The Consistory Court of the Diocese of Newcastle said the Morpeth Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin would be “profaned” by the filming, The Telegraph reports.

28 Years Later, scheduled for release next year, is the third entry in a trilogy beginning with Boyle’s 2002 film 28 Days Later and continued in 2007 with 28 Weeks Later.

The filming application was supported by Reverend Simon White, the rector of Morpeth, and Dr Andrew Mowat, the churchwarden at St Mary’s.

In a written submission, they suggested that the content of the film “could in part be described by the Book of Revelation” and was “more biblical than profane”.

However, Judge Simon Wood, chancellor of the Consistory Court, concluded that filming in the consecrated church would be “intrinsically objectionable”.

“It contains notions and imagery which offend against the canons of the Church of England and which those best placed to advise have characterised as theologically problematic, allowing the church to be profaned, inconsonant with sound doctrine, not edifying to the people and not befitting the house of God,” he ruled.