The Decade’s Best Trilogy May Never Get Its Finale After Sequel Flops on Netflix

Image: Sony Pictures

The cinematic momentum generated by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s revitalized “28” saga was a highlight of my 2025 viewing experience. However, the sequel, The Bone Temple, arrived just a beat too late this past January. While I’ve genuinely embraced The Bone Temple as one of the year’s finest films, timing is everything in this business. Sony’s decision to drop this installment in the mid-winter doldrums seems to have backfired spectacularly, casting serious doubt on whether we will ever witness the planned trilogy conclusion.

Despite critical acclaim and a dedicated cult following, The Bone Temple has struggled to capture a broad audience, suffering a lackluster theatrical run that saw it earn roughly $58.5 million against a $63 million budget—a sharp decline from the $150 million generated by 28 Years Later in the summer of 2025. Hopes that a streaming debut on Netflix would breathe new life into the project have, thus far, been dashed.

Nielsen data (as reported by World of Reel) indicates that The Bone Temple managed only 2.7 million U.S. viewers during its first six days on the platform. This pales in comparison to other recent Sony titles; for context, Venom: The Last Dance drew 8.4 million viewers in a similar window, while the widely criticized Madame Web commanded 10 million. Even its predecessor, 28 Years Later, performed substantially better, cracking Netflix’s Top 10 with 3.2 million viewers in its inaugural week before maintaining steady international interest.

It is genuinely baffling. These films are visceral, distinct experiences. Director Nia DaCosta expressed similar bewilderment in a recent Empire interview, noting that by every internal metric of quality and engagement, the movie should have been a hit—yet, somehow, audiences simply didn’t show up.

“I made a great film, and I’m really proud of it, and people liked it,” DaCosta noted. Given that fans only had a brief hiatus between the two releases, she posited that perhaps the fatigue set in: “Maybe it was too soon, because people were like, ‘Oh yeah, I saw that last summer!’ I’m like, ‘No, no, that was the first one; this is the sequel!’”

To the casual viewer, the marketing materials for The Bone Temple might have blurred into the previous film, but the narrative depth here is undeniable. Jack O’Connell delivers a haunting, unhinged performance as Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal, balancing sheer absurdity with chilling menace. Furthermore, Ralph Fiennes brings a weary, grounded humanity to Dr. Ian Kelson—while also delivering arguably the most memorable dance sequence on screen this year.

Then there is the conclusion—a deliberate, evocative pivot rather than a standard post-credits tease. We return to Cillian Murphy’s original protagonist, Jim, living in profound isolation. The scene is a masterclass in tension, juxtaposing a quiet, domestic homeschooling session with the sudden, frantic arrival of our main characters.

At the time of release, DaCosta remained tight-lipped regarding Jim’s narrative arc, primarily because Garland has already completed the screenplay for the third installment, with Murphy attached as both a producer and actor. The entire team remains eager to complete the trilogy.

“I think the answers will come,” DaCosta told Polygon back in January—a sentiment that, given current circumstances, feels heartbreakingly fragile.

In today’s fragmented media landscape, even masterpieces can easily slip through the cracks. If The Bone Temple eventually finds the audience it deserves, it won’t be due to corporate algorithms or release strategies. It will be because it serves as exactly what this franchise required: a bold, artistic bridge to the future.

What could salvage the trilogy? A theatrical re-release? A rebranding? Or perhaps fresh marketing that highlights how distinct this chapter truly is? I am unsure what will move the needle, but I am desperate for the financiers to see the value in completing this story. A script alone won’t suffice; we need the final film. Right now, I can’t help but feel incredibly pessimistic about the prospects of our favorite franchises being allowed to reach their natural, cinematic conclusion.

Source: Polygon