28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Director Reveals Why The Film Struggled At The Box Office (Exclusive)
When it was first announced that Danny Boyle and Alex Garland were returning to the world of 28 Days Later, it was made clear that their plan extended beyond one film. They envisioned 28 Years Later as a trilogy, with the first film to be helmed by Boyle himself, and the second chapter – The Bone Temple – to be directed by Candyman’s Nia DaCosta, shot back to back and later to be followed by Part Three. But while 28 Years Later and The Bone Temple both received rapturous critical acclaim (and love from audiences too) the second instalment struggled at the box office. Released in January, The Bone Temple amassed $58 million worldwide, just over a third of 28 Years Later’s $151 million haul.
As DaCosta tells Empire, the drop-off in turnout came as something of a surprise to all involved. “It’s so funny, because literally every barometer we use in the industry to determine whether or not a movie is good, and people like it and want to see it, was through the roof, and yet our box office wasn’t there,” she says in a major new interview, reflecting on 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. “I made a great film, and I’m really proud of it, and people liked it.” While fans only had to wait a matter of months between the two films hitting cinemas, DaCosta queries whether it was “maybe too soon, because people were like, ‘Oh yeah, I saw that last summer!’ I’m like, ‘No, no, so there’s a sequel!’”
While The Bone Temple’s box office numbers proved underwhelming, DaCosta can stand by her work. “My friend said to me years ago, ‘Nia, your career is for you to enjoy,’ and I really have been trying to put that into practice and take that to heart over the course of the past few years,” she says. “And so when this came out and it didn’t do as well in terms of the money it made, I was disappointed. But I also was like, ‘I’m so happy that when people find the film, they’re going to enjoy the film.’ I wish it made more money, but I’m really proud of it.”
For now, the question remains: will Boyle and Garland get to cap off their trilogy with the planned third film? Prior to The Bone Temple’s release, the final instalment was confirmed to be moving ahead – but it’s been quiet since the second film’s lower-than-hoped numbers. There’s only one thing for it: who’s up for a 28 marathon?
Read Empire’s full Nia DaCosta interview – on 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, and her career so far – in the Aliens issue, on sale Thursday May 7. Pre-order a copy online here. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is available now on 4K, Blu-ray, DVD, and digital.
