28 Days Laternow has a digital release date after being unavailable to buy or rent online for years. Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland, the British horror film stars Cillian Murphy as Jim, a survivor traversing a post-apocalyptic London overrun by those infected with theRage Virus. Despite being a success critically and commercially (and a sequel releasing in 2007) the original movie has been very hard to watch online. With28 Years Later’s release date now on the horizon, fan demand for the original film has been growing.
Sony Picturesnow reveals that28 Days Laterwill again be available to rent and buy on VOD starting Wednesday, August 22, 2025. The announcement comes after the launch of a website in recent weeks confirming that the film would be returning to digital storefronts, offering users the ability to register for updates.
The announcement doesn’t include price specifics, but the movie will presumably be available on all the standard VOD platforms, like Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, and Fandango at Home. It remains unclear if or when the movie will head to a streaming service. Check out Sony’s announcement post on X below:
What 28 Days Later’s Digital Release Means For The Movie
Why The Film Was So Hard To Find For So Long
28 Days Later’s lack of availabilityonline over the last few years is largely due to rights reasons. After Disney lost the rights to the movie back in 2002, Sony opted not to make any new deals that would make the movie available online. What’s more, Disney stopped production on physical media copies of the movie, meaning the only way to watch Boyle’s seminal zombie flick for many years was to buy a second-hand DVD, with copies eventually creeping up past $100 on sites like eBay after availability became scarce.
8 Things 28 Years Later’s Trailer Reveals About What Happened After The Last Movie
28 Years Later’s trailer reveals several shocking changes from the franchise’s last movie that add to the mystery and horror of the Rage Virus.
The fact that28 Days Laterwas so hard to watch for so long speaks to the tenuous relationship between digital movie sales and consumers. Evenpurchasing a movie digitally doesn’t guarantee permanent ownership, as changes in rights situations or companies going out of business could result in purchased items disappearing from a consumer’s online library. In any case, having28 Days Lateravailable to rent and purchase on VOD is a smart move considering the upcomingrelease of28 Years Later, which marks a return for original trio Boyle, Garland, and Murphy.
28 Years Lateris expected to serve as the start of a new trilogy of films, with28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Templehaving already been filmed.
Our Take On 28 Days Later’s New VOD Release
The Danny Boyle Movie Deserves Physical Media Availability
To ensure continued access to films, physical media is the way to go. While “buying” a movie digitally essentially grants one a license to keep that film in a digital library, it doesn’t necessarily mean one will have access to that title forever. For that reason, it’s a shame the28 Days LaterVOD announcement doesn’t include any mention of more physical copies becoming available, as this would be the best way for consumers to ensure permanent access to the movie moving forward.
Still, though, it’s worth celebrating that28 Days Laterwill now be available to watch online. The movie marks one of Boyle’s most important and most entertaining, andrewatching it will be the perfect way to prepare for28 Years Later, which seems more closely connected to that film than to28 Weeks Later. Thankfully, those looking to revisit28 Days Laterdon’t have long to wait.
28 Days Later
Cast
28 Days Later depicts a post-apocalyptic Britain devastated by a virulent outbreak. Directed by Danny Boyle, it follows a group of London survivors as they navigate the chaos caused by a rapidly spreading virus, transmitted by humans and animals, that transforms the infected into dangerous beings. Released in 2002.
