28 Years Later Shocks with $30M Debut—Shot on iPhone

Last weekend, moviegoers in the U.S. were treated to two major releases: Elio, the latest animated film from Pixar, and ’28 Years Later’, the long-awaited sequel to Danny Boyle’s iconic horror film 28 Days Later. While animated movies usually eat up the competition at the family-friendly box office, the horror movie won the showdown this time.

And what makes this box office dominance even more special is the way 28 Years Later was shot.

A Big-Budget Movie Shot on iPhone

Despite having a massive budget of $75 million and full support from a major studio, director Danny Boyle took a bold shot: Instead of using the usual cinema-ready cameras, he shot the film primarily with iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models, showcasing just how far smartphone cinematography has come—especially with features like Cinematic Mode on iPhone.

What makes this even more fascinating is that the crew sometimes used up to 20 iPhones at once in a single custom rig to capture the action from multiple angles.

This isn’t the first time Boyle has taken the unconventional route. The first film, 28 Days Later, was also shot using unconventional filming methods. The entire film was shot on a prosumer DV camera.

In an interview with IndieWire, Boyle explained his decision:

It’s very light, it’s cheap, and it allowed us to go to places that were very remote and bore very little evidence of human presence for many, many, many years.

This mobility was crucial to achieving the film’s bleak, post-apocalyptic look. The lightweight iPhones allowed the production team to shoot in desolate locations that would have been difficult to reach with bulky, traditional gear.

Actors Embraced the Intimacy of iPhone Filming

In addition to image quality, the decision to use iPhones for shooting the film also impacted the actors’ performances. Actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who stars in the film, opened up about the experience in an interview with Mashable’s Kristy Puchko:

When someone puts an iPhone very close, it’s a bit intrusive. You feel kind of vulnerable, and you can’t hide. There’s a quality about it that just shows everything, and it meant we had to feel very present in the moment… You got used to it very quickly, and it became such a great environment to work around.

That raw, unfiltered intimacy seems to have translated on screen, contributing to the film’s visceral tone.

Was the Entire Movie Shot on iPhone?

The clear answer to this is no. While the vast majority of the film was captured on iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models, Boyle later clarified that some scenes used other types of cameras. Regardless of whether the film was entirely shot on an iPhone, it is still one of the most ambitious mobile-shot films ever made.

A Full-Circle Moment for the Franchise

Back in 2002, 28 Days Later revolutionized the horror genre with grainy DV camera footage and breakneck pacing. Now, in 2025, Boyle has once again brought the same disruptive spirit to the big screen, but with a tool even more accessible than DV was back then.

The Future of Filmmaking?

With 28 Years Later already declared a commercial success, its unique production approach proves that you don’t always need a high-end camera to deliver a quality cinematic experience—just the right vision and some of the best iPhone and iPad apps for filmmakers.

Have you seen 28 Years Later yet? Could you tell it was shot on an iPhone? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.