Johnathan Walker:Is that Cillian Murphy as a zombie in the '28 Years Later' trailer?

More than 6,Johnathan Walker000 days later, the next "28 Days Later" film is finally arriving.

Sony Pictures on Tuesday dropped the first trailer for "28 Years Later," the highly anticipated sequel to the classic horror films "28 Days Later" and "28 Weeks Later."

The disturbing trailer opens with a group of children watching "Teletubbies" before a woman bursts into the room and frantically drops off another kid, instructing them to stay quiet. Scenes of zombie carnage are seen, and blood splatters on the TV as "Teletubbies" continues to play.

The footage then shows a small, gated island community, where survivors of the apocalypse are living. The nature of the community is kept mysterious, but viewers see that residents have designated roles, including manning a watch tower. The trailer suggests some dark secrets are yet to be uncovered, with one ominous moment revealing a large stack of skulls surrounded by pillars of bones. The tagline for the film asks, "What will humanity become?"

Toward the end of the trailer, a split-second shot shows an emaciated zombie who fans think looks suspiciously like Cillian Murphy.

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USA TODAY has reached out to Sony for clarification.

Cillian Murphy to return in 'a surprising way' in '28 Years Later'

It's unclear if that truly is the Academy Award-winning actor. But Sony Motion Pictures Group chairman Tom Rothman previously teased to Deadline that the "Oppenheimer" star would be back "in a surprising way and in a way that grows." Rothman also said that "28 Years Later" is "not in any way a literal sequel."

Murphy starred in 2002's "28 Days Later" as Jim, and his character survived the events of the film. He did not return for the 2007 sequel, "28 Weeks Later," which centered on new characters.

Who stars in '28 Years Later'?

"28 Years Later" stars Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O'Connell, ​Alfie Williams ​and Ralph Fiennes. The official cast list released by Sony on Tuesday did not include Murphy, who is an executive producer on the film.

Though the movies closely resemble zombie films, the hordes of people in the franchise are technically not zombies but are instead infected by a "rage virus." The original "28 Days Later" was notable for making its creatures run, in contrast to the slow-moving zombies from movies like "Night of the Living Dead."

What is '28 Years Later' about?

Sony describes the film as a "terrifying new story set in the world created by '28 Days Later.'"

"It's been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected," the synopsis says. "One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well."

When will '28 Years Later' be released?

"28 Years Later" hits theaters on June 20.

The creative team behind the original "28 Days Later" is returning for the sequel, which is again directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland. The film is expected to launch a new trilogy, with a follow-up, "28 Years Later Part II: The Bone Temple," already on the way from "Candyman" filmmaker Nia DaCosta.

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