The Reel Rejects - Why 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Feels NOTHING Like a Typical Zombie Movie

Episode Date: January 17, 2026

MEETING DIRECTOR NIA DACOSTA & STAR JACK O'CONNELL!! 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Interview – Coy Jandreau sits down with star Jack O’Connell (Sinners) and director Nia DaCosta (Candyman, Hedda, The Marvels) to talk about the bold, unsettling next chapter in the iconic 28 Days Later franchise. From the film’s explosive “concert-like” energy to its eerie sense of macabre whimsy, The Bone Temple pushes post-apocalyptic horror into strikingly new territory. Nia DaCosta breaks down her vision for balancing bombast and stillness, contrasting the peaceful, nature-driven world of Kelson with the chaotic, cult-like mythology surrounding Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal. She discusses her fascination with horrifying acts set against beautiful landscapes, the film’s heavy use of natural sound and imagery, and how themes of humanity, belief systems, mortality, and coexistence with nature shaped both the tone and visual language of the film. Jack O’Connell dives deep into creating Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal, exploring how Alex Garland’s precise, lyrical writing informed the character’s physicality, voice, and unsettling charisma. He talks about weaponizing iconography, embracing moral ambiguity, and the freedom of playing a character unconcerned with judgment — as well as the collaborative bond formed on set with his fellow cast members during intense night shoots. The conversation also touches on DaCosta’s influences, her approach to inheriting and expanding existing cinematic worlds, the idea of shared authorship across trilogies, and how The Bone Temple embraces a darker, more philosophical take on survival, death, and meaning in a world forever changed. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is in theatres NOW!! Follow Coy Jandreau:  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coyjandreau?l... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coyjandreau/?hl=en Twitter:  https://twitter.com/CoyJandreau YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwYH2szDTuU9ImFZ9gBRH8w Intense Suspense by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Apparel! https://www.rejectnationshop.com/ Follow Us On Socials:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/  Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reelrejects?lang=en Twitter: https://x.com/reelrejects Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ Music Used In Ad:  Hat the Jazz by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... POWERED BY @GFUEL Visit https://gfuel.ly/3wD5Ygo and use code REJECTNATION for 20% off select tubs!! Head Editor: https://www.instagram.com/praperhq/?hl=en Co-Editor: Greg Alba Co-Editor: John Humphrey Music In Video: Airport Lounge - Disco Ultralounge by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ask Us A QUESTION On CAMEO: https://www.cameo.com/thereelrejects Follow TheReelRejects On FACEBOOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM:  FB:  https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thereelrejects Follow GREG ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/thegregalba/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thegregalba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the creative team behind the Brutalist and starring Academy Award nominee Amanda Seifred in a career best performance, Searchlight Pictures presents The Testament of Anne Lee. With rave reviews from the Venice Film Festival, this bold and magnetic musical epic tells the story inspired by a true legend. Anne Lee, founder of the radical religious movement, The Shakers, The Testament of Anne Lee, now playing in an exclusive Toronto engagement in theaters everywhere January 23rd. At Medcan, we know that life's greatest moments are built on a foundation of good health, from the big milestones to the quiet winds. That's why our annual health assessment offers a physician-led, full-body checkup

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Coy Jondro here with The Real Rejects, sitting down with Sir Lord Jack O'Connell. How are you, sir? Good, thank you, yeah. How are you? I'm so excited to talk about this movie. I saw it in December and again yesterday, and it's been so hard to just, like, keep inside me

because there's so much energy, there's that concert feel to it. On the day, making it. Was that energy clear in the Garland script? Was it like that kind of concert on set? What was the energy with this film like? It really was, yeah, yeah. It was apparent on the page, that it was going to be a barnstorm,

And it was, it was a barnstorm, literally. Now I never thought the Telitubies would be this relevant, culturally, in this way. Is there anything from your childhood you'd love to build a cult around? I think there was already one that exists for Pokemon. It's pretty strong. I think that's out there.

