With the first trailer for “28 Years Later” finally released, it's safe to say that my excitement for 2025 has reached a new level, and as a fan of the “28 Days Later” series, I've been eagerly awaiting the next chapter in the mind-bending apocalyptic world that Danny Boyle and Alex Garland first introduced to the world in 2002. I was eagerly awaiting a glimpse of it.

Now, with the release of this trailer, lingering doubts have turned into one overwhelming certainty.

The trailer brings us back to where it all began, with the Teletubbies on screen (a nostalgic moment that may tug at the heartstrings of British viewers), trying to placate a group of children amidst the chaos around them. But the peace is short-lived, as we are thrust into a darker and more uncertain future, and new characters are introduced. There are also strong hints hidden about more evolved zombies, bigger and stronger.

Big names like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and Ralph Fiennes anchor the sequel. Cillian Murphy is set to return, but sharp-eyed fans speculate that his brief, eerie appearance as a zombie in the trailer may hint at a shocking turn of events.

But what struck me most was not just the stunning visuals of some unique locations and the pulse-pounding score, but the way it heralded a story that felt deeply personal and relevant. If this trailer is any indication, “28 Years Later” may be the sequel we've all been waiting for. Check it out below:

“28 Years Later” takes place 28 years after the world was thrown into turmoil. It is the first chapter in an exciting new trilogy, the second of which, 28 Years Later Part II: The Bourne Temple, has already been filmed.

Cillian Murphy reprises his iconic role. This time, though, he may not be the mediocre bicycle courier of old who wakes up from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic London ravaged by a deadly rage virus. We can expect a thrilling continuation of the story as the aftermath of the apocalypse unfolds with even greater intensity.

Fiennes recently told IndieWire about the plot: “England is 28 years after a terrible plague of infected people, violent and rabid humans, with only a few uninfected communities. The main character is a young boy trying to find a doctor to help his dying mother. He leads his mother to the beautiful lands of northern England. But of course, all around him are infected people hiding in the woods, hills and forests. But he finds a doctor who we might think is strange and eccentric, but who is actually a force for good.

Speaking on the ReelBlend podcast, Garland also said that the film will explore more nuanced themes surrounding landscape, people, and nature: “It's about the passage of time and how the passage of time affects us.... Is it a condition traditionally called post-apocalypse? Or is something else beginning to emerge? Time is at the heart of the engine of this film.”

After seeing the trailer for 28 Years Later, I am even more excited about this new trilogy. Without revealing much, the trailer is enough to keep the audience hooked, and I can already tell that it will be a powerful cinematic experience in 2025.

“28 Years Later” will be released on June 20, 2025.