28 Years On: Bone Temple Director Reveals Jimmys Were Added to Original Script and Discusses Lack of Acrobatics in Sequel

Among the many wild moments in 28 Years Later, the scene featuring Jack O’Connell’s acrobatic, color-coded Jimmys taking down a horde of infected while bouncing around was definitely one of the most outrageous. The Jimmys are making a significant return in the sequel, The Bone Temple, but this time they come with a much darker twist – and you won’t see any backflips.

Director Nia DaCosta shared insights about her latest installment in the 28 Years Later trilogy during a chat in London last November. Written once again by Alex Garland, The Bone Temple picks up almost right after the chaotic conclusion of 28 Years Later, with Spike facing a brutal initiation into the Jimmys’ death cult before teaming up with Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal and his seven fingers.

“[The Jimmys] are mostly in my film. They weren’t as prominent in the first draft, but we added more of them for that final scene,” DaCosta explains. “It was amusing because Danny [Boyle] and I were casting, and he wanted people who could do backflips. I was like, ‘Why?!’ I knew that wouldn’t be necessary for The Bone Temple. But then I saw it and thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I love it.'”

While several familiar faces return, including Spike (Alfie Williams), Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), and Alpha Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), the Jimmys take center stage in The Bone Temple’s core narrative of good versus evil. The film ultimately explores themes of fear and faith, setting it apart from its predecessor, which focused more on grief.

“The two scripts were quite different and featured different characters,” DaCosta notes. “I felt I had a lot of freedom to create something unique. The first thing I told the producers, including Danny and Alex, was: ‘I love this, but if you’re looking for a Danny Boyle-style film, I’m not the right fit; I can’t do that. He’s a brilliant, idiosyncratic genius, and I’m not him. But here’s my vision, and if that resonates with you, then great.’ They were on board, so I had the creative freedom to shape the movie as I envisioned.”

After witnessing the Jimmys’ acrobatics in the climax of Boyle’s film, was DaCosta tempted to incorporate similar stunts into The Bone Temple? In other words, is there a Backflip Cut of the film?

“Absolutely not. No, no, no,” DaCosta laughs. “There are no slow-motion backflips set to metal music.”

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple hits US theaters on January 15 and UK cinemas on January 13.