** UPDATE **
In a very brief email from the powers that be on this film I am told that any rumor of Paul Andrew Williams' involvement in 28 Months Later is "totally untrue". Here the update ends, with the original post below for reference' sake.
It seems that Russia-set three-quel 28 Months Later... has settled on a director. And that fellow is The Cottage director Paul Andrew Williams. Now this franchise is one of those rare ones where the sequel outdoes the original. Much like the Alien franchise the change in directors (Danny Boyle, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo) over entry has been a benefit. The question is whether or not the franchise is malleable enough to find a third entry. Probably. Likely. And the smart thing to do is the develop the world rather than shoe-horn in the recurring characters from entry to entry. If only more franchises would understand this very simple concept.
As of last night Paul was still here in Sitges with The Cottage. If he hasn't left yet I'll try and track him down to confirm ...
I have to disagree, Weeks was inferior to Days in almost every way. The only thing redeeming that movie is the opening set in the days following the outbreak. Which is why I think they ought to do a 28 Hours Later, showing the original outbreak in the area of the research lab and the moment normalcy was lost.
I like Kurt's thoughts on what makes a good sequel "develop the world", and this is what made Aliens a great sequel to Alien. I thought both "Weeks Later" and "Days Later" had weak third acts. "28 Days Later" definitely still sticks with me longer than "Weeks" as I thought the characters were actually stronger. "Weeks" was a good movie but it couldn't live up to the energy of its prologue which was so intense I wanted it to carry on from there instead of jumping forward to the kids.
yeah... I'm with the dissenters. "Weeks" embarrassed me, especially since I drug people to it and drove like an hour to see it. Well-made and generally well-acted, but so stupidly written (Robert Carlyle in the zombie Shining and whatnot).
As for a Russia-set third outing?
I was really hoping the second one didn't do enough business for a third.
I agree with Kurt. I liked 28 WEEKS LATER more than DAYS. Danny's flick was okay, but I found WEEKS more entertaining if for no other reason than the virus was a more consistent threat. By the end of DAYS, Doctor Who and co. seemed much worse than the viral infection. And as Kurt said, I found it stronger visually. Many of the scenes in the dark streets were stunning. I think another sequel could be good. But what the hell do I know? Answer: not much...
Simon, it is your review I'm linking too!
Also, I liked a lot of imagery in INTACTO, I like the concept, but the movie just doesn't quite hold together, I found WEEKS... to be a step up for Fresnadillo.
I thought the 3rd film would be set in Paris.
what?? 28 weeks later better than the 1st?? but but..but..it was...stupid..slow...and laughable at! O.O
Oh. Oops. Em. Er. Well, then.
Carry on!
I have to agree that Weeks was better than Boyle's original - I always look forward to DB's latest, but the guy doesn't seem to know how to end a film (28 Days, Sunshine etc). So many go tits up about two thirds in...
I'd be brief too in an email discounting an unfounded rumor. Heh.
All this time I thought it was widely understood that Days was the better movie.
Different opinions, interesting.
I haven't seen The Cottage, but I hope that even the fact that people are talking about a third movie means that the "powers that be" are thinking about it...
I never really read Weeks... as the IRAQ allegory that many critics foisted upon the film (The phrase Green Zone seemed to tip people in that general direction) but rather as a family abandonment (on several levels) story, and riffing on the many types of surrogate families in the modern world. The original Days played with this also, particularly when Bredan Gleeson and his daughter came into the story, but it didn't take it to be the over-encompassing story arc like in Weeks.
I watched 28 Weeks Later cold, and the U.S. as occupier theme was clubbing me over the head. Certainly, those involved were not operating in a vacuum (interviews do not suggest as such), and if the intent was to explore more subtle themes, they were lost in the fog of what were then current events.