Power Rangers, maybe? Yeah, yeah. Do you get gladiators over here? Like, we had an American gladiator. That was a big thing for like the late 80s, early 90s. Really? And I could see those suits being culty. I could see that becoming like a thing, like Matt Maxie.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm sort of, I'm about the original. Okay. We got remade recently and it's not so good. It's like, you know. Echoes the original. What are you going to do? Exactly.

Speaking of, like, iconography and using images as something to rekindle a feeling as something that he does so well, Jimmy weaponizes iconography in such a fascinating way. Wondered for you, were there moments that you would feel that kind of click into place where you felt like this image or this movement or this like verbose language would suddenly feel like, oh, that's Jimmy, I found my way into him. Like, how did you find those flows? I was, it was all helped by the writing. I thought some of the speeches were like word perfect.

So just getting to really chew into them and do them over and over again. It was great to just sort of find a groove and then be kind of subconscious with it. That felt like you're kind of channeling into something then ethereal. Did the language inform the physicality or the other way around? Because I loved how much movement there was in Jimmy and how like it was all so intentional, because it caused such a persona. Yeah, yeah, right. I think it was the language first, to be honest.

The writing was very rich. And then I guess his voice, because he was Scottish, but then there was, you know, variations on the Scottish accent is quite diverse. So it was that particular regionality, which was obviously had to be in alignment with younger Jimmy Crystal. So it was about sort of cracking it open then and, you know, listening to actual Scottish people talk like that was also what guided me.

And similarly, that internal voice and the way this character doesn't have to rationalize his voice because of the story, you're in that rare position as an actor to not have to judge your character because you're not expecting him to be evil or not. You've got this rationale. You have this justification for all your actions, both from the last film with his origin, but also you can blame old Nick. You can always rationalize. was it fun to have that freedom as an actor to not have to have any sort of justification for your action because it was all up here? Yes, yeah, yeah. It's boundless. Very freeing. You're not trying to make anyone like you, really.

And I'm probably the last person to judge him or, you know, it's not my job to judge him. Yeah, you're just kind of reveling in this darkness with him, which is, it's not often you get to do that. Did you have a voice for old Nick? Did he sound like something in particular for you? I didn't. I probably should have. It felt real. It felt like he was a physical manifestation in here. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I definitely should have, actually. I missed the trick there. There's this whimsy to the macab in this film. There's such a joy in the darkness of it, and it's such a specific tone. I'm really curious how it felt reading the script in your mind to seeing the finished product and how much of that felt the same or different.

Well, yeah, I think pretty early on because of the script, the character was very well formed. And it just felt like that was an avenue which if you invested in would help embellish the story. The evil of it, what was heinous and dark and sadistic. That's their currency. That's what they get off of. That's where they take their pleasure. So let's just fully lean into it. I love the footage of Bill Scarsgaard as Pennywise, like being kind to the kids after, like, you know,

you have all that evil and all that trauma. I imagine with Alfie, you guys survive a lot of trauma together. How did you bond so it wasn't just... a horrific experience. It seemed like you guys had a beautiful bond off screen in order for the on-screen to be so traumatic. Yeah, sure, yeah. I think the shared trauma of a night shoot would help do that. You know, you're kind of just huddling together. It's just great, man, when you're in there with a bunch of team players. And that's what we had. It was phenomenal. There's a scene where you and Rafe, I don't want to give too much away, but there's this moment where all of your beliefs kind of come

to a potential, like, upheaval, where something that you believed so fully that we've followed you believing might not be true because of a character reveal. And there's so much emotion playing across your face because you're trying to figure out. I was wondering, did you have like an internal series of thoughts that conveyed across? Like, did you have an internal monologue that you were able to repeat to get that emotion across? Because it's beautiful to watch. Thank you.

