Irvine Welsh hopes for third Trainspotting film and Begbie spin-off

1 October 2019, 19:53 | Updated: 1 October 2019, 19:56

Irvine Welsh in Milan, Italy
Irvine Welsh in Milan, Italy. Picture: Rosdiana Ciaravolo/Getty Images

The Scottish author and creator of the iconic novel has teased a third film and a spin-off could be in the works.

Irvine Walsh has revealed his hopes for a third Trainspotting film and his idea of bringing a Begbie spin-off to the big screen.

The Scottish novelist has said he wants to complete the "Holy Trinity" by making a third film for the adaptation of the book, which was first brought to life on the big screen by Danny Boyle in 1996.

The sequel - entitled T2 Trainspotting - saw the return of Ewan McGregor (Mark Renton), Ewan Bremner (Spud), Johnny Lee Miller (Sick Boy) and Robert Carlyle (Begbie) in 2017, but Welsh thinks there still could be unfinished business.

Speaking on the Anything Goes podcast with James English, the writer said: "You think the Godfather III, Terminator III - there's the temptation to do the Holy Trinity, it might evoke Danny's inner Catholic."

The Skagboys author added: "It took us long enough to work up the bottle to do number two. They'll all be in the rest home by the time we had the bottle to do number three.

"We'd have to get moving on it pretty quickly. But it's something that would be massively interesting to me."

READ MORE: Irvine Welsh leads tributes to T2 Trainspotting star Bradley Welsh who was shot dead in Edinburgh

Watch Ewan McGregor discuss what it was like filming T2 Trainspotting:

READ MORE: That time this legend sent his son to school as Begbie...

The author also revealed that he would like to do a stand-alone film on Begbie. He wrote a novel based on the character in 2016 and wants to see him on the big screen again.

He said: "The one I would like to do is a Begbie stand-alone. Just a short 90-minute film of Robert Carlyle going nuts."

It's not the first time Welsh has talked about the possibility of a Begbie film, with the Leith-born writer telling Time Out in 2017: "I think there's probably room for one more kind of Trainspotting-themed film".

Speaking about The Blade Artist, which sees Begbie as a reformed character living in the US, he mused: "You never know what's going to happen with these things..."

He added: "It's a very, very filmic book, I think. It's almost like, bang, it has a three-act structure with not a lot of padding. And it's a lot more genre than some of the other Trainspotting books."

Apart from Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh has had his novels The Acid house, Ecstasy and Filth made into films and released in 1998, 2011 and 2013 respectively.

READ MORE: This is The most common thing Spud actor Ewen Bremner gets asked about Trainspotting...

Watch the official trailer for T2 here:

T2 Trainspotting - Official Trailer - Now Available on Digital Download

TRENDING ON RADIO X

Heading out on tour in '24: Kasabian, The Last Dinner Party and The Libertines

The biggest gigs and tours to come in 2024

Artists with new albums for 2024: Kasabian, Kings Of Leon and The Zutons.

The most anticipated new albums for 2024

Kasabian press image 2024

Serge Pizzorno: Kasabian's Call single is "built for festivals and big shows"

Catfish & The Bottlemen's Van McCann

Catfish & The Bottlemen's 2024 dates: How to buy tickets

Liam Gallagher Performs At The Festival O Son Do Camiño In Santiago De Compostela in 2022

Liam Gallagher & Friends: Malta Weekender line-up, tickets & pre-sale info