Nia DaCosta is in talks to direct the second part of the upcoming “28 Years Later” trilogy from Danny Boyle and Alex Garland.
Previously, she directed and co-wrote “The Marvels” starring Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris and Iman Vellani, and “Candyman,” a contemporary spiritual sequel of the 1992 cult horror classic of the same name for Universal and Monkeypaw Productions.
“Candyman” opened to No. 1 at the box office, making DaCosta the first Black female director to open at the top of U.S. box office charts. DaCosta made her feature debut with the critically acclaimed “Little Woods,” which she wrote and directed.
When DaCosta sat down with Variety last fall to discuss “The Marvels,” she was proud of checking “direct an MCU” movie off her directors bucket list and looking forward to what came next.
“I did these three films back-to-back,” DaCosta said, referencing “Little Woods,” “Candyman” and “The Marvels.” “They were each so unique and so special and so different. And with each film, I was able to grow as a filmmaker, and rise to different heights in my career and in the industry. It’s nice to have a ‘What’s next?’ moment after doing a Marvel film.”
She’ll next write, direct and produce the MGM Orion Pictures and Plan B film “Hedda,” a reimagination of the famed Henrik Ibsen stage play “Hedda Gabler,” starring Tessa Thompson in the title role.
“28 Days Later” was released in 2002 and starred Cillian Murphy, then largely unknown. Boyle directed the feature, while Garland wrote. A sequel, “28 Weeks Later,” was released in 2007.
Boyle, whose last feature was 2019 romantic comedy “Yesterday,” is set to direct the first film in the planned “28 Years Later” trilogy. Garland, who has since directed features like “Ex Machina,” “Annihilation” and, most recently, A24’s “Civil War,” is attached to write the films. Both Boyle and Garland will produce, along with Andrew Macdonald and Peter Rice, who were both involved with “28 Days Later.”
DaCosta is repped by CAA, Entertainment 360, Casarotto Ramsay, Shelter PR, and Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein Lezcano Bobb & Dang.
Deadline was first to report the news.