As a seasoned cinephile who has spent countless nights huddled around a projector screen, the news of 28 Days Later finally gracing our digital homes is nothing short of a cinematic miracle. For years, I’ve been on a quest to complete my zombie movie collection, and this film has eluded me like a particularly cunning undead creature. The fact that it was lost in the labyrinthine corridors of Disney’s legal department only added to its allure.
Today marks the long-awaited availability of “28 Days Later” for rent or purchase on digital platforms once again, after years away. This news is undoubtedly a source of joy not just for diehard fans of the iconic 2002 horror movie, but also for newcomers eager to catch up on the series in preparation for the upcoming sequel, “28 Years Later”, scheduled for release on June 20th, 2025. These eager viewers will find it particularly interesting to understand where the story originates from first.
Why has the contemporary zombie film masterpiece by writer Alex Garland and director Danny Boyle, often referred to as “zombies” but actually depicting infected humans overrunning London due to a rage virus, been absent from easy home viewing for such a long time? Here’s what we can share about its return. Let’s delve into how 28 Days Later is making its way back into our lives once more.
Sony Recently Obtained The Rights To 28 Days Later
In early 2024, an article in Puck disclosed that Andrew Macdonald, producer of “28 Days Later” and a frequent collaborator with Danny Boyle on movies like “Ex Machina” and “Civil War” under A24, reacquired the rights to the film. According to the report, he later transferred the digital distribution rights to Sony, which is also launching “28 Years Later.” Since Sony doesn’t operate its own streaming service, as stated by IndieWire, this implies that fans might need to wait for it to be licensed to a platform like Netflix if they wish to watch it online. However, in the meantime, those who want to rent or buy the digital version of the movie can find it on Amazon.
Rights Issues Prevented Fans From Streaming 28 Days Later
The reasons for the scarcity of “28 Days Later” on home video platforms have been somewhat vague, but its absence from streaming or digital services like Amazon can be attributed to legal complications related to its former owner, Disney. Initially, Searchlight Pictures (formerly Fox Searchlight Pictures) distributed the movie, which officially became a subsidiary of Disney in 2019. Following this acquisition, the horror film disappeared from availability, even on streaming platforms owned by Disney, suggesting that Disney might no longer hold the rights to distribute it.
Physical Copies Of 28 Days Later Have Even Been Hard To Find
During that gloomy period when Disney ceased manufacturing copies of the classic 2000s film “28 Days Later”, I found myself among the few fortunate souls who still had our original DVDs. The movie was a rare find, either hidden in second-hand stores or listed by online retailers. However, for those eager to rewatch it, the price tag often reached an eye-watering $100-$200.
Watching 28 Weeks Later On Streaming Is Easy
Originally distributed by 20th Century Studios (formerly known as 20th Century Fox) in 2007, the movie “28 Weeks Later” – featuring a fresh set of characters after the infection – is still under Disney’s ownership and can be streamed with a Hulu or Disney+ subscription. Similar to its forerunner, finding the DVD or Blu-ray versions can be challenging and quite pricey when purchasing secondhand online, including as part of international double sets that include “28 Days Later.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first zombie film to face rights issues, as Dawn of the Dead from 1978 hasn’t found a suitable streaming platform due to various reasons. However, fortunately, the rights issue that plagued 28 Days Later is now resolved, enabling viewers to delve into or revisit the source of the rage virus before Cillian Murphy reappears as Jim in 28 Years Later.
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2024-12-18 19:07