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The '28 Days Later' franchise has returned with its latest instalment, '28 Years Later', hitting theatres on 20th June, 2025. Nearly two decades since the last movie, the story picks up with a group of virus survivors living on a quarantined island off the coast of Britain. Their fragile peace unravels when one of them ventures beyond the safe zone and uncovers disturbing truths—not just about the infected, but also about the evolution of humanity itself in the aftermath of the rage virus.
But beyond the plot’s thrilling continuation, what’s sparking major conversation in the movie world is director Danny Boyle’s unconventional decision to shoot much of the movie using iPhones. Staying true to the franchise’s gritty, documentary-style aesthetic, Boyle turned to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max for their portability, flexibility, and surprisingly cinematic quality.
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Image Courtesy: IMDb
The original 2002 '28 Days Later' broke ground by using Canon XL-1 digital camcorders, lending the apocalyptic thriller a raw, realistic tone. Boyle, reflecting on that creative decision, has said it made the violence feel more visceral and the story more immersive, key reasons why the film resonated with audiences. In '28 Years Later', he wanted to replicate that immersive feel with today’s equivalent of everyday video tools.
How was '28 Years Later' Shot on iPhone?
Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle and Boyle built custom camera rigs to hold multiple iPhones—ranging from 8 to 20 at a time—to capture dramatic scenes from several angles at once. One of the standout shots in the film even uses all 20 iPhones simultaneously, producing a unique, jarring effect that amplifies the horror and intensity. According to Boyle, this rigging method allowed them to shoot in remote parts of England and Scotland where larger, bulkier equipment simply wouldn’t work.
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Image Courtesy: IMDb
Though iPhones were heavily relied upon, the movie wasn’t entirely shot with smartphones. The crew also used drones, Panasonic cameras, and other high-end equipment for certain sequences. Boyle clarified that while the iPhone played a huge role in production, other technologies were essential to achieving the film’s full visual range.
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models used for the film are capable of capturing Apple ProRes video in 4K resolution, using a log colour profile that gives filmmakers greater control over contrast, highlights, and shadows. This allowed the team to produce high-quality visuals while maintaining a stripped-back, real-world atmosphere.
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Image Courtesy: IMDb
Others Who Took up the iPhone for Shooting
Boyle isn’t the first director to embrace smartphone filmmaking. Projects like 'Tangerine' (2015), 'High Flying Bird' (2019), and 'Unsane' (2018) were also shot primarily on iPhones, proving that great storytelling and visual impact don’t always require traditional Hollywood gear.
With '28 Years Later', Danny Boyle blends innovation with nostalgia, proving that a low-key filming technique can deliver high-impact cinema. The movie is now playing in theatres.
