28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026)
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Director: Nia DaCosta
Writer: Alex Garland
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman
Review
So going in, I was genuinely asking myself: do we really need this? After 28 Years Later dropped in 2025, the universe already felt fleshed out enough. But then you add Nia DaCosta to the mix — and I loved what she did with Candyman and Top Boy — plus Ralph Fiennes stepping into a lead role? Suddenly it felt like a no-brainer.
And to be fair, The Bone Temple does exactly what it needs to do. It deepens the lore of this post-apocalyptic world without undoing what came before. The film pushes the gore to the absolute limit — no surprise there — but what caught me off guard was the shift in tone. For the first time in a long while, there’s an actual ray of hope cutting through a universe that’s usually nothing but bleak, no-return energy.
Ralph Fiennes is the clear standout. Easily the strongest presence the franchise has had since last year’s entry. There’s weight to what he’s doing here, and by the time we reach the end, his impact on the world feels permanent. Let’s be honest — Lord Voldemort couldn’t beat Hogwarts, but here? The dark lord goes out in a way that actually changes the fate of the universe, and I loved that.
That said, not everything lands. Outside of Fiennes and the sheer brutality, most of the supporting cast — Jimmy 1 through 7 — never really stick. Even with Spike returning from the previous film, I found it hard to care where his story was going this time around. The emotional connection just wasn’t there for me, despite the setup.
Still, as a piece of the larger puzzle, this works. It’s a solid watch for longtime fans of the series, and honestly, it’s not a bad starting point for newcomers either. The film stands on its own while clearly setting the stage for a major return we’re all ready for.
JiCanWin.com Score: ★★★★☆
Verdict: Brutal, lore-heavy, and surprisingly hopeful. Ralph Fiennes changes the game — and now I’m locked in to see where the 28 universe goes next.
