After 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, I Have Samson-Sized Questions That Need Answers

Warning: there will be 28 Years Later: The Bone Temples spoilers quarantined in this feature. 

It doesn’t take much to get me to talk about my love for 28 Days Later and its sequels. I proved that much when writing about how 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’s ending has indeed “changed everything.” Director Nia DaCosta’s mesmerizing horror show leaves off at a pretty exciting cliffhanger, which does leave quite a bit to the imagination. 

Some may see the lack of a clear finale to Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s saga as a problem, but it actually makes me even more eager to see what comes next. Come to think of it, I don’t think the future’s a total mystery, as there are some pretty specific questions we’re left to ponder in the end.

If you’ve seen the flick, take some time with me and venture into deep spoiler territory as I ask those queries. However if you’re still looking to remain spoiler free, you should check out our review for The Bone Temple, and come back once you’ve corrected that.

What Will 28 Years Later’s Final Chapter Explore? 

Before we go too far, yes 28 Years Later’s threequel is officially greenlit. After his return in The Bone Temple finale, Cillian Murphy is in talks to return as Jim, with writer/creator Alex Garland working on the script as we speak. I think that’s part of why there may be some uncertainty over where things are going, as well as the fact that this third movie wasn’t a guarantee.

With that next installment secured, it’s time to wonder what 28 Years Later Part III will dive into. Personally, I think we’re going to see a narrative of reunion play out. Spike (Alfie Williams) will return to Holy Island, and a successfully treated Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry) will want to find his baby. Even the apocalypse leaves room for learning to be a family again, which is actually the thread that leads to the next question at hand.

Is Jimmy Ink Jim And Selena’s Daughter? 

At the end of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, we see Spike run off with Jimmy Ink (Erin Kellyman), who reveals her name to be Kelly. Taking her new friend to a familiar spot after the deaths of Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) and Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), this event ties Jim back into the fold – along with his daughter Sam.

However, seeing as it’s been 28 years since 28 Days Later’s events, and we know that Jim and Selena (Naomie Harris) already have one daughter, what’s to say they don’t have two? Kelly seemed to be over serving as one of Sir Jimmy’s Fingers, which indicates to me that maybe she left home during a streak of teenage rebellion. That scenario could explain the absence of Ms. Harris in the coda for The Bone Temple – but she’s not the only legacy character we’re all worried about.

Where Are Selena And Hannah? 

28 Days Later’s ending showed how Jim and Selena wound up at the cottage we saw in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple – but they weren’t alone. Fellow survivor Hannah (Megan Burns) also set up camp with them, just in time for a pilot to spot their gigantic message of “Hello” laid out on a field. Obviously we see Selena’s machete and survival gear in the cottage as an easter egg, but we don’t know where she is. 

My guess is that if Kelly did leave home, Selena (and potentially Hannah) eventually went on a quest to find her. Knowing the intrepid co-lead from that origin story, I wouldn’t be surprised if Selena vowed never to come home without her hypothetical daughter. Which would then further motivate Jim and Sam to help Spike return to Holy Island, as they could also engage in their own search activities. 

I don’t subscribe to the theory that she’s dead, because if that was the case.That’d be one huge slap in the face to fans without proper justification; and the lack of chatter over whether or not Naomie Harris is in talks to return. If a character had to be sacrificed to the plot gods, I’d say Hannah is most likely – seeing as Megan Burns retired from acting. 

Could Sir Jimmy Crystal Become The New Alpha?

Fun fact: in the 28 Years Later screenplay book, Alex Garland gave us a term for a group of Infected. You can thank Sir Jimmy Crystal’s father (Sandy Batchelor) for that, as the official term is a “Congregation” – coming from the moment where the clergyman surges to the head of the flock post-infection. 

I’ve always thought that meant something, and thanks to The Bone Temple I think that it signifies Samson may not have been the first Alpha we’ve seen in this universe. Jimmy’s father may have been the first pack leader in 28 Years Later, signifying that a congregation of Infected may choose a leader they recognize has power. 

Since Sir Jimmy was last seen ambushed by an unknown Infected, and Samson’s treatment seems to have left his own flock without a leader, I think Jack O’Connell’s baddie could still be the final boss of this trilogy after all. It’d definitely be a biblical ending, considering this is adjacent to a “sins of the father” sort of scenario. 

Will Samson Revert To His Infected State?

For my money, this is probably a question greater than what’s going to happen with Jim after 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Going from the implied antagonist in the previous film to an emotionally sensitive man who’s waking up from psychosis, Samson has had quite the arc so far. The potential for his journey home, free from the Rage Virus’ hold, could be an emotionally satisfying beat in the next movie’s story arc. 

That being said, with Dr. Ian Kelson now dead, and his treatment plan potentially residing only in his notes, could we see Samson slide back into his Rage clouded mind? Upon seeing the movie again, I think this could be the case. However, I’d like to believe that our massive reformed rage monster will retain enough thought to lead Spike, Kelly, and the rest of their party back to the Bone Temple. 

It’d also make for an appropriate final showdown venue for Sir Jimmy the (potential) new Alpha to first show his face. Then again, like everything else I’ve written above, this is all speculation from a fan. Perhaps I’ll find some new clues and ideas after repeated viewings of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (which I too reviewed for my own site, Mike vs. Mic!) It’s a good thing that the film is still in theaters, waiting for all who welcome the future with open arms and metal-friendly ears.

For more on Movies, make sure to check back to That Hashtag Show.

Keep Reading:

‘Return To Silent Hill’ Movie Review – A Disappointing Trip To The Fog