Nia DaCosta Injects More Infected Mayhem into ‘28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’

Director Nia DaCosta described getting her hands on Alex Garland’s script as one of the best filmmaking experiences she has had. She compared it to her work on other projects, explaining that films like Candyman and Marvels suffered from lacking scripts that created havoc during production. In contrast, the Bone Temple screenplay already felt so solid she hardly needed to change a thing. Despite that, she still found one tweak essential. She laughed while saying that her main contribution was asking for more infected.

DaCosta’s comment delighted horror fans who love seeing hordes of raging creatures rather than isolated jump scares. She inherited a terrific cast including Alfie Williams, Jack O’Connell, Ralph Fiennes, and returning star Cillian Murphy. On top of that, she was trusted to bring her own vision to supporting roles and even design some new locations. While collaborating with original director Danny Boyle on certain elements, she made sure the final look reflected her own direction.

The Bone Temple is set to hit theaters on January 16, 2026, and fans already know it was filmed immediately after its predecessor back in mid-2024. It continues the story of Spike, Sir Jimmy Crystal, and the eerie monuments of the bone temple, all while exploring twisted cults, memory, and the nature of evil.

Why ask for more infected? The first film built tension by showing the terrifying infected less often and in brief flashes. DaCosta clearly wanted to embrace the visceral horror more directly this time around. More infected equals more chaos, more jumpworthy moments, and more world-ending dread.

The timing of her request is clever. It honors the unnerving calm that made the first entry so effective but pushes the sequel toward darker, grander energy. The fans who were clamoring for a bigger sense of dread, more visceral thrills, and more screen-time for those hungry horrors will get their wish.