Fans of the zombie genre—you’ve been patient. You waited what feels like 28 years for this follow-up to Danny Boyle’s iconic 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. And now, finally, 28 Years Later is here… with more controversy, bigger (literally) zombies, and a lot of very mixed feelings.
Let’s talk about the elephant—or should I say appendage—in the room. Social media lit up after the early screenings, not with praise, but with memes, gasps, and raised eyebrows. Why? Giant zombie genitals. Yep. Not exactly the cinematic moment fans were expecting.
While the critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave the film some love, the audience reviews are far less forgiving. Some say the trailer was better than the movie itself. Others questioned whether this franchise still has bite in a post-Walking Dead world, where zombie fatigue is very, very real.
Still, 28 Years Later managed to pull in $30 million over its opening weekend, which isn’t bad for horror—but it’s worth noting that it front-loaded heavy with diehards on Thursday previews, then dropped off. Compare that to How to Train Your Dragon, which took $37 million and proved that dragons (at least this week) are hotter than the undead.
Box office stats show the strongest numbers came from the East Coast, West Coast, and South Central U.S., with AMC Burbank leading the pack at $97,000 through Saturday. Demographics? 49% of the audience were men over 25, and 46% were Caucasian, followed by Latino/Hispanic (25%), Black (12%), and Asian American (10%).
There’s also chatter about the ending—some calling it bold, others calling it baffling. Either way, 28 Years Later has stirred up more discussion than devotion. And while $30 million is a solid haul, don’t be surprised if it takes a steep dive as the weeks go on.
So, was it worth the wait? That might depend on how much you like your zombies… anatomically enhanced.