“28 Years Later,” the long-in-the-works sequel to the zombie horror films “28 Days Later” and “28 Weeks Later,” is heading to theaters next summer, but Sony is already getting excited. On Tuesday, the studio released an intense trailer for the film. director Danny Boyle (Oscar winner for “Slumdog Millionaire”) and screenwriter Alex Garland (Oscar nominee for “Ex Machina”) takes on these roles for the first time since the acclaimed first film, which was released in theaters in 2002.

“28 Years Later” is set in rural England, many years after the “Rage Virus” ravaged the world and turned those infected into fast, aggressive zombies, which was a novelty in the first film as zombies had been commonly depicted up to that point their slow, shuffling traditional state. “It has been nearly three decades since the Rage virus escaped from a biological weapons lab, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to survive among the infected,” the official synopsis reads. “One of these survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders and horrors that have mutated not only the infected, but other survivors as well.”

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The trailer has no dialogue (it’s accompanied by a preacher ranting on the radio), but instead focuses on striking images like zombies running through a field, a menacing masked figure, and a temple made of human bones. The film was shot on a souped-up iPhone 15 Pro Max, which adds to its distinctive look.

The cast includes Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Jack O’ConnellAlfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, Edvin Ryding, Ralph FiennesAnd Cillian Murphywho reprises his role as Jim from the original film, which was his breakthrough. The trailer mostly focuses on Taylor-Johnson and Williams’ characters, but there are brief glimpses of Fiennes and a zombie that looks a lot like Murphy.

“28 Years Later” is followed by two sequels. The first, 28 Years Later II: The Bone Temple, is directed by Nia DaCosta (“Candyman”) and was filmed back-to-back with “28 Years Later.”

“28 Years Later” will be released in theaters on June 20, 2025.

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