28 Years Later's Bone Temple Sequel Isn't Here Yet, But I'm Already Excited To Know It'll Avoid The Dreaded Stranger Things Effect

As the relatively rare “second sequel to a 23-year-old horror movie that largely avoids the second film,” 28 Years Later is something of a masterpiece. (An argument our review supports.) But while the biggest post-release conversations about Danny Boyle’s flick have been tied to Alpha Samson’s prosthetic penis size and that bonkers Jimmy Savile-referencing ending, I think the talented young actor Alfie Williams’ performance as the empathy magnet Spike is also deserving.

Given that the film caps off on a cliffhanger for Spike and his new life path, I was immediately in cannot-wait mode for the impending sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple which is already set as an early 2026 movie release. What’s more, fans won’t have to worry about the sequel suffering from the Stranger Things effect where Spike is concerned.

Alfie Williams' Spike Is My Favorite Thing About 28 Years Later

I'll freely admit that haphazard child performances (to say it as kindly as possible) can completely ruin an otherwise great movie for me. Too precocious? Too immature? Too wooden? I want none of it, no offense to the performers themselves. Right from the jump, however, Alfie Williams' all-around talents were on full display, and those talents never wavered throughout all of the hectic action and tragic heartbreak.

So for all that I love the world-building, and the existence of Alphas, and the nutso camerawork that Boyle pulled off with iPhone camera arrays, a lot of details could be replaced with more or less the same film coming out the other end. Pulling Williams out of it, however, would be akin to spraying a hose on a house of cards. The fact that the 14-year-old will still look 14 in the upcoming horror movie is amazing.

The Stranger Things Effect Refers To Younger Cast Members Aging Out Of Roles Due To Extended Productions Or Hiatuses

Completely outside any critical opinions about Stranger Things' storytelling in and of itself, the Netflix hit's fanbase has come at the show for the extended hiatuses that have come between the later seasons. Not just because it means having to wait for new eps, but because all of the younger actors will look wildly different in the final season in comparison to their debuts, to the point that efforts are taken to make them look younger each time around.

Aging is only natural, obviously, and it would be fine enough if the story was able to jump forward in time to match the ages. But because the Duffers' narrative is so locked into the concept of adoleslcence and its limited timeframe, it remains an awkward (if not detrimental) detail that will no doubt remain meme fodder when Season 5's hard-to-follow release schedule.

Thankfully, 28 Years Later's Bone Temple Was Filmed Immediately After The First

28 Years Later fans don't need to worry about that aging issue happening with The Bone Temple given the announcement that director Nia DeCosta was able to film the sequel almost immediately after Danny Boyle wrapped on his feature. As such, Alfie Williams' Spike will likely still look the same when the new film opens up, assuming that's the point.

Spike's whole arc was tied to his sense of innocence being shattered for various reasons. Not only did he venture out to the mainland to face monsters, but also by learning about his father's infidelity. Not to mention suffering the extremes of learning that his mother was dying, and then her bizarrely meeting her maker so soon afterward. With the cherry on top being him placing her skull atop the others.

I've no doubt that 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple would have been a winner even if Alfie Williams looked 16 or 17, even if he had to get a dorky haircut to look younger. He's a talented dude. However, the emotions I feel about his arc are in part tied to Spike going through these ordeals at such a young age. The fact that the actor doesn't need to put in the extra work to actually BE that young is keeping my enthusiasm high.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is set to scramble into theaters rabidly on January 16, 2026.