Danny Boyle’s upcoming sequel 28 Years Later has quietly pushed mobile cinematography forward. Instead of relying solely on traditional cinema cameras, the crew mounted 20 iPhone 16 Pro units around stunt rigs to capture high-intensity sequences in tight urban sets. The approach lets editors pull multiple 4K angles from a single take, saving both time and budget while delivering gritty footage that matches the franchise’s raw look.
How the iPhone rigs work
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Each handset records in Apple ProRes HQ at 4K 60 fps.
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A central spine holds five rows of four iPhones, all time-code synced through Tentacle Sync.
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Remote start and stop triggers run over Bluetooth using a custom companion app.
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External MagSafe batteries keep the cluster running for 45-minute sessions.
Boyle’s team says the lightweight rig fits into spaces where steadicams cannot move and cuts reset time between takes. The array also eliminates the need for duplicate stunt choreography, because every required angle is already captured.
Why choose iPhone instead of cinema cameras
Traditional cameras add weight, heat, and safety concerns when mounted near performers. The iPhone 16 Pro sensors handle low-light interiors surprisingly well thanks to a new stacked design, and Apple Log colour profiles give the post-production team enough latitude for grade matching with Alexa 65 footage.
We needed something small, fast, and expendable that could still deliver theatrical-grade files.
Cost and workflow advantages
Apple ProRes files drop straight into Final Cut Pro without transcoding. With 20 feeds rolling, editors can cut, stabilize, and apply noise reduction on set before the next lighting setup begins. The production estimates a 25 percent reduction in reshoot days compared to the previous film, 28 Weeks Later, which relied on bulky film cameras for close-quarters scenes.
Impact on future productions
If the finished footage passes theatrical projection tests later this summer, studios may rethink how they handle secondary camera units. Expect more directors to experiment with multi-phone arrays for stunt work, crowd scenes, and virtual production plates as smartphone sensor size and dynamic range continue to climb.
Release
Principal photography wraps in early August, with a teaser trailer slated for late October. Boyle’s post team will spend September matching the iPhone and Alexa plates so that audiences cannot tell which shots came from a phone. The film opens worldwide on 21 March 2026.
