Sony Re-Releases “28 Days Later” On Digital Platforms
Last week, Sony Pictures released a teaser trailer for the upcoming Zombie film, “28 Years Later”, which is a sequel to “28 Days Later” and “28 Weeks Later”.
The new movie is set to arrive in cinemas on June 20th 2025, and sees Academy Award-winning director Danny Boyle and Academy Award-nominated writer Alex Garland reunite with a terrifying new story set in the world created by 28 Days Later. It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.
Following the release of the new trailer, fans have been wanting to catch up on the first two movies. However, while the first two movies were released by Disney’s Searchlight Pictures, only “28 Weeks Later” was available to find on digital platforms to purchase or rent and on streaming services, including Hulu and Hulu On Disney+ in the United States and on Disney+ internationally.
The first film, “28 Days Later,” wasn’t available on any platforms to buy, rent, or stream, but this week, Sony re-released the movie on digital platforms for rent and purchase. The film also hadn’t been re-released on physical media for years, resulting in the price of second hand copies esculating.
The distribution rights for “28 Days Later” do seem slightly confusing since earlier this year, the film’s producer, Andrew MacDonald, bought back the rights to the film from Searchlight Pictures and promptly sold them to Sony Pictures, in addition to the upcoming sequel “28 Years Later.” Disney’s 20th Century Studios still even has the first film listed on its website, which is even more confusing for audiences.
In “28 Days Later”, animal rights activists free a group of infected chimpanzees to horrifying results in this speculative sci-fi horror effort from Trainspotting director Danny Boyle. Waking from a coma in a deserted London hospital 28 days later, bicycle courier Jim (Cillian Murphy) takes to the deserted city streets in a state of mystified confusion. Joining forces with another group of survivors following a terrifying encounter in a seemingly abandoned church, Jim soon learns the truth behind the deserted streets and the menacing creatures that lurk in the shadows. It’s soon revealed that the chimpanzees had been harbouring a deadly virus that sends its victims into a furious, murderous rage, and in the days following the initial exposure, the entire population was nearly wiped out due to the resulting homicidal rampage. Is there still a glimmer of hope for humanity — or has the deadly “rage” virus found its way to foreign shores and infected the entire planet?
Roger’s Take: I’m glad Sony has found a way to release “28 Days Later” legally, as there is so much interest in this franchise. This past weekend, I watched “28 Weeks Later” for the first time on Disney+, highlighting the weird streaming rights to the films. Hopefully, Disney will work out a deal with Sony to reunite the films under one streaming platform.
Do you want to rewatch “28 Days Later” before “28 Years Later” comes out? Let me know on social media!
Roger Palmer
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