28 Weeks Later is the sequel to the zombie horror film 28 Days Later. Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, the sequel. Whilst still a terrifying, brutal film, the movie has an action-packed quality with a heavy focus on both military action scenes and a family core. Those fast-running infected are among the most terrifying creatures in horror, and it arguably has one of the greatest horror movie openings ever made.
The cast features a selection of American and British actors, many of whom have continued to have excellent careers, whilst others have faded away and moved on to other things. This is a list of the main cast from 28 Weeks Later and where their careers ended up.
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Robert Carlyle
Robert Carlyle is renowned for his exceptional diligence as an actor, going to great lengths to understand and portray his roles in 28 Weeks Later. Carlyle plays Dom, the protagonist who surprisingly becomes the antagonist through brutal means. In one scene, Carlyle smacked his head into a wall so many times that it left him with headaches.
Carlyle is a frequent collaborator of Danny Boyle, who directed 28 Days Later and certain parts of this movie as well. He is in both Trainspotting movies and Yesterday. He was also the star of Stargate Universe and was an important figure in ABC’s Once Upon a Time. Most recently, Carlyle led The Full Monty, a reboot TV series of the movie he starred in in 1997, and featured in Toxic Town for Netflix.
Rose Byrne
Rose Byrne appears in 28 Weeks Later as Scarlet, a US Army Medical Officer, before the release of the movie. Byrne was well-established at the time. She appeared in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones as a handmaiden, collaborated with Boyle in Sunshine, and featured in stage plays and Australian films.
After the release of this horror movie, Byrne became very famous in two genre fields. She’s a terrific comedic performer, with leading roles in Bridesmaids, Spy, and the Neighbors franchise. However, she also remained a fixture in horror, starring in James Wan’s iconic Insidious series. She also dipped into the world of superheroes, playing Moira MacTaggert in the X-Men movies alongside James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender.
Catherine McCormack
Catherine McCormack plays a pivotal character in 28 Weeks Later, Alice, Don’s wife. She has an immunity to the rage virus that devastated Britain, but she is actually a carrier and still able to infect others. McCormack has not experienced the same rise to stardom and enormous success as others, as seen in 28 Weeks Later, but she has continued to be an actress.
In her early career, her most famous work was as Murron MacClannough in Braveheart. And since then, she can be found across TV, especially on British screens. She pops up in miniseries and episodes of Sherlock, Slow Horses, and The Witcher.
Imogen Poots
Imogen Poots was relatively unknown when she was cast as Dom’s daughter, Tammy, where she quickly becomes one of the main characters. And after that, she has become far more established and continues to be a prominent face in pop culture. Poots has been in Jimi: All is by My Side and The Look of Love, biopics for Jimi Hendrix and Paul Raymond, respectively. She also appeared in Need for Speed with Aaron Paul and twice with Anton Yelchin in Fright Night and Green Room.
Mackintosh Muggleton
Muggleton played Tammy’s brother Andy in 28 Weeks Later. That was his first screen appearance, and he has not appeared on screen much since. He wrote and directed a short film, The Man in the Mist, and has featured in two films since 2007. One was a poorly received genre film in Salem Witch Doll, and the other is a short film called Just Another Soldier.
Jeremy Renner
Renner is arguably the most famous face in 28 Weeks Later, particularly in terms of future careers. It was not long after playing Delta Force Sniper Doyle in 28 Weeks Later that he starred in The Hurt Locker, which won many Oscars, and Renner himself gained a nomination. He has become a reliable cast member in major movie franchises. Most famously, Renner is known for playing Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
This began with a cameo in Thor, and continued through every Avengers film, including Captain America: Civil War, and culminated in the Hawkeye solo series. He was also a staple in later Mission: Impossible movies, as well as The Bourne Identity. Renner also continued to demonstrate his rage and talent in award-winning films such as American Hustle and Arrival, and stars in multiple seasons of Mayor of Kingstown.
Harold Perrineau
Harold Perrineau is an actor better known for appearing in TV shows rather than movies. In 28 Weeks Later, Perrineau played a helicopter pilot who had one of the coolest moments in any zombie movie. Floyd, the character Perrineau portrays, slices through a sea of infected with the rotor blades of the helicopter. Whilst it’s a severe departure from the realism that the franchise was known for, it’s undeniably awesome.
After this movie, Perrineau was in a slew of popular shows in starring and recurring roles. He appears in seasons of Lost, Sons of Anarchy, Constantine, The Rookie, and Criminal Minds.
Idris Elba
Idris Elba is one of the most recognizable actors around, found in just so much media over the years. His explosion into the public eye came in one of the all-time great shows, The Wire, and as the main character in the BBC crime series, Luther. However, that is followed by an even greater expansion into super stardom. Almost every franchise has had a role for Elba to play. He is Heimdall in the MCU, Bloodshot in The Suicide Squad, and was the antagonist in Fast & Furious: Hobbs and Shaw. He was also in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, Prometheus, and Cats, so they’re not all winners.
Elba’s iconic voice has also been used in motion capture and animation. Elba plays Shere Khan in the remake of The Jungle Book and Knuckles in the Sonic the Hedgehog movies. He’s found in multiple commercials, presents award shows, and is just generally everywhere. Alongside acting, Elba has his own production company and has also been a reputable DJ and rapper.
The cast of 28 Weeks Later has a similar level of future stars as the first chapter. For the creators, there is a mixed bag of success. Fresnadillo, the director, has largely worked on commercials, but recently directed Damsel for Netflix. There’s a full writers’ room involved. Rowan Joffe wrote on The Informer and Tin Star. E.L. Lavigne has written numerous Spanish-language films and TV series, and Jesus Olmo wrote for the film Cold Skin.
The cinematographer, Enrique Chediak, won a BAFTA working with Boyle on 127 Hours and has since worked on Bumblebee, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and A Minecraft Movie. Composer John Murphy had worked with James Gunn on The Suicide Squad and co-composed the music for Superman.
28 Weeks Later is streaming now on Hulu.
28 Years Later is in theatres everywhere.
