28 Years Later was reported to arrive online on July 29, 2025, but the date referred to premium digital rental and purchase—not Netflix. The film later reached Netflix in the United States on September 20, 2025. The sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, has a separate release schedule.
“28 Years Later” did get a digital release on July 29, 2025—but that was a premium video-on-demand (PVOD) date, not its Netflix subscription-streaming date. A July 23, 2025 Forbes report said the Danny Boyle horror thriller was expected to arrive that day for digital rental and purchase, based on release tracker When to Stream. Sony Pictures had not confirmed the date when Forbes published its report. The digital date was subsequently reported as having occurred, and the film later reached Netflix in the United States on September 20, 2025.
Title clarification: This report concerns the first film, 28 Years Later. The sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, has separate release dates: February 17, 2026, for PVOD and March 31, 2026, for Netflix in the U.S.
What the reported July 29 date meant
In the original report, “streaming date” was being used broadly to describe online availability. More precisely, July 29, 2025 was the film’s reported PVOD date—the point at which viewers could pay to rent or buy a digital copy.
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| Release window | 28 Years Later in the U.S. | What viewers could do |
|---|---|---|
| Theatrical | June 20, 2025 | See the film in theaters |
| PVOD/digital | July 29, 2025 | Rent or purchase it digitally |
| Subscription streaming | September 20, 2025 | Stream it on Netflix U.S., subject to availability |
Forbes reported a listed digital purchase price of $24.99 and projected a 48-hour rental price of $19.99. Those prices were release-window figures and should not be treated as permanent: digital retailers can change prices, terms, and availability. The report identified Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, and YouTube as expected digital destinations.
Was the July 29 date officially confirmed?
Not when the Forbes story was published. The report attributed the date to When to Stream and specifically noted that Sony Pictures Entertainment had not announced or confirmed it at that point. That distinction matters: an entertainment-tracker date can be accurate while still being different from a studio-confirmed announcement.
Later reporting indicated that 28 Years Later did become available digitally on July 29. In other words, the report’s expected PVOD date was borne out, but it should not be rewritten as an official Sony announcement made before the fact.
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When did 28 Years Later arrive on Netflix?
The film’s reported Netflix U.S. debut was September 20, 2025. That was a separate release window from the July 29 digital-rental and purchase date. A Netflix subscription did not represent the same kind of access as buying or renting the movie through a digital storefront.
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Availability can differ by country and can change as licensing agreements expire or move between services. The dates above are U.S. dates. The dossier’s evidence is strongest for the United States, so viewers elsewhere should check the local Netflix catalog and authorized digital retailers rather than assume the U.S. schedule applies.
How the sequel created confusion
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a different film, not an alternate title for the movie discussed in the July 2025 report. It is the second installment in a planned trilogy and has its own release schedule:
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- January 16, 2026: U.S. theatrical release.
- February 17, 2026: U.S. PVOD and digital release.
- March 31, 2026: Netflix U.S. streaming release.
- April 21, 2026: reported U.S. DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD release.
Netflix’s editorial listing confirms the sequel’s March 31, 2026 Netflix availability. As of the research date, availability listings also placed The Bone Temple on Netflix in the United States and offered it for digital rental or purchase through Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home. Sony’s movie catalog lists the sequel in 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and digital formats.
Where to watch or own the films
For the first 28 Years Later, the relevant distinction is between the completed PVOD window—digital rental or purchase from participating retailers—and the later Netflix U.S. subscription window.
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For collectors, The Bone Temple 4K UHD Blu-ray is the relevant physical-media search term. Sony lists 4K UHD and Blu-ray availability, and retailer coverage identifies both regular Blu-ray editions and a limited-edition 4K Blu-ray SteelBook. A physical release is an ownership option; it is not required for Netflix or digital viewing. Check the retailer listing for the current price, edition, region, audio, subtitle, and disc details before purchasing.
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International availability may differ. For example, reporting identified Crave rather than Netflix for The Bone Temple in Canada. Neither the rental, purchase, subtitle, audio, nor 4K terms should be assumed to be identical across storefronts.
What kind of film is 28 Years Later?
The first film is a Sony Pictures horror thriller directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland. Its principal cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Alfie Williams. The film’s return to the world established by 28 Days Later made its theatrical-to-digital transition a high-interest release, but that franchise context does not change the meaning of the July 29 date: it was a PVOD report, not a Netflix announcement.
The Bone Temple shifts behind the camera to director Nia DaCosta while retaining Alex Garland as writer; Garland and Boyle are also credited as producers by Sony’s international movie page. Netflix describes it as the second part of a planned trilogy and lists Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, and Alfie Williams among its cast.
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Release-date timeline
- June 20, 2025: 28 Years Later opens theatrically in the United States.
- July 23, 2025: Forbes reports an expected July 29 PVOD date, while noting that Sony has not confirmed it.
- July 29, 2025: The first film becomes available digitally according to subsequent reporting.
- September 20, 2025: The first film reportedly arrives on Netflix U.S.
- January 16, 2026: The Bone Temple opens theatrically in the United States.
- February 17, 2026: The sequel reaches PVOD and digital retailers.
- March 31, 2026: The sequel arrives on Netflix U.S.
- April 21, 2026: The sequel’s reported U.S. physical-media release follows on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K UHD.
The short answer
If you are looking for the movie named in the original headline, 28 Years Later was reported to hit digital rental and purchase on July 29, 2025, and later reached Netflix U.S. on September 20, 2025. If you mean 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, use the sequel’s separate dates: February 17, 2026, for PVOD and March 31, 2026, for Netflix U.S.
Release information is based on the July 23, 2025 Forbes report, subsequent availability reporting, Netflix editorial information, Sony Pictures catalog pages, and U.S. availability listings. Platform catalogs and prices are subject to change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was 28 Years Later’s July 29 date a Netflix release?
The July 29, 2025 date was for premium digital rental and purchase. It was not the film’s Netflix subscription-streaming date.
When did 28 Years Later come to Netflix?
The first film reportedly arrived on Netflix in the United States on September 20, 2025. Availability may differ in other countries.
Is The Bone Temple the same movie as 28 Years Later?
No. The sequel is titled 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and had separate U.S. release dates: February 17, 2026, for PVOD and March 31, 2026, for Netflix.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: The July 29, 2025 date referred to 28 Years Later arriving for digital rental and purchase—not Netflix. The first film later reached Netflix U.S. on September 20, 2025. Its sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, followed its own schedule: February 17, 2026, on PVOD and March 31, 2026, on Netflix U.S.
Quick Recap
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