Danny Boyle biography

Boyle explored a more sinister world in his post-apocalyptic sci-fi film 28 Days Later (2003). Set in London, the film follows Jim (played by Cillan Murphy) as he struggles to survive after a virus turns most of the city’s residents into violent zombies. Boyle's take on story earned him critical praise, a Saturn award, and more than $85 million at U.S. and U.K. box offices.

Boyle next turned to lighter fare with the family drama, Millions (2004). In the film,

a bag of money literally falls from the sky into the hands of a young boy. He and his older brother debate what to do with all of the cash. “I wanted to make something from the perspective of an eight-year-old, when everything’s very simple, colorful, and quick,” Boyle told Esquire.

In 2007, Boyle again ventured into the world of science fiction, with Sunshine. The film told the story of a group of astronauts who travel through space on a mission to repair the sun. Despite some strong performances by its cast, which included Cillan Murphy and Michelle Yeoh, Sunshine quickly disappeared after its release.

International Acclaim

With his checkered box office history, many heralded Boyle’s next effort, Slumdog Millionaire (2008), as a comeback movie. The film tells the rags-to-riches tale of a young man (Dev Patel) from the slums of Mumbai, India, who gets a chance to compete on India’s version of the Who Wants to be a Millionaire game show.

Boyle spent nearly a year filming this story in India, and used a mostly local cast. Mixing several genres, Slumdog Millionaire features comedy, romance, and suspense. After its screening at several film festivals, the film received rave reviews. This positive response helped Slumdog Millionaire to become a box office champion, earning more than $100 million at the box office so far. Slumdog Millionaire also won numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe and a Directors Guild of America Award for Boyle. It has been nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Recently, however, the film has been under fire regarding whether its youngest actors were fairly compensated for their work. In response to the criticism, Boyle revealed that the production company paid for the actors' schooling and basic living costs, and even established a college fund for the children.

While he has not lined up his next project, Boyle already expressed some interest in doing “a woman’s story.” He told Peter Bart of Variety that “I have two daughters. My films have been 'guy stories' and I think maybe it’s time to change course.”

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