• The director Danny Boyle and the writer Alex Garland breathed new life into zombie movies with "28 Days Later."
• Over 20 years after the original, they're back with "28 Years Later."
• Here are the best zombie movies to watch after you recover from the frights of "28 Years Later."

Sure, purists might argue the infected in "28 Years Later" aren't technically zombies.

But when a film franchise redefines a classic genre (by making the zombie-like creatures fast and relentless, rather than slow and bumbling) there's arguably room for creative license.

It all started in 2002 with "28 Days Later," where a bite from a person infected with the Rage Virus transforms them into a mindless killer who hungers only for flesh and blood.

In "28 Years Later," the director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland explore how the infected have evolved, and how the survivors have managed to keep calm and carry on.

Since then, other filmmakers have taken to the idea of fast zombies, infections, and adrenaline-fueled terror in their own projects, while films like "Night of the Living Dead" are still undeniable classics.

Here are the nine best zombie movies to watch after "28 Years Later," according to their Rotten Tomatoes scores.

"Night of the Living Dead" (1968)

Critics' Consensus: "George A. Romero's debut set the template for the zombie film, and features tight editing, realistic gore, and a sly political undercurrent."

Tomatometer score: 95%

Popcornmeter: 87%

"Train to Busan" (2016)

Critics' Consensus: "'Train to Busan' delivers a thrillingly unique — and purely entertaining — take on the zombie genre, with fully realized characters and plenty of social commentary to underscore the bursts of skillfully staged action."

Tomatometer score: 95%

Popcornmeter: 89%

"REC" (2007)

Critics' Consensus: "Plunging viewers into the nightmarish hellscape of an apartment complex under siege, 'Rec' proves that found footage can still be used as an effective delivery mechanism for sparse, economic horror."

Tomatometer score: 90%

Popcornmeter: 82%

"The Girl with All the Gifts" (2017)

Critics' Consensus: "'The Girl with All the Gifts' grapples with thought-provoking questions without skimping on the scares — and finds a few fresh wrinkles in the well-worn zombie horror genre along the way."

Tomatometer score: 86%

Popcornmeter: 67%

"Dawn of the Dead" (2004)

Critics' Consensus: "A kinetic, violent and surprisingly worthy remake of George Romero's horror classic that pays homage to the original while working on its own terms."

Tomatometer score: 77%

Popcornmeter: 77%

"The Crazies" (2010)

Critics' Consensus: "Tense, nicely shot, and uncommonly intelligent, 'The Crazies' is a horror remake that, unusually, works."

Tomatometer score: 72%

Popcornmeter: 57%

"World War Z" (2013)

Critics' Consensus: "It's uneven and diverges from the source book, but 'World War Z' still brings smart, fast-moving thrills and a solid performance from Brad Pitt to the zombie genre."

Tomatometer score: 67%

Popcornmeter: 72%

• Warning: Major spoilers ahead for "28 Years Later."
• "28 Years Later" leaves the story open for its sequel, "The Bone Temple," which is due out in 2026.
• The ending sees Spike (Alfie Williams) meet a strange new group of survivors.

Horror fans rejoice, the sequel to the long-awaited "28 Years Later," "The Bone Temple," has already been filmed and is due out in theaters next year.

2002's "28 Days Later" became a cult classic by taking a fresh bite out of the zombie movie genre: instead of a supernatural threat, the undead are infected by the Rage Virus.

"28 Years Later," out Friday, is the start of a new trilogy from the director and screenwriter of the original film, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland. It tells the story of 12-year-old Spike (Alfie Williams) who leaves the safety of the island where his family live to find a cure for his sick mother, Isla (Jodie Comer), on the UK mainland.

By the end of the film, Isla lets the mysterious Doctor Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) euthanize her after he diagnoses her with metastatic brain cancer.

Spike then roams the mainland instead of returning home, and in its final scene crosses paths with a man who calls himself Sir Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell). The strange cult leader who has long blond hair are, as Boyle and Garland confirmed to Business Insider, dressed like Jimmy Savile, the infamous British TV presenter and prolific sexual abuser.

The film ends as Spike chooses to go with Jimmy. Here's what to know about "The Bone Temple."

The cast of '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' includes Cillian Murphy, Alfie Williams, Jack O'Connell, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson

The plot for "The Bone Temple" is unknown, but presumably it will explore Jimmy's past after he escaped the Rage Virus following the initial outbreak, as seen in the violent opening scene of "28 Years Later."

His Savile-esque appearance raises an intriguing question: The Rage Virus outbreak started in 2002, meaning Savile's numerous sexual crimes may not have been made public in the film's timeline. In real life, the allegations were made in 2011 onwards, after Savile died.

Garland told BI that the story will examine how misremembering key events can drastically change the world."We are living in a time right now which is absolutely dominated by a misremembered past," he said.

Williams and O'Connell will return for "The Bone Temple" alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who plays Spike's father, Jamie.

Boyle also confirmed to BI that Cillian Murphy will return as Jim, the main character from "28 Days Later."

'28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' is due in 2026

"28 Years Later: The Bone Temple" will be released on January 16, 2026, so there isn't long to wait after that surprising ending.

This is because "28 Years Later" and "The Bone Temple" were filmed back-to-back in summer 2024.

Boyle didn't direct the second film, but he did return as a producer. Nia Da Costa directed the sequel with a script from Garland.

Da Costa has previously helmed movies like "Candyman" and "The Marvels," as well as episodes of "Top Boy" and "Ms. Marvel."