28 Years Laterdirector Danny Boyle and actor Chi Lewis-Parry break down how the film’s very naked Alpha zombie was brought to life. Serving as the third installment in the28 Days Laterfranchise, Boyle’s new horror movie follows Spike (Aflie Williams), a young boy from an isolated island community, as he embarks on a mission to the dangerous mainland. The28 Years Laterstoryfeatures a number of changes from past installments, including the introduction of massive Alpha variants, one of whom, Samson, has made quite a splash online in part due to his large penis.
During a recent interview withComicBook.com, Boyle confirms that Samson’s manhood was accomplished with the use of a prosthetic. In fact, the director reveals thatall the nude zombies that appear in the film – or at least those who share the screen with Williams – are wearing prostheticsdue to Williams being underage. Check out his explanation below:
“This was a salutory moment via our intimacy coordinator thatwhen you have a child of 12 present, all genitals, male and female, have to be fake. They can’t be real. [The] Child Sex Offenses Act would put me in prison if I allowed him [Alfie] to see real genitals [laughs]. So he has to look at absolutely false photo-real genitals, created by a prosthetics company.”
During a separate interview withVariety, Samson actor Lewis-Parry, who is 6'8" tall, shares his thoughts about the use of prosthetics, echoing Boyle’s comments about the film’s nudity being legally required to be fake on set:
Yeah, they were prosthetics. There’s a law that states, I think, because he’s a child, you’re allowed to have nudity but it has to be fake nudity. It was to protect him. And, as well, I’m really friendly and am always hugging people. I wouldn’t have been doing that if I was fully in the nip!"
Varietythen includes a question about whether Lewis-Parry’s prosthetic was “in proportion,” prompting a humorous response from the actor:
This Film Just Established What Future Sequels Will Look Like
Warning! Major spoilers ahead for 28 Years Later.
In28 Days Later(2002) and28 Weeks Later(2007), those infected with theRage Virusare all wearing clothes. Though not explicitly explained in the new movie,it is assumed that, after almost three decades, the infected people’s clothes were simply worn to the point of disintegration.28 Years Latermakes some attempt not to include close-ups of the nudity, but it also certainly doesn’t try too hard to hide it, which is one of the reasons for the film’s R rating. Combined with the very grisly violence, Boyle’s latest is clearly the most graphic entry in the franchise.
The decision to make the infected nude is one that seemingly will now live on in future films. Asequel called28 Years Later: The Bone Templehas already been filmed and is set to release next January. Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland also have plans to bring a third installment to life, which will seemingly be no different.It’s notable, too, thatSamson remains alive at the end of28 Years Later, meaning he will almost certainly be showing up in the second film, opening the door for a further exploration of the Rage Virus Alpha mutation.
Nia DaCosta directsThe Bone Templewith a script from Garland. Boyle has plans to return as director for the third installment, but whether it gets made depends on the success of these first two installments.
Our Take On Samson In 28 Years Later
Alphas Aren’t The Only Big Franchise Change
The introduction of Alphas into the world of28 Days Latermarks a major shift for the franchise. The idea that the Rage Virus is mutating and changing is clearly one that will be important moving forward.Alphas are also even more terrifying than the regular infecteddue to their size, strength, and speed, helping Boyle’s new film purely from a scares perspective.
Alphas aren’t the only changes to the infected, though, as28 Years Later’s pregnant infected womangiving birth to a non-infected baby is a monumental moment for the franchise, and potentially something that opens the door for a cure. It remains to be seen how the story will unfold after28 Years Later, but audiences can evidently expect plenty more prosthetics to come.