I think just what, what Rafe was giving me time after time. Part of the smoke and mirrors of what we do is, obviously we have numerous attempts at it. But you're trying to recreate it as if it's the first time every time. And yeah, the way that unraveled was sort of meandering because of what Alex had written. And it was just about hitting those beats, I guess. And getting to connect with Rafe in those moments was, you know, a massive joy. Was it like at any point improv or was it all because the character has been so built, the language felt so naturalized?

Because there's so many comedic beats in that that should be funny that are so funny because of the circumstances that it feels almost improvisational. Was that intentional or did that just edit that way? I guess so. I mean, look, there was no, like, we were never told there was any strict need to stick to the script at all times. So we were allowed to riff as in where those opportunities might present themselves. But again, the script was so phenomenal that, you know, we just had plenty there. Now, I first discovered your work with startup all those years ago, and I'm a big Tom Hardy guy, and I see this trajectory you're on that's amazing.

The directors you've worked with, like Angelina Jolie, Ryan Cougalor, last. year, Michael Frickin' man. But Nia Dacosta's got such a vision in this film. And I'd love to know what her set is like now that differs from other sets, like what she like as a director? Nia is the first director I've worked with where we've been the same age. So that's kind of cool, like the dynamic, you know, we're just from the same era. And obviously we reference sort of back in the day quite a lot in this movie because that's

when culture, popular culture, went kaput. So, like 2001. So being the same age, and the same age, and, you know, both being kind of 11 when that supposed collapse of culture took place. We were just bringing things forward into our movie from that zeitgeist. So it was very nostalgic,

and we could share it in common. She's brilliant, and I love her style. She's tough as nails. She's just in there, start to finish with you. No short cuts, rolls her sleeves up, just a great ally to have. And my last question's a little selfish. I love Ireland so much,

I heard your dad was from one of my favorite places. County Kerry is amazing. And you popularized Rocky Road to Dublin, so thank you. It is so special to hear, like, in the world. Is there any place you'd recommend in Ireland for people to, like, visit? Do you have any favorite haunts? I'm going back in a few months from my honeymoon,

and I, like, want to discover more. Any spot you love. You've been to Kerry? Yeah, yeah. I think Kerry is one of the best places on Earth. If the weather was better, you know, they say Donnie Gaul is beautiful. I've never been.

I've traveled Ireland quite. lot and Donnie Gauls where I want to go to next. The cliffs have more really changed the world for me. It was like the Grand Canyon over the ocean. It was like a transcendent experience. Did you do the wild Atlantic way then? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I went from west all the way down the coast and down the south up.

Perfect. You nailed it. It was so special. Brilliant. Absolute pleasure, man. I've loved your work for years and this was really something special and it's such a beautiful, wonderful film. Thanks very much, dude.

Appreciate it. I'm Codendro here with the Real Reject sitting down with Nia Dacosta. I was just saying I'm obsessed with your canyon man, so I definitely want to talk some Candyman, but 28 years later, Bone Temple is getting me so deeper into horror, and I love how much energy is in this film. There's this bombast to it. Was that something you felt in the script? Is that something you wanted to bring?

How was that energy developed through the process? I think a mix of both, because I tend to, you know, there's a line in the film, let's turn this up to 11. And as a filmmaker, I really enjoy doing that. But I think there's a balance, you know, because, like, there's the Kelsen world and there's the Jimmy world. And the Jimmy world is crazy and insane. And Kelsom World, like, starts off really peaceful and it's beautiful. and you're like static images of like trees in the bone temple. And then those worlds collide and it's fireworks.

And so I knew that we had to have that balance with like the bombastic and the slower peaceful moments. And the dash was a burning man and that like carnival energy as a burner. I'm not invoking Burning Man. I'm so sorry. I felt it. I'm happy for you and I'm proud of you that you go out there. But I did not invoke that.

