Written by: Alex Green
Rumors have been swirling for years about a possible sequel to 1996’s Trainspotting, but nothing concrete has emerged to suggest there’s any truth to the rumors at all.
However, now that the film is about to turn twenty, it appears that a second installment could very well happen.
Here are eleven facts that might shed some light on the project.
1. In 2013, Trainspotting director Danny Boyle hinted that he’d like to have the sequel come out at the 20 year anniversary of the original picture.
2. One of the film’s original stars, Ewan McGregor, was always rather vocal about his disinterest in being a part of a Trainspotting sequel.
3. That is, until a few days ago. At the Edinburgh Film Festival this past weekend, the actor told The Guardian that he has told Boyle he’s “…up for it.” He went on to say: “I just think I’ve changed my opinion about it. We’ve all moved on and there is a lot of water under the bridge now. I miss working with Danny, I did some of my best work with him and he’s one of my favourite directors I’ve worked with. There was some bad blood and ill feeling, but that’s all gone now. I think it might be extraordinary to see a sequel 20 years after the original.”
4. The sequel would be sourced from Irvine Welsh’s Porno, which is the author’s own sequel to Trainspotting.
5. In 2013 Boyle said that John Hodge, who wrote the screenplay for Trainspotting was currently working on the script.
6. McGregor, however, couldn’t corroborate what Boyle said. “I’ve not seen a script,” he told The Guardian, “and I don’t know if there is one. It’s been a long, long time.”
7. Robert Carlyle has said he’d return to play Begbie.
8. At SXSW back in 2013, Boyle made the following statement about the sequel and luring the original cast back: “I think they’ll wanna know that the parts are good so they don’t feel like they are letting anyone down. The reason for doing it again is that people cherish the original, people remember it or have caught up with it if they never saw because they were younger. So you want to make sure you don’t disappoint people. That will be the only criteria I think.”
9. The sequel is set to take place ten years after Trainspotting leaves off.
10. Speaking of ten years, McGregor recently told Details he wouldn’t have been interested in the project ten years ago, but, he said, “I am now.”
11. Hodge had better get that script done because McGregor is a busy man. Not only that, but he could get even busier if he agrees to reprise his role as Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi for a purported trilogy devoted to the beloved Star Wars characters’ early Jedi years.
