8 '28 Days Later' Interesting Facts That Will Change Your Perception of the Movie
Why did Selena become so tough? Why does 28 Days Later have so many alternate endings? You'll find the answers to these questions here.
More than two decades later, 28 Days Later remains not only a cult horror movie but also a chillingly relevant parable. However, the most gripping details of this story are not found within the frame, but behind it.
These interesting facts reveal how a modest, independent project, born from a bold idea and technical ingenuity, forever changed the face of modern horror.
1. '28 Days Later's Main Source of Inspiration
28 Days Later was inspired by John Wyndham's 1951 novel The Day of the Triffids, an influence that is obvious to anyone who has read the book.
For example, the main character in 28 Days Later begins his journey through the ruins of the world by waking up in a hospital, just as the main character in the novel does. The movie also borrows from The Day of the Triffids the image of people fleeing London and going berserk.
2. Selena's Backstory Explains Her Tough Personality
When a character has a distinct and complex personality, writers usually create a backstory for them. This backstory is typically required by the director and actor to better understand their character.
In the movie, Selena is portrayed as a resilient woman who has experienced great hardship and is able to survive the zombie apocalypse.
According to her backstory, after the outbreak, she killed her infected parents with her own hands to save her younger brother. However, when she saw him, she realized he was infected too.
3. The Zombies Were Played by Athletes
Since the infected in 28 Days Later are very strong, fast, and endurance-driven, director Danny Boyle needed to find the right actors.
Therefore, he recruited athletes for the roles of the walking dead so they could perform movements that ordinary people cannot.
4. '28 Days Later's Different Finales Were Created to Secure Additional Funding & Complete the Movie
Studios watch every penny when making movies, especially if the film is entrusted to a director with a modest filmography and no major box-office successes.
So, when Danny Boyle's budget ran out, producer Andrew Macdonald announced that they had no more money, so filming was over – even though Boyle hadn't yet shot the final scene.
To squeeze more money out of the studio, Boyle had to impress the bosses, so he came up with several endings. Ultimately, he was given enough money to shoot four different finales, three of which were included in the DVD version.
5. There Is Only One Finale That Gives Jim a Happy Ending
The original finale hints at a happy ending: Jim survives and is spotted by a pilot alongside Selena and Hannah.
However, the alternate endings are far more pessimistic. In one, Jim dies. In another, the virus outbreak turns out to be a dream of Jim's – he never actually woke up from his coma at the beginning of the movie.
In the third, Jim loses his life as well. His blood is then used by other characters to save Frank.
6. Part of the Budget for '28 Days Later' Went to a Charity Fund
To create a sense of authenticity, some scenes were filmed in an operating hospital. The facility was open during the week but closed on weekends, which allowed Danny Boyle and his team to rent the space for filming when it was empty.
An added benefit of this arrangement was that the rent went directly to the hospital's charity. Thus, part of the budget for one of the best zombie horror films ever made went toward healthcare.
7. Rage Virus Was Based on Ebola
The visual manifestations of the Ebola virus, including symptoms such as bleeding, skin rashes, and red eyes, directly inspired the fictional Rage Virus in 28 Days Later.
Building on this backstory, the graphic novel 28 Days Later: The Aftermath confirms that the virus was based on Ebola. According to the story, catastrophic safety measure failures occurred when the virus unexpectedly mutated, creating an apocalyptic pathogen.
8. There Is a Hidden Social Meaning
Danny Boyle and Alex Garland were determined to give 28 Days Later a strong social message. Although it is a zombie horror film, the real "infected" in 28 Days Later are living people who have lost their humanity, not the undead.
The deliberate decision to base the plot on the Rage Virus serves as a direct allegory criticizing modern society's inability to address the culture of anger and unbridled violence.
Rather than functioning as an external element invading the human psyche, the virus acts as an amplifier, releasing and multiplying the aggression that already exists within each person.