My audience, it felt like a concert. And there was someone behind me and I went, Burning Man. And I was like, you as well. So I'm not allowed. Can you build a bone temple? Oh, I would love that. much. Okay, guys, next year's art truck is going to be a bone temple that drives around. I'll be Kelsey. So in the same vein of this bombast and energy, I love once you see the film, the

re-contextualization of the poster. Yes. That image that has been seared in my mind at the moment it happens. Was that an on-the-set discovery? Was that something you were leading to? Did you know you wanted to grab that and make it the poster? Oh, no. Well, the Sony marketing department is fantastic. I mean, you guys all saw when they did the trailer for Danny's movie and like, he used boots and like they're just they're brilliant and so when we came into doing mine they they sent me this and like we love this image and I was like so do I and I was great I love it I the only worry I was like well it's from like the end of the movie and but I don't think without seeing the film I think there's any way for you to be like oh this is

it's an anti-spoiler yeah because you feel like you know something after you're like oh the reveal yeah yeah it's like yeah it's such a wonderful poster with context and without and I talked a lot about Candyman at the top and there's something that feels like a mirror to that in this There's so much beautiful architecture in that film that recontextualizes the film. And I love that gentrification is something we need in art, but I rarely think of the artist's role in that. And here there's so much about nature,

and we rarely think of the human role in nature. And suppressing it, really. And those motifs are so visually represented. Is that something you talk about with your DP when you're developing, or is that something on the day? Before in development and prep, I was really clear. This is in part about the beauty of the world we live in that we suppress because we're just stomping all over everything.

But what happens? Like when COVID happened, Like what happens when we're kind of taken out of the equation for a bit. And so in this world, the infected kind of become a part of the flora and the fauna. And they're integrated into this world and they're part of it, not fighting it. They're just fighting us. So I wanted the sound of insects to be louder than they usually would be because, I don't know if you know this, but since the 1970s, we've lost like 70% of insect life.

And we know that because of how much quieter it is. Wow. Yeah. So I was like, let's make sure we hear that. and the way I shot and like being in the woods and we shot most of the movie outside. Like it rained every day because we shot in England in Northern England in August and September and October.

That was a huge thing for me. So the nature elements and that strong visual motif, those hallucinogenic elements that also gave me the Burning Man vibe. But that whole feeling and atmosphere, was that something that you initially knew, even with the subject matter? You wanted to be like a pulse and like a through line? Was that always the...

I really love when horrifying things happen in beautiful places. So like with Candyman, for example, Chicago's a stunning city. And it's an art movie, it's a movie about an artist. And so I knew that I wanted, like, you know, having that death in the, like, the honeycomb building. Yeah. Like, I wanted to juxtapose the whore and the beauty. And same thing in this film, because I think it's a question.

It's like, what are we choosing to do with this one precious life and this beautiful place that we live in? And some people are choosing nonsense, like Lord Jimmy Crystal. And some people are choosing, you know, building a monument to the debt. Yeah. And trying to figure out how to, like, love being alive when you're alone. And I think that's something I think about a lot. And so I just think it's a nice juxtaposition to live with. There's also this really wonderful sense of saundre.

I don't think I've ever felt in any movie that is about so many individuals. Because you're changing player one, player two, supporting becoming leading. And it really extrapolates into like, oh, we all do live lives. Yeah, yeah. Was that something that made you want to do the second film out of a trilogy so you could have that saundered? It was less about where the movie was and more about how much I love the script. Like when I read that second one, I was like, I'm so glad that looking for a director for this one because I love this one. Like this one is so, like I love both scripts, but that one I was like,

this is so special and weird and different and kooky. And, you know, we're following Spike through all three films, but I love that that second film made space for Sir Lord Jim McChrystal, for Kelson and for Samson. It also allows, I think, in a very unique way in horror to invest in like the not the final girl. Like, there's such a different element of who you follow. Is that something you want to carry on to other projects where now that you've played with, like, player two and you like develop it that way?

