Britons have been left baffled and horrified after American cinemagoers were spotted dressing as Jimmy Savile to see the new film 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. The movie, released this month, features a murderous cult known as 'the Jimmies' who mimic Savile's distinctive style.
The cult is led by Sir Jimmy Crystal, played by Jack O'Connell, and followers wear cheap tracksuits, bleached blonde wigs, and gold chains. Director Danny Boyle and O'Connell have confirmed the character was designed as a 'Savile-inspired figure', drawing on the disgraced entertainer's pop-cultural footprint.
Savile, who died in 2011, was later revealed to have sexually abused hundreds of people, mostly children, over more than 50 years. His crimes occurred at BBC studios, hospitals, and children's homes. The film is set in 2002, before Savile's abuses came to light, and the cult idolises him because the truth was never known in their world.
However, many US and Canadian fans appear unaware of Savile's real-life infamy. Social media clips show viewers attending screenings dressed as the 'Jimmy Gang', complete with tracksuits, cigars, and white wigs. Brits have criticised the glamourisation, but US fans argue Savile was never a household name in America.
