As the credits rolled in auditorium three of the Everyman cinema in Muswell Hill, North London, the unexpected finale of “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” elicited surprised laughter. For those who haven’t watched the film, the sight of Ralph Fiennes performing a dance, scantily clad among heaps of skeletal remains while Iron Maiden’s “The Number of the Beast” plays, is certainly an unconventional way to see one of the finest actors of our time.
28 Days Later: The Bone Temple director Nia DaCosta.
Photograph: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images
“Alex Garland was the one who decided on that particular track,” mentioned Nia DaCosta, the film’s director. “He incorporated it directly into the screenplay. And frankly, it’s a perfect match for a narrative centered on Satanism.”
And indeed it is. Starting with the chilling spoken introduction by Barry Clayton – “Let him who hath understanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number. Its number is six hundred and sixty-six” – and culminating with Bruce Dickinson’s powerful declaration, “I have the fire, I have the force, I have the power to make my evil take its course”, the song encapsulates nearly five minutes of sheer diabolic essence.
The song, which is the title track from Maiden’s 1982 album—their third and the first to feature Dickinson—elevated the band to new heights within the metal scene. It secured their first UK No. 1 album and broke into the US top 40. When released as a single, it climbed to No. 3 in the UK charts in 1990, marking the highest position a song about Satan has achieved there (in the US, this title is held by the Charlie Daniels Band’s “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” which also reached No. 3).
This track is uniquely structured: Clive Burr’s distinctive drum patterns and Maiden’s typical use of multiple musical sections make it particularly engaging. “It’s such a dynamic piece,” DaCosta explains, “it provides numerous opportunities for creative film cuts.” The scene needed to starkly contrast the chaotic world of the Satanist gang—the Jimmys—with the more serene and humanistic world of Fiennes’ character. “We aimed for it to mirror the disjointed and frenzied nature of the Jimmys’ violent acts, yet also to reflect the fiery yet warm ambiance of Ralph’s character’s environment. This song really helped us achieve that,” she added.
Iron Maiden in 1983: from left, Dave Murray, Steve Harris, Bruce Dickinson, Nicko McBrain and Adrian Smith.
Photograph: Paul Natkin/Getty Images
Iron Maiden is known for being selective about licensing their music for film and TV. “The most important factor,” states Dave Shack of Phantom Music Management, “is whether the use will ridicule us.” Given the prevalent stereotypes about metal music in popular culture, this concern eliminates many potential opportunities. He still laments the decision to allow a character in “Hot Tub Time Machine” to wear an Iron Maiden shirt throughout the film. “That was a real test of what happens when you accept the license fee. We are neither Spinal Tap nor Steel Panther,” he asserts.
Even with a stellar script, a top-notch cast and crew, and a brilliant director, things can go awry, he explains. “What happens on the day of shooting can completely ruin it—we all know that’s a risk.” But this time, everything aligned perfectly. Following the screening at the BFI Imax, DaCosta approached Shack to see if he was satisfied. “Am I pleased? Are you kidding? People stood up and applauded in the theater!” The scene might be startling, but it doesn’t make Maiden look foolish at all.
Recently, Maiden has been at the heart of another significant pop-culture moment. Their 1983 song “The Trooper” was featured in the finale of “Stranger Things,” and within a week, its streaming numbers surged by 252% across all platforms.
It should be noted that both “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” and “Stranger Things” were high-budget, prestigious projects that utilized music as a crucial element of their storytelling. Maiden has long resisted the lure of “exposure” as a reason for collaboration, valuing their artistic integrity highly.
“Music budgets are often an afterthought,” Shack remarks. “That’s a big reason why, historically, Maiden has often said no. If you’re making a $10 million movie, why not allocate half a million for music and licensing? They tell you the music is vital to the scene, that it’s the only song the director wants. Then they should be willing to pay for it.”
Fatima Clarke is a seasoned health reporter who bridges medical science with human stories. She writes with compassion, precision, and a drive to inform.