Do you want to do more serialized things? There are some things I'm working on where it's just like standalone. There's some things where I'm like, maybe this is a sneaky little trilogy, you know, like, I just love all the opportunities that you have in storytelling. And I think the story and the themes and the characters will inform what form it takes. In that same vein, there's an element of, like, jazz musicians with you and Danny Boyle, like, you're sharing a solo. And the way you, like, pass on who's doing the solo at the time. Was that a conversation with him through developing the first film? Or how early into the production did you come where you kind of, like, shaped your style in this?

Well, I never pitched on anything unless I know exactly what I'm going to do, basically. And so when I read the script, I was like, oh, yeah, I see the movie. Yeah. And through prep and the process of making it and talking to Sean, like, we developed the language more specifically. But I was like, I have the high-level ideas. And so I just pitched it to them, to Danny, to Alex, to Peter Rice and Andrew McDonald are producers. And I was like, this is what I want to do. And if you're down, cool.

And if not, like, also cool. And, like, I can't wait to watch it. But, like, I think this could be a really strong way to make the second film. It reminds me of, like, the great trilogies when we talk about, like, aliens from alien. And, like, there's got to be a shared solo. Yeah, but like a great example, alien and aliens are of a piece in the same world, but they feel really authored. Yeah.

And those are two autors, you know? Yeah. And I love that they're both excellent, but they both feel different, but they're both in the same world. And that's why I feel about art. I agree, because I was so relieved that it wasn't just someone doing a Danny Boyle. Yes. Yeah.

Because it's like boring. So in that world of 28, there is a different tone for each of the films, but they all do feel like a world that shared. When did you first discover that first film and how much. have you changed as an artist since your first experience of it? I watched that film when I was 12 or 13 for the first time. I want to say 12. I had a DVD.

You said 28 days, right? Yeah, yeah. I was like, I was saying years or days? Days, yeah, 13. Or 12 or 13 and I just watched it over and over again. I thought it was brilliant. And it was the first time I was like understanding like a director's part in a film. Like, oh, this looks this way because of this director and this fuels this way because

of this writer and this like, you know, this breaking down like those elements. But also it was just entertaining. It was scary. I loved following these characters, Selena and Jim, and I just thought it was really, it's beautifully done. And so yeah, so to be here now, it's crazy. Now, the macab whimsy is how I've described this film, which is a really fine line-to-walk.

Dark-whimsy, yeah. Yeah, and when that was being developed, you said from the very beginning you had a vision, you wanted to do this, that pre-production into production into post-production, how much of that sensibility changed in the edit? Like, how much of that was like, this is what I set out to make, now it's here? Very little.

This is actually, this movie came together so, so it was so straightforward. Also because of the way I shoot, I'm not someone who's like, let me just shoot whatever and see what I want to do in post. Like I know, I go into the day knowing what I want. And I'll add and discover and play, but like I have to have a clear idea. Otherwise, I'm just like, what am I doing here? And then my editor puts together. And when we got to my director's cut, because, you know, basically you have 10 weeks to do your director's cut, you show it to the producers, to the studio and then you get notes and you have go back and and forth. But by the time I got to my director's cut, I was like, well, this is the movie.

Wow. And of course, we have the notes process and all that stuff, which you do all the time. but it was always the movie, which was really nice. So, yeah. Now, Memento Mori is a concept I've always loved, but never resonated with. I've always wanted to go, like, life's good because death. And it never really hit. To be honest, these two films have really started reframing that

in a really special way. Is there a moment in your life where that registered and was that a moment that informed what you wanted to do in the film? Yeah, it was funny. I was talking about World War II earlier. I think what I love about this movie is that he's a humanist. And he's basically like, you know, there is no God, there is no devil. but there is us.

He says it's just us. And for him, that's like beautiful. He's like, we get to determine how we love our lives and what meaning we make out of our lives. And I think that's why Memento Mori is so important. Remember you must die, so what you're doing before, it matters. Yeah. And remember you must love Memento Amorous.

