‘28 Days Later’ Universe, Explained
The 28 Days Later franchise made a huge comeback in 2025 with the release of 28 Years Later. Here's the main lore behind the franchise that every fan should know.
28 Days Later marked the beginning of one of the most unique horror franchises of our time. It introduced fast rage-infected humans. The “rage virus” transformed the infected into hyperaggressive creatures in seconds, resulting in a terrifying new kind of monster in the genre.
But how exactly did this nightmare begin? What transformed ordinary people into monsters, and how has this fictional pandemic evolved over the years? Let's break this down together.
How Did the Virus Begin in ‘28 Days Later’?
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The virus originated in a research laboratory. Everything was fine until a group of animal rights activists broke into the facility to free the chimpanzees, ignoring a scientist's desperate warnings that the animals were infected. And the rest is history.
How the Rage Virus Transforms Its Victims in ‘28 Days Later’
The Rage Virus doesn't mess around when it comes to infection. Unlike those slow zombies we've seen a million times before, this thing works FAST. One drop of infected blood or saliva gets in your system and within seconds you're gone.
Where Are We Now? 28 Years After The Outbreak
Fast forward to today (28 years later, to be exact), and things have evolved. The rest of the world managed to contain the virus. But it's still very much a problem in the UK, and it's getting smarter.
The infected population has diversified into something resembling a horrifying ecosystem. The Slow Lows are infected who've survived for decades, their movements slower from years of starvation, but still dangerous. More concerning are the Alphas. They are infected who show signs of intelligence and leadership.
