Sunshine 2007 (Official Fan Account)

The Beach (2000) was the first collaboration between Alex Garland and Danny Boyle, based on Garland’s 1996 debut novel, a huge bestseller at the time. They went on to collaborate again on 28 Days Later (2002), Sunshine (2007) and much later 28 Years Later (2025). Interestingly, Danny Boyle didn't originally want Leonardo DiCaprio for the lead role. His preferred choice for Richard was his frequent collaborator Ewan McGregor, but the studio insisted on DiCaprio. The decision caused a major rift between McGregor and Boyle that lasted for years. Boyle later acknowledged his mistake, saying: “I handled it very, very badly and I have apologised to Ewan for it.” The production also faced protests over environmental damage at Maya Bay in Thailand, after the filmmakers cleared vegetation and altered the beach's landscape to make it look more “paradise-like.”