ROTTEN TOMATOES: Boyle Says Russia Up For Next 28 Days Later Sequel

Boyle Says Russia Up For Next 28 Days Later Sequel

And what he really thinks about Eli Roth and Michael Bay...

by Sara Schieron | July 16, 2007

Danny Boyle has had a varied career (Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, The Beach, Millions) but is arguably best known for reviving the zombie genre with 2003's 28 Days Later. With a rumored second sequel on the horizon, how does the Sunshine director really feel about revisiting the "trashy" world of zombie horror?

On his press tour for Sunshine, Boyle reported that he's got some hopes to work on another sequel: 28 Months Later. "I did have this other idea," Boyle said. "I don't know whether it'll happen or not...the third idea has more to do with Russia but that's all I can say."

Boyle also noted, "I didn't want to do the second one," referring to the recently released 28 Weeks Later, which also stars Sunshine actress Rose Byrne. Due to schedule conflicts and production on Sunshine, out in limited US theatres this Friday, Boyle couldn't have helmed the sequel anyway. Spanish helmer Juan Carlos Fresnadillo took over the reins (with Boyle onboard as exec producer) resulting in a decent critical and commercial response.

Scene from 28 Weeks Later

Boyle affectionately describes zombie films, a genre he famously revamped for the first of the 28 series, as "trashy." He loved the weekend he spent directing second unit footage for 28 Weeks Later. "I wanted to get out of the cutting room because I'd been in so long doing this film (Sunshine) and I really enjoyed it -- you know -- doing something trashy like zombies killing people. Especially since it was all I shot one weekend and I was like 'Wow, this is really great! You just come in and kill him and that's what we'll shoot today.' It's fantastic release."

It seems Boyle's sweet description of the zombie genre is one he shared with his actors Cillian Murphy and Naomie Harris, when they first teamed for the production nearly six years ago. Boyle says of the pair, "They liked the idea of me directing because of my reputation but they thought 'wasn't it a bit [trashy]' with lots of violence and trash and even though they did exactly what I asked, I could feel them being a bit reluctant."

Though Boyle has been impressed with the development of these actors and their careers in the years since they first teamed together, he also realizes, as he says each director must, "95 percent or more of the audience is only interested in who's acting in it and if it's any good. They don't give a hoot about what your theories are or anything like that. And you have to learn that, even though you're in charge of the film and actors only appear for a few weeks -- whereas you're on it for years -- basically the film's for them and it has to be for them. Basically that's all we go to the movies for."

Boyle and Murphy on the set of Sunshine

On the subject of trash in more literal sense, Boyle commented very gracefully to an interviewer's question on recent comments he made about Hostel 2 director, Eli Roth. "Did I?" Boyle flirted. "What did I say?"

Of this inter-collegial comment, Boyle explained, "I shouldn't have, for professional reasons," and laughed at himself. He also said he has "spoken about Michael Bay. I was lured into talking about him once. I don't think I have an opinion about Eli Roth, or if I do I haven't expressed it. That's as far as I think I'm going to go right now!" With a hearty laugh, he concluded, "You didn't lure me in successfully enough there."

Stay tuned this week for more from our Q&A with Danny Boyle. Sunshine opens in limited release this Friday and nationwide July 27.

Related Items

Movie:	28 Days Later
	Sunshine
	28 Weeks Later
Celeb:	Danny Boyle
	Cillian Murphy
	Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

(1-20 of 24 posts) | Reply

Now it's dark writes:
on Jul 16 2007 07:27 PM

He's probly the only reason I'd wanna see it after Weeks was such a dissapointment. What about a Trainspotting sequel?

(Reply to this)

dastly75 writes:
on Jul 16 2007 07:44 PM

Weeks was extremely disappointing, here's hoping the third one will be done by Boyle.

(Reply to this)

tyler8186 writes:
on Jul 16 2007 08:05 PM

ahh, weeks wasn't bad, just not as awe-inspiring as the first
its almost as if Boyle wanted to give us something just to hold us over for his triumphant return as the director in the third one

(Reply to this)

Donnell706 writes:
on Jul 16 2007 09:47 PM

Weeks was a worthy sequel to a "trashy" film.

Can't wait for the third installment!

(Reply to this)

mojodaddy writes:
on Jul 16 2007 10:09 PM

*Looks at picture on page* I didn't know Boyle and Cillian Murphy were dating.

(Reply to this)

jeremyd4 writes:
on Jul 17 2007 02:41 AM

In reply to this comment (#935831)
A "Trainspotting" sequel is coming (Porno)... Apparently he is just waiting for the actors to age a bit more, at least, I think that's what Danny Boyle was reported as saying.

(Reply to this)

jmo2ski writes:
on Jul 17 2007 03:28 AM

Yeah both of the films sucked, have the ever heard of the words, action, suspense, a thrill?

(Reply to this)

Gimy writes:
on Jul 17 2007 05:06 AM

the first one was really good because it seemed...well, REAL. like it could have happened. so many shots didn't seem CGI'd or like a video game. the second one just seemed very Resident Evil-ish. and anybody who saw the second one knew this was coming anyway. not sure why everybody's so down on Roth, look at the horror genre...you don't see many, if any, good releases in theaters. too many people are snotty and crap on you when you succeed.

i would like to see him team up, again, with McGregor though...maybe he meet Murphy's character in this sequel. can't really remember if the dude died in the first or not...

(Reply to this)

frogleg writes:
on Jul 17 2007 05:34 AM

So what exactly did he say about Roth & Bay? Anybody know?

(Reply to this)

LAZARUS007 writes:
on Jul 17 2007 06:25 AM

In reply to this comment (#938065)
I DONT THINK 28 WEEKS WAS BAD AT ALL, IF ANYTHING IT WAS MORE FAST PACED THAN THE 1ST ONE WHICH HAD TOO MANY RELAXE0D" MOMENTS". I mean c'mon, how many horror movies have u seen where who cant really guess who survives or dies? Well 28 weeks had that element.

(Reply to this)

~*Admiral Snowstorm*~ writes:
on Jul 17 2007 07:14 AM

I think both of the 28 Later movies were good in their own ways. It's up to Boyle now to make a third one fresh and make it good as well.

(Reply to this)

arendr writes:
on Jul 17 2007 09:02 AM

He should do it all in Russian with subtitles. Has a language change ever been tried on a sequel?

(Reply to this)

The Lord Slash writes:
on Jul 17 2007 12:01 PM

I thought 28 weeks later was better...

(Reply to this)

Mr. Kong writes:
on Jul 17 2007 12:59 PM

In reply to this comment (#938368)
I don't think so.

(Reply to this)

Pilgermann writes:
on Jul 17 2007 01:43 PM

28 WEEKS LATER was awful.

(Reply to this)

dylan21484nj writes:
on Jul 17 2007 06:47 PM

despite the one or two lapses of plausibility and a helicopter scene seemingly taken straight outta the Planet Terror half of Grindhouse, 28 Weeks Later was a worthy sequel, although the original remains the better of the two. although with the way 20 Weeks Later ended, i was expecting to see beret-wearing zombies beating people to death with baguettes in the next film (which i assume will be called 20 Months Later).

and what has Boyle said about Bay and Roth that hasn't already been said? that they're brilliant auteurs? please, Boyle smashing those two is only two in a long, long line of people who hate Bay and Roth.

(Reply to this)

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