Ralph Fiennes haunts in dystopian sequel '28 Years Later'

Academy Award nominee Ralph Fiennes transforms into the unsettling Dr. Ian Kelson in "28 Years Later," the long-awaited continuation of the iconic franchise of the same title.

Opening in Philippine cinemas today, June 18, the film picks up nearly three decades after the rage virus first plunged Britain into chaos — and Fiennes' character stands as one of the few left standing.

When asked about his role in the virus-ravaged world, Fiennes (known for "Conclave," "The Menu," and "The Grand Budapest Hotel," among others) describes Dr. Kelson as "above all, a survivor." A deeply introspective figure, Kelson is guided by the Latin phrase memento mori — a reminder of death's inevitability.

The Academy Award nominee is unrecognizable and unsettling as Dr. Ian Kelson in ‘28 Years Later.’ PHOTO FROM COLUMBIA PICTURES

"He's accepted the fact of death — that it's so present," says Fiennes. "Rather than run away from it, pretend death doesn't exist, or live in fear of it, Kelson is honoring death and the dead. In a way, he's a rather clergy-like figure and a humanist."

Set decades after the virus devastated the UK, the film follows a group of survivors who have found refuge on an island connected to the mainland by a single causeway that floods for most of the day — an eerie and fragile barrier that keeps the infected at bay.

Fiennes worked closely with production and costume designers Carson McColl and Gareth Pugh to shape the haunting image of Kelson that confronts both audiences and fellow survivors.

"We had wonderful conversations about Kelson and his world and clothes," he shares. "One of Kelson's defining traits is that he covers himself in iodine, which is a prophylactic against the rage virus. So, Kelson is covered in reddish-orange iodine, and then we made the decision to have his head shaven, which we thought was a strong look."

Makeup supervisor Flora Moody completed the look with stark realism. "Flora considered what people look like if they no longer have access to shampoo and makeup," Fiennes adds. "We all wanted the iodine-shielded figure to look arresting and startling."

"28 Years Later" is distributed locally by Columbia Pictures, the Philippine office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.