Like, these two things hand in hand are so special and important. And I think that's something that I've kind of come to in my own way. Maybe not framed so closely in relationship to death, but in relationship to like, you know, I love astronomy. We are just floating through space. We're here, we're on a petri dish of a planet, we just appeared one day out of the primordial ooze, and it's a gift.

Yeah. And we could be doing so many great things with it. So I think the movie, I really connect with the part of the movie. That's the Macawb Whimsie. I like that life in that. Now I'm a huge comic book guy, like ride or die. I think that that medium is our modern day myth. And I honestly think that the way Carol Danvers was in the Marvels

is the closest I've ever felt. Like the way Brie Larson is conveyed is so important to me. When you're taking on characters that other directors have worked with, what's that relationship like with the actor? Is it like a TV set or like, how do you guys negotiate the character when you see a vision? So this is so great that you mentioned comics because taking on Candyman or the Marvels or the second film, I think about it in terms of like a writer or an artist taking over a book. I love that.

And which for me gives me freedom to do what I want to do, but also keep the state of the characters. So like, because my favorite thing is when a new artist takes over and it's always a bit drawing, you're like, what do you mean? but then the characters are consistent. I hate when it's like a new writer takes over and you're like, that's not the character. Right. And so for me, it's really important that the actors and I are building the same character and we're on the same page and that they feel that there's a lineage as well.

And then like working with Sam Jackson on Nick Fury. Sure. The man's played that character for 15 years. He knows it. He knows it happening. And so I'm not here like, I have a great idea to change everything. You know, that'll be dumb. But we do like, we're like, what's this context now?

Like, you know, how does he feel about these people here in this context? That's what we're playing towards. And because he's played the character for 15 years, and I watched the character for 15 years, like we both have a commonality of like what it should be and how it should feel, but how we can make it different based on the situation, not based on like ego or whatever. And same thing with this, like, the gift of this

was that I got to expand the characters of Kelson and Jimmy, and Alfi, or Spike in a certain way. So it was less about shifting or changing, but more just like giving more. I love that. The artist is the exact way it feels, because it does feel true to the writing of the world. Yeah. definitely there. My last question for you, with this horror renaissance I consider it's living

through, like horror feels so special right now. I consider Jordan Peel such an architect to that's so important. Was there any lesson you learned from working with him that helped inform your work here? He's really interesting because he's just like, he's someone who's like, it has to be right. We work very differently though. Like we work very differently on set. So there wasn't a lot that I was like, oh, I would do that. But I just think he's so brilliant. I'm such a fan of his. And I just think like he always wants to get it right. And he doesn't stop and totally satisfied. And I think that sort of drive to make sure it's perfect and make sure it's exactly what you want is really inspiring. Yeah. And so that's something I definitely bring

with me into everything. Yeah. Our last question. Favorite comic you'd recommend to people that might not know, like your own personal Bible. Dang. My own personal Bible. Okay. I don't have one of those, but I've been thinking about this a lot lately and I was just talking about this. Invincible. Oh, incredible. For me, it's really that father-son relationship. Yeah. It's so, like, man. It's so intense, obviously, for obvious reasons. And I like that is, I like superhero things that are kind of like adult, you know? And subverting. And subverting that stuff. Exactly. And I think it's beautiful. And I think it's like, I just love it so much. This very much subverts. And the violence of Ryan Otley Art. Like totally, I see why that's yours. Yeah, yeah. Hello.

Totally plays. Thank you so much for your work and your time. Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it. It's great. Yeah. Looking to grow your investing skills and make smarter decisions with your money in 2026, join Hermione's Investing Fix, the twice-monthly women's-only investment club, where expert stock pickers pitch ideas and you help build the portfolio. Since launching four years ago, our member-driven picks have outperformed the S&P thanks to smart, collaborative choices. We've got a strong track record and a community that's learning and winning together. So go to InvestingFix.com, that's Fix with two X's and join us.