28 Years Later: The Bone Temple director teases the sequel's most "horrifying" scene involving Jack O'Connell's bizarre cult leader: "It really is inhumane"

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28 Years Later: The Bone Temple director teases the sequel's most "horrifying" scene involving Jack O'Connell's bizarre cult leader: "It really is inhumane" News By Megan Garside published 8 January 2026

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Get ready horror fans, as upcoming sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple may be even more terrifying than its predecessor, and it's all thanks to Jack O'Connell's bizarre cult leader Jimmy Crystal and his gang of Jimmys.

"I mean, they are satanists essentially," said director Nia DaCosta of the Jimmys, in an interview with Bloody Disgusting. "They believe in charity, which is what they call it, and cruelty, and it really is inhumane." The filmmaker, who has taken over from 28 Years Later director Danny Boyle, says the cult is in stark contrast to Ralph Fiennes's "humanist character" Dr. Kelson. "For me, the balance of those two things is super important."

We met the tracksuit-donning, blonde-wig-wearing Jimmys very briefly right at the end of 28 Years Later, when they rescued Alfie Williams' Spike from a gang of infected. However, it soon became apparent that Sir Jimmy Crystal was no hero. As the figure takes on a more central role in the sequel, it sounds as though the villain and his squadron are going to cause some bloody carnage, especially in one ghastly scene.

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"The barn scene in particular is horrifying, but it's because you realize, wow, these people are disconnected from their beating heart, from their conscience, from, some would say, their souls. It's because of the world they live in," added DaCosta. "But we also have Kelson, who chooses another way and is in the same world as they are."

The most recent trailer for The Bone Temple includes a glimpse of that particular scene. After the Jimmys capture a group of survivors, they string them up and do god knows what to them off-camera whilst Spike watches on in horror. Could the Jimmys be cannibals like the Terminus dwellers in The Walking Dead, who suspend victims like animals in order to drain and eat them? Or are they just barbarians wanting to torture both humans and infected? We will have to wait and see.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple arrives in theaters on January 16, 2026. While we wait, check out our guide to the other best upcoming horror movies to add to your watchlist.

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Megan GarsideSocial Links NavigationJunior Social Media Editor, GamesRadar+

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.

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