Summary
Civil Wardirector Alex Garland has opened up about the movie he took inspiration from writing a script for the upcoming movie 28 Years Later, the highly-anticipated threequel in the critically acclaimed franchise.
Garland is known for writing gritty storylines and got a lot of praise for his writing for28 Days Later. Since then, the filmmaker has gone on write and direct several critically acclaimed films such asAnnihilationandEx-Machina. However, fans always wanted to see a third film in the aforementioned franchise. In January 2024, it was finally announced that a third movie in the series is being made with Danny Boyle donning the director’s hat once again. Now, in a recent interview, Garland has revealed the name of the movie he ripped off while writing a script for the upcoming film.
Speaking in aninterview with Screenrant,Garland opened up about some of his favorite movies that have helped him understand the process of filmmaking over the years. One of the movies chosen by the filmmaker was the 1969 movie Kes, a film that helped him stitch a story for 28 Years Later. While talking about the film, Garland noted that in the film scripts he delivered to Boyle, he ripped off Kes, a movie focused on a 15-year-old boy who had little hope in his life. Garland said, “I ripped off this film called Kes, a very unexpected thingto rip off in a zombie movie. The script I delivered and Kes, both focused on the experience of a young lad and because I am ripping it off, I wanna direct people to the source material. It’s a very wonderful film, very moving film, and I’ve stolen from it.”
Directed by Ken Loach, Kes chronicles the journey of Billy, a boy from a troubled family with struggles at school. However, he finds purpose and joy by raising and training a young kestrel bird. The film has been described as an authentic look at humanity. It would be interesting to see what elements Garland has taken from the classic movie and put them in the upcoming zombie film. In January 2024, a report inThe Hollywood Reporter noted that Boyle and Garland are joining forcesfor the upcoming film. The report also mentioned that there are plans of developing a trilogy, with Garland writing all three films. Released in 2002, 28 Days Later became a surprise hit at the box office. The film received a massive thumbs-up from the critics as well as audiences. The film stars Cillian Murphy in the lead role and also stars Brendon Gleeson and Naomie Harris in pivotal roles. Since the announcement of the threequel, fans have been flocking to several social media platforms to request the makers to haveMurphy back for the newly planned trilogy.
Recently, Murphy addressed the possibility of his return to the franchise and simply said that he is “available” for the upcoming film. Although no details on the story have been revealed yet, Murphy’s return to the franchise will be crucial for its success. His recent Best Actor win for Oppenheimer has made him one of the biggest names in the industry right now and his inclusion in the franchise that made him a star would be a win-win situation for everyone. Now, let’s wait and watch if the makers decide to cast Murphy for the role of Jim.
Garland’s upcoming filmCivil Waris scheduled to hit theaters on April 12.
