Schwabenpark, 11, Hofwiesen, Gmeinweiler, Kaisersbach, Vereinbarte Verwaltungsgemeinschaft der Stadt Welzheim, Rems-Murr-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg, 73667, Deutschland
Scene: (as 'Cambridge Primate Research Centre')
Pinewood Studios (pickup), Pinewood Road, Iver, Wexham and Ivers Community Board, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, SL0 0QJ, United Kingdom
Dock Road, Tilbury, Thurrock, Essex, England, RM18 8LB, United Kingdom
Scene: (on location)
Blackwall Tunnel, New Providence Wharf, Greenwich Peninsula, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Royal Borough of Greenwich, Greater London, England, SE10 0TX, United Kingdom
Danny Boyle’s rage-virus nightmare opens on the most haunting image in modern British horror: a completely deserted central London. To capture it, the crew shut down the city’s most famous streets at dawn and shot on cheap digital camcorders – giving the film its raw, grainy, unforgettable look.
Where was 28 Days Later filmed?
28 Days Later was filmed in London (the deserted-city scenes), the English countryside (Cumbria, Gloucestershire), and studios – with a German primate-lab location.
Every 28 Days Later location, explained
1
Deserted London – dawn shutdowns
The eerie empty city used real London landmarks – Westminster Bridge, past St Thomas’ Hospital and the Houses of Parliament – filmed in the small hours to clear the streets.
2
The hospital and the city
Jim wakes in an abandoned hospital, with exteriors around St Thomas’ Hospital on the South Bank.
3
The countryside refuge – Badminton and Cumbria
The survivors’ journey and the finale used Badminton House in Gloucestershire and the fells of Ennerdale in Cumbria.
4
The primate lab – Germany
Some “Cambridge Primate Research Centre” material used locations in Germany, around Stuttgart.
Planning a visit
London‘s Westminster Bridge is the film’s signature spot – normally teeming, which is exactly why its emptiness was so chilling. The Lake District’s Ennerdale offers the film’s wild, hopeful finale scenery.
28 Days Later Fun Facts
1
They emptied central London at dawn The deserted-city shots were filmed in the early morning, briefly closing famous streets and using large crews to hold back traffic.
2
Shot on camcorders Boyle filmed largely on consumer-grade Canon digital camcorders, giving the film its grainy, immediate texture.
3
They're not zombies The ‘infected’ are living humans driven by a rage virus – not the undead – which reinvented the genre with terrifying speed.
4
Multiple endings were shot Several alternate endings were filmed, and a different one was later added in cinemas.
5
It relaunched the genre The film’s success helped spark the 2000s zombie-horror revival.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did they film an empty London?
By shooting at dawn and briefly closing famous streets like Westminster Bridge, with crews holding back traffic.
Where is the deserted-city scene?
On and around Westminster Bridge, past St Thomas’ Hospital and the Houses of Parliament.
Can you visit the locations?
Yes – Westminster Bridge is central London, and Ennerdale is in the Lake District.
