Danny Boyle has been banned from filming a ‘profane’ zombie movie at a 14th century Gothic Church.
The director, best known for films including Slumdog Millionaire and T2 Trainspotting, has been told he can’t shoot his upcoming sequel to 28 Days Later at the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Morpeth, Northumberland.
His application to use the Grade I Listed site to film his new project was refused by a Church court, who said the movie would ‘offend’ Church doctrines and ‘profane’ the house of God.
St Mary’s had previously been used as a set for an episode of ITV crime drama Vera.
Danny Boyle has been told he cannot film his upcoming sequel to 28 Days Later at a 14th century Gothic church
A ecclesiastical court has blocked the director from using Church of St Mary the Virgin in Morpeth, Northumberland saying the zombie film would ‘offend’ Church doctrines
Mr Boyle’s plans were backed by both St Mary’s’ vicar and warden but was refused by ecclesiastical body the Consistory Court of the Diocese of Newcastle.
He was intending to use the historic building to shoot a number of important scenes in the film, which stars Jodie Comer, Cillian Murphy and Ralph Fiennes, the Telegraph reported.
The film’s producers, DNA films, including supervising location manager Camilla Stephenson, had said the church would be the backdrop to a ‘post-apocalyptic world in which people are largely infected by a ‘rage’ virus which leads them to violence’.
The church’s rector, Reverend Simon White supported the proposals, saying he didn’t believe shooting the movie would detriment either the parish or the diocese.
Jodie Comer shooting the sequel to 28 Days Later in Northumberland
He agreed to submit an application to the diocesan advisory committee along with churchwarden Dr Andrew Mowat.
But they were overruled by the Archdeacon of LIndisfarne, who advised parishes in her area to refuse the requests.
The film had been noted by members of the Parochial Church Council (PCC) to be ‘very violent and gory’ while not promoting or glorifying evil or violence.