'She’s brilliant' -Danny Boyle backs new 28 Years Later director
Boyle, who was born in Radcliffe and attended Thornleigh Salesian College in Bolton, is returning as producer for the fourth instalment of the 28 Days Later series, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.
He said he admires Nia DaCosta, who has taken over from him directing the film.
Mr Boyle, 69, directed the original 2003 film, 28 Days Later, and has returned to the franchise in a producing role for the latest project.
He said: "I really admire Nia, because it must have been very tough to take over something that’s not just got the 28 Years Later, but that’s 28 Days Later.
"And to inherit Cillian (Murphy), and to inherit a couple of mega actors, Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, there’s an enormous responsibility for someone who is actually quite a young director, not like me, but she’s experienced, and she’s always been brilliant with actors across all her films.
"And she also makes her own film, which is really important, actors actually really like that, they don’t want her to photocopy what I did, they want her to bring her own angle on it.
"So they all got on very well.
"I was very envious."
(left to right) Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes and Danny Boyle (Image: Ian West/PA Wire)
Mr Boyle said he takes great pride in the success of the series, especially given its strong UK roots.
He said: "They’ve done very well around the world.
"But I’m very proud of what they’ve done at home, because it is, I mean, apart from the Irish presence, it is a British crew, British talent, and we’ve inherited Nia from the Americas, but she’s based in Hackney, and she’s an anglophile.
"So it feels very much like a homegrown product.
"I’m really proud that it’s remained here and shocks from here, shocks and surprises from here, really everywhere around the world, very proud of that."
The new film is set in a post-apocalyptic Britain still haunted by the rage virus.
It follows the character Spike, played by Alfie Williams, as he becomes involved in a cult led by Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell).
Casting for the film includes Cillian Murphy, Ralph Fiennes, and Jack O’Connell.
The franchise began with 28 Days Later, directed by Mr Boyle, and continued with 28 Weeks Later in 2007, directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo.
The latest entry marks the fourth film in the saga with a fifth film also slated for release.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple was released in UK cinemas on January 14.
