28 Years Later: Trailer has fans guessing over Cillian Murphy's fate

Is Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy going to step back into his role from 28 Days Later?

After a long wait, fans can look forward to the release of the much-anticipated sequel to the horror movies 28 Days Later (2002) and 28 Weeks Later (2007) next summer. The excitement is building as viewers get a sneak peek of what's to come with the trailer for 28 Years Later.

Several people quickly recognized what seemed to be a zombie version of Cillian Murphy's character, Jim, the bike courier from 28 Days Later, who managed to survive in the face of overwhelming challenges during the apocalypse.

In the most recent trailer, he appears to show up behind Jodie Comer's character in a field, looking pretty rough—something that wouldn't be unexpected if it really is him.

Some fans had been wondering and hoping that the Oscar-winning star from Oppenheimer would make a comeback to the franchise.

However, Murphy's name is missing from the promotional posters for the new film, even though he is listed as an executive producer on the Sony Pictures website.

The new movie features Killing Eve's Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson from The Fall Guy, and Ralph Fiennes from Conclave. In the trailer, all three can be seen battling against zombies.

The scene begins with kids inside a house, engrossed in watching Teletubbies, but soon, things take a wild turn.

28 Years Later takes place almost 30 years after the original movie, following the release of a "rage virus" that devastatingly spread among humans after escaping from a lab that was working on biological weapons.

In the third movie, we encounter a group of survivors who are living in isolation on a small island, successfully staying safe from infection.

However, when one of them embarks on a journey to the mainland, he uncovers hidden terrors that have transformed not just those who are infected, but also the survivors.

The movie's tagline states: "Time has not fixed anything."

The trailer begins by referencing the beloved children's program Teletubbies, which premiered in 1997. A group of kids is seen huddled around a vintage television while the cheerful theme song plays softly in the background, creating an oddly unsettling atmosphere.

The excitement begins quickly, showcasing a series of intense fight sequences while a haunting, rhythmic version of Rudyard Kipling's war poem, "Boots," plays softly in the background.

A church is seen with its windows broken, as the camera shifts to a countryside island where wooden crosses are scattered across the landscape, each adorned with rosary beads.

On what appears to be a rural home, there's some graffiti that reads, "Look, he is coming with the clouds," which is a line from the first chapter of the Book of Revelation in the Bible. Next to it, someone has added the name "Jimmy" in white paint.

Could this possibly be alluding to Murphy's character Jim?

Is this a version of Cillian Murphy that looks like a zombie?

Taylor-Johnson then makes his way stealthily through lush green fields, armed with a bow and arrow. There are some gruesome scenes, although they are thankfully somewhat unclear.

In the center of a clearing, there's a mound of skulls, and suddenly, a zombie figure—possibly Murphy—makes a quick appearance.

Comer is also pictured holding a baby gently.

Many users on social media made light-hearted comments about the possibility of Murphy showing up, with one person joking, "That would be some serious method acting, even beyond what Christian Bale does." Meanwhile, others expressed their disappointment, saying they felt that brief glimpse was a spoiler.

The red and white emblem of the franchise is featured in the third movie.

The initial movie was crafted by Alex Garland and directed by Danny Boyle, who notably claimed it wasn't a zombie film, even though it played a significant role in sparking a resurgence of interest in that genre.

"28 Weeks Later," directed and co-written by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, featured performances by Jeremy Renner, Rose Byrne, and Robert Carlisle.

Garland and Boyle are back for the third movie, and they are also taking on producing duties.

28 Years Later is set to come out on June 20th.