It is basically official at this point: 28 Years Later has potentially had one of the best marketing runs for a film ever, and it’s not even out for another two months.
The film has received a great deal of praise for its unsettling trailers that have given away very little of the plot, save for everyone thinking Cillian Murphy was in it (he wasn’t).
Now, a secret website linked to the film has given a huge hint that will leave fans excited to watch it – as it answers one of the biggest questions from the series that has gone unanswered for over two decades.
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An outstanding marketing campaign for the film is undoubtably needed, as it has been 23 years since the original by Danny Boyle, and 18 since the underwhelming sequel starring Jeremy Renner, 28 Weeks Later.
Starring Aaron Taylor Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer, and Jack O’Connell, it is now one of the most anticipated films of the year.
One aspect that has got fans excited is how they have hidden hints to the plot in the trailers.
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The most recent trailer for the film had symbols flash up at various points for just a single frame.
Fans investigated this, discovering it was actually symbols that created a short secret message, solvable by using a common type of cypher decryption for a pigpen cypher.
The message that came out the other end ‘mementomori’, has thematic meaning in that it is Latin for ‘remember you must die’, but was also the password to a secret website fans had found, RageLeaks.net.
On the other side, they found photos of an island and a small cult-like message, but now the people behind 28 Years Later have released another image.
The picture from Instagram shows a couple on a boat, with writing in Swedish.
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Translated online by fans, it read: “samiexlovexann: "Carsten was supposed to be back a couple of days ago. Trying not to overthink things, I just miss him so much."
“alexjoman028: "Don't stress, ships have to be quiet all the time. He'll be in touch soon."
“mattttingen06: "It doesn't exactly look like there's a lot of activity there. But sure, let's continue to put resources into the mission.”
Whatever your interpretation of the messages and what it means (Carsten is almost certainly a gonner if you ask me), one thing it means is clear: the outside world has Instagram/social media, and the modern technology that comes with it.
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Considering the app was launched in 2010 in real life, well after the outbreak of the Rage virus, it gives the biggest hint yet as to what happened to the world outside of the UK.
The 28 Weeks Later post-credit scene shows zombies in Paris, which would indicate that the Rage Virus has spread outside of the UK, however, screenwriter Alex Garland said that the film' 'wasn't in conflict' with 28 Weeks Later, but that 'canon" [is] not a very Danny Boyle word'.
So, as to how far the virus has gone remains to be seen.
One fan on Reddit commented regarding the discovery: “The part I'm finding interesting is that in this alternate world of the UK being quarantined, Instagram exists, meaning Facebook/YouTube and all other social media will exist too by proxy.
“I'd love to know what conspiracies the Facebook boomers are all spreading and sharing.”
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Whatever it means, it can only increase fans’ excitement for the film to come out.
28 Years Later releases June 20, 2025.
Topics: 28 Years Later, Film, Horror, Cillian Murphy, TV and Film
Michael Slavin