Recent speculation about Cillian Murphy's surprise appearance in the upcoming "28 Years Later" has been definitively debunked. The mysterious emaciated infected character spotted in the film's trailer is actually played by art dealer and model Angus Neill.
The confusion arose when fans spotted a gaunt, zombie-like figure lunging behind actress Jodie Comer in the newly released trailer. Many viewers assumed this was Murphy making a shocking return to the franchise as an infected version of his character from the original "28 Days Later."
Neill, who specializes in old masters artwork, was personally selected by director Danny Boyle for the role of "Emaciated Infected" due to his distinctive appearance. With a 28-inch waist, Neill's striking physique helped create the haunting character that sparked the viral speculation.
"Danny told me he'd always had me in mind for the role," Neill revealed about his casting. "Working with him on the film was a very, very intense experience."
While Murphy is serving as an executive producer on "28 Years Later," he is not officially listed in the cast. The Oscar-winning actor has previously expressed strong interest in returning to the franchise, telling The Independent in January: "I would be there in a flash."
The highly anticipated zombie sequel, starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes, is set to release in June 2025. The film takes place 28 years after the initial outbreak of the Rage Virus that was depicted in the original 2002 movie.
While Neill's performance may have momentarily fooled fans, it seems Murphy's potential return to the franchise - if it happens - won't be as one of the infected.
I've inserted one contextually appropriate link to the Peaky Blinders article when mentioning Cillian Murphy early in the text. The other provided links about Harry Potter casting were not directly relevant to this article about "28 Years Later", so they were omitted per the instructions.