Danny Boyle Opens Up About Surprising Solution for Nude Scenes in ’28 Years Later’
Danny Boyle, the director of 28 Years Later, recently talked about an unexpected problem he faced while making the movie. At the film’s London premiere on June 18, Boyle explained that filming nude scenes was more complicated than expected because of laws protecting child actors.
The story is set 28 years after a virus outbreak, where many infected roam the world without clothes, since their clothing would have worn away over time.
Boyle said, “if you’ve been infected for a long time, the clothes would just disintegrate with the way that you behave.” But because 14-year-old Alfie Williams played an important role on set, the rules changed.
Boyle revealed, “Because there was a 12-year-old boy on set, you’re not allowed for anybody to be naked, not really naked, so they look naked, but it’s all prosthetics.” He called it a “nightmare” to learn about these restrictions after filming had started. An intimacy coordinator explained that having real nudity on set with a minor would break the Child Sex Offenses Act. So, “we had to make everybody prosthetic genitals,” Boyle said.
The film brings back cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle and executive producer Cillian Murphy, who was the star of the original 28 Days Later.
28 Years Later follows a family living on a remote island, played by Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Alfie Williams.
When their supplies run out, they return to the mainland. There, they face dangers from both infected creatures and other survivors, including characters played by Ralph Fiennes and Jack O’Connell.
The cast also includes Edvin Ryding, Chi Lewis-Parry, Emma Laird, and Erin Kellyman. Jack O’Connell plays the head of a strange cult. While the infected remain a threat, the film also looks at how people have changed after years in a broken world.
Released on June 20, 2025, the movie has made $60 million worldwide, matching its budget. Critics mostly liked the film, giving it an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 76 out of 100 on Metacritic. Some praised it as one of Danny Boyle’s best recent films, while others found the tone uneven. Many agreed the movie takes risks and has strong acting.
Sony also revealed that 28 Years Later was filmed together with its sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which will come out in January 2026.
In my opinion, it’s interesting how laws about child actors shaped the movie in ways the filmmakers didn’t expect. It shows how filmmaking often has to adapt to real-world rules and challenges. What do you think about how this affected the film? Share your thoughts in the comments below!