later, but he did not appear in the recent sequel either as the zombie or reprising his role. However, he will be returning in the upcoming sequel titled 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which is the second film in a planned trilogy and the fourth installment in the franchise overall.
Upcoming Appearances and Future of the Trilogy
In the upcoming film, Murphy’s role will be limited, as he noted that he is
“only in it for a little bit.”
His brief appearance is meant to set up for a more prominent role in the trilogy’s final chapter, though details about the third movie remain unconfirmed. Murphy encouraged fans, stating,
“Everyone’s got to go and see the second one. I’m sure they will – it’s really, really good.”
The movie has already finished filming and is scheduled for release in January.
Murphy’s Latest Project and Social Commentary
Besides his involvement in the 28 Years Later series, Murphy recently starred in the psychological drama Steve, which premiered in Toronto last week. The film will be available on Netflix starting October 3. Murphy plays the headteacher of a school specializing in boys dealing with social and behavioral challenges. His co-stars include Tracey Ullman, Jay Lycurgo, Simbi Ajikawo (Little Simz), and Emily Watson.
During his interview with The Observer, Murphy expressed his hope that society could adopt a more compassionate approach toward marginalized youth, explaining,
“Those kids you see standing on corners with hoodies on, that we identify as ‘problems’ – they’re real, brilliant human beings. There has to be a different approach rather than just excluding them from school and shutting down youth clubs and libraries. If you are excluded or ignored, that shame is a very corrosive emotion.”
