28 Years Later’s New Cast Members Are Breaking An Important Rule From The First Two Movies

Summary

• 28 Years Later breaks tradition by casting well-known actors, signaling a shift towards a more standard blockbuster format.
• The trio of Taylor-Johnson, Comer, and Fiennes may indicate a departure from the franchise’s successful formula of using unknown actors.
• The change in casting choices risks distancing the film from exploring the broader themes of humanity seen in the original movies.

28 Years Later‘s new cast members is an exciting development for the long-awaited sequel, but the announcement also confirms a radical new direction for the series. Although the 28 movies have been recognized for their original approach to the zombie genre, innovating the concept of “fast zombies“ and the explicit biological origins of the outbreak, the films have lived and died on the strength of their casts. While 28 Years Later‘s casting news suggests that the new movie will boast some impressive performances, it also marks a subtle change in strategy from what has previously served the franchise so well.

Although little is known about 28 Years Later‘s story, it has been confirmed that A-listers Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and Ralph Fiennes will play prominent roles in the movie. While this development has potentially serious ramifications for Cillian Murphy’s prospective return as Jim, it nonetheless provides an exciting indication that the movie will follow a new set of protagonists, moving the overall story forward in the process. As evidenced by their careers, Taylor-Johnson, Comer, and Fiennes all bring a wealth of talent and experience to the project. However, their inclusion also suggests a departure from the franchise’s successful formula.

28 Years Later Breaks The Franchise’s Streak Of Casting Lesser-Known Actors

Both previous movies used relative unknowns

Although both previous 28 films feature actors who have subsequently become household names, 28 Years Later is arguably the first time that the franchise has used well-established actors in presumably prominent roles. In 28 Days Later, both Cillian Murphy and Naomie Harris were at the start of their careers, while Brendan Gleeson and Christopher Ecclestone were primarily known for their work on comparatively minor independent projects. The trend continued in 28 Weeks Later, where Jeremy Renner and Rose Byrne were both mostly known for supporting roles in blockbusters like S.W.A.T. and Troy.

By contrast, Taylor-Johnson, Comer, and Fiennes are all established performers with a track record in blockbusters. Taylor-Johnson and Fiennes, in particular, have featured in high-profile projects like Kick-Ass, Godzilla, and the Harry Potter series, while Comer had star billing in Ridley Scott’s well-received $100 million historical epic The Last Duel. Certainly compared to where Murphy and Harris were during 28 Days Later, the trio is indicative of a move away from unknown actors and towards established names.

28 Years Later’s Casting Signals A Shift Toward A More Standard Blockbuster Format

Using big-name actors provides some story clues

Having three major stars join 28 Years Later is undeniably an exciting development – especially given their combined track record for interesting dramatic performances. However, while their star power may help drive interest in the movie, it also suggests that 28 Years Later may follow a much more typical blockbuster narrative. Part of the benefit of using unknown performers in the previous 28 movies was that it allowed the audience to focus more on the films’ haunting and unsettling world-building, as well as being genuinely unsure who might survive. In both cases, the new cast could indicate a change.

With three such high-profile stars joining the film, it is difficult to imagine a scenario where one or more of them might be killed off, since their stories will presumably play an important part in the narrative. While it’s not inconceivable that one of the three dies quickly, their status is such that they almost need to be the most prominent characters by default. This is a sharp contrast to the anonymity afforded by earlier 28 films, where it was genuinely uncertain who would make it to the end. The trio’s presence suggests a more traditional, individually-driven narrative, rather than using unknown everymen and women as a stand-in for all humanity.

Why 28 Days & 28 Weeks’ Unknown Actors Helped The First Two Movies

They helped establish the movies’ broader themes

Although the individual stories in both 28 Days and 28 Weeks Later were a compelling part of the story, they were not what made the movies so successful. At their core, both original films used the backdrop of total societal breakdown to explore the human experience – with 28 Days Later establishing a makeshift family unit and exploring the brutality of the soldiers, and 28 Weeks Later again touching on familial anguish and military violence. In all of these stories, the individuals were unimportant. What mattered was what their stories conveyed about humanity as a whole.

In casting established actors in presumably prominent roles, 28 Years Later risks distancing itself from this key theme in the franchise. After all, it’s more difficult for audiences to imagine the characters as everyday people instead of Hollywood action heroes if they have an established history of onscreen heroics. Of course, 28 Years Later may yet be able to pull off a balancing act between taking advantage of star power and telling a story consistent with the rest of the franchise. However, casting Taylor-Johnson, Comer, and Fiennes arguably makes it harder to stay true to the series’ message.