Alex Garland and Andrew Macdonald discuss ‘28 Years Later’ trilogy and filmmaking challenges

The production of 28 Years Later, the sequel to 28 Days Later, officially began on August 19, 2024, marking the start of what is hoped to be a trilogy. During an on-stage discussion at the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) on August 18, producer Andrew Macdonald and writer Alex Garland spoke about the upcoming film and their longstanding collaboration.

Macdonald, who has produced all the films in the UK post-apocalyptic series, confirmed the trilogy plans, stating, "We’re just about to start tomorrow morning part two, directed by Nia DaCosta, and we hope there is going to be a third part." The original 28 Days Later, directed by Danny Boyle in 2002, was followed by 28 Weeks Later in 2007, directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo.

Reflecting on their collaboration, Garland and Macdonald discussed the challenges they faced, particularly with 28 Days Later. Garland noted, "Sometimes the most difficult films turn out to be really good. 28 Days Later was incredibly difficult – we ran out of money. We didn’t have an ending, we shot another ending, we edited for eight months."

The pair also shared insights into their other projects, including the 2010 film Never Let Me Go, which Garland described as "a good film in some ways, but flawed in that respect." He explained that his experience with the film influenced his directorial debut, Ex Machina. Garland added, "The reason that disco dancing scene is [in Ex Machina] is because of Never Let Me Go."

Macdonald and Garland also touched on the challenges of casting indie films, with Macdonald revealing that Universal International’s support was crucial for Ex Machina. "The sales companies wanted us to cast Jake Gyllenhaal," Macdonald said, emphasizing that casting decisions significantly impact a film’s production.

On directing, Garland admitted, "I never wanted to be a director – I wanted to stop directors changing things." He expressed mixed feelings about directing, noting that while he enjoyed Ex Machina and the TV show Devs, he prefers focusing on writing scripts for others.