Alex Garland credits “The Last of Us” for enhancing his sequel script for “28 Years Later.” During the “Creator to Creator” podcast, he noted that the game’s sophistication inspired him to elevate his own writing. Garland, who wrote the original “28 Days Later,” mentioned that while his first film drew influence from “Resident Evil” and “Dawn of the Dead,” he sought a more unique story for the sequel involving Chinese Special Forces. Garland also reflected on his career, sharing that he previously avoided revisiting his films, but felt that “The Last of Us” significantly impacted his new project.
Alex Garland attributes the success of his upcoming sequel, “28 Years Later,” to the influence of “The Last of Us.”
Garland, the writer of the original 2002 zombie film “28 Days Later” and the upcoming third installment, “28 Years Later,” revealed during the “Creator to Creator” podcast (featured in the video below) that the video game “The Last of Us” motivated him to elevate his writing skills.
Neil Druckmann, the mind behind the original “The Last of Us” game and co-creator of the HBO series adaptation alongside Craig Mazin, was in conversation with Garland during the panel.
“I was deeply inspired by your work,” Garland told Druckmann. “‘The Last of Us’ surpasses ’28 Days Later.’ It struck me as being so much more sophisticated. It was quite motivating for me with ‘The Last of Us’ to feel as though someone was asking, ‘Where’s your game?’”
Garland noted that his initial film in the series, “28 Days Later,” drew inspiration from “Resident Evil” and “Dawn of the Dead.” However, he found that the storyline for “28 Years Later” aligns more closely with the themes in “The Last of Us,” a fact he attributes to the game’s significant cultural impact. He first had to persuade “28 Days Later” director Danny Boyle to support the “28 Years Later” concept. Garland’s script has been in circulation since 2019, with Boyle expressing in 2022 that he was “very tempted” to take on directing; the film is now set for a 2025 release.
“I conceived this really unusual idea [for ’28 Years Later’],” Garland explained, adding, “There’s something a bit irreverent or slightly punk about my approach. I envisioned heroes who were Chinese Special Forces, with the UK under quarantine because China discovered that the virus had been weaponized. To protect themselves, they needed to reach a lab in the UK where the virus originated; obtaining the source virus could lead to a vaccine. Danny Boyle read it and indicated, ‘Sure, I kind of want to do this.’ Yet I sensed he wasn’t fully convinced.”
Garland continued, “Then I pondered, ‘What’s not appealing about it? Maybe it just isn’t good enough…’ So I decided to craft a story that was much more unconventional, which ultimately bears a connection to ‘The Last of Us.’ The impact of ‘The Last of Us’ on me was profound.”
Druckmann responded, “I take that as a great compliment. […] There’s a clear link between the fast infected in ‘28 Days Later’ and the infected in ‘The Last of Us.’”
Currently co-directing the military thriller “Warfare” alongside Navy Seal veteran Ray Mendoza, Garland spoke about how he typically refrains from revisiting his past films, including “28 Days Later.” It wasn’t until brainstorming for the 2007 sequel “28 Weeks Later” that he started reflecting on his earlier work.
“For years, I avoided rewatching any of my films,” he stated. “I’ve only ever rewatched one, actually, ‘Dread.’”
Discussing his career, he remarked, “I was relieved not to take on the directing role [for ’28 Years Later’]. After several years in the director’s chair, I felt ready to move on. Co-directing “Warfare” with Mendoza has definitely made the process smoother.”
Regarding Druckmann and “The Last of Us,” the series will premiere its second season in 2025 and has also been renewed for a third season. “I’ve always believed that games can achieve much more than they’re often credited with,” Druckmann remarked.
Watch the full video below.