28 Years Later 3: Alfie Williams Hints at Part 3 Return as Bone Temple Sequel Defies Box Office Flop

Is the 28 Years Later Trilogy Still Alive? A Cryptic Instagram Post Says Maybe

If you were worried that the 28 Years Later trilogy might fizzle out after the underwhelming theatrical performance of The Bone Temple, you might want to hold onto that hope a little longer. Actor Alfie Williams, who plays the breakout character Spike in both 28 Years Later (2025) and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026), just posted a cryptic image on Instagram holding a bow and arrow with the caption "It's Great to be Back!" — and fans are losing their minds.

For a franchise whose future has been shrouded in box-office anxiety, this single post feels like a flare shot over infected territory. The comments section was flooded within minutes with fans desperately asking: does this mean 28 Years Later 3 is actually happening?

What Happened to The Bone Temple at the Box Office?

Let's be honest — the numbers are rough. The Bone Temple, directed by Nia DaCosta and produced by Sony Pictures, grossed roughly $53–58 million worldwide against a reported $63 million budget. That's a steep drop from the first film, 28 Years Later (directed by Danny Boyle with a script by Alex Garland), which pulled in an impressive $151 million globally.

DaCosta herself admitted she was "disappointed" with the theatrical performance. But here's the thing — the film actually earned solid critical reviews, scoring around 92% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics. So the story isn't that the movie was bad; it just couldn't convert critical praise into ticket sales. A familiar problem in 2026's crowded theatrical landscape.

The disappointment is compounded when you compare it to other horror hits this year. Blumhouse's Obsession recently became 2026's highest-rated movie at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes with both critical and audience acclaim, proving there's still massive appetite for horror — it just needs the right execution and marketing push.

Why Fans Still Believe in the Trilogy

Despite the box office struggles, there are reasons to be optimistic about the third installment:

• Alex Garland was reportedly already writing the script for Part Three, with Cillian Murphy in talks to return as Jim — his brief cameo in The Bone Temple was a massive fan-pleaser that left audiences wanting more.
• Sony Pictures had reportedly been moving forward with a third film as early as December 2025, before The Bone Temple theatrical numbers came in.
• Alfie Williams' Instagram post with the bow and arrow is the kind of "soft tease" that studios use when they want to test the waters without making an official announcement.
• The horror genre's ongoing renaissance — with films like Obsession, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, and Project Hail Mary all landing strong critical scores — suggests the appetite isn't going away.

As one fan put it in the comments: "I hope that third movie better happen because I want to see this story end and I want to see the full return of Cillian Murphy." That sentiment is shared by millions who've been riding this trilogy since Danny Boyle and Alex Garland announced the revival back in 2024.

The Bottom Line

No, Sony Pictures hasn't officially confirmed 28 Years Later 3. No release date has been set. No title has been announced. But Alfie Williams' Instagram post, combined with Garland's reportedly finished script and Murphy's interest in returning, suggests the project isn't dead — it's just on pause while the studio figures out the right strategy.

The 28 Years trilogy deserves an ending. Boyle's vision, Garland's writing, and Murphy's iconic return as Jim shouldn't be abandoned because one sequel had a rough box office run. Let's just hope Sony agrees — and that Part Three gets the green light soon. Until then, we'll keep decoding every Instagram post from the cast like horror movie detectives.