22 Years Later, the Most Important Zombie Movie Ever Is Finally Streaming

The horror sequel 28 Years Later is one of the most-anticipated movies of 2025. But how long has it been since you’ve seen the original classic that started it all? In 2002, directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, the daring and innovative 28 Days Later utterly reinvented what a zombie movie could look and feel like. And now, after 22 years, the original film will finally be available to stream.

For various legal reasons, some great films just aren’t on any streaming services or are even available for rental. Some infamous examples include the iconic Nicholas Cage film Wild at Heart, the sci-fi comedy Cocoon, To Live and Die in LA, Dogma, and others. For a very long time, 28 Days Later was also on that list; a movie you could only watch on DVD, VHS or, if you happened to catch it in a local theater doing retro re-releases. But now, in anticipation of the sequel, 28 Days Later will finally be online. It won’t be streaming for free, but instead, available as a VOD for purchase or rental on various platforms, including iTunes and Amazon.

Next year, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes will star in the first of two sequels to 28 Days Later. The 2025 film 28 Years Later is just the beginning, because 28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Temple, will be released sometime after that, likely in 2026.

Right now, there is some debate as to whether Cillian Murphy will return in 28 Years Later as his original character Jim, a hapless bicycle courier, in the run from the zombie apocalypse. While some fans think they spotted him as a zombie in the recently-released trailer for 28 Years Later, sources have now confirmed that the skeletal character in the trailer is actor Angus Neill.

For now, there’s a bit of a wait for 28 Years Later. But as of this week, you can finally zombie and chill with the classic that started it all.