Robert Carlyle has confirmed that a Trainspotting TV miniseries featuring his character Begbie is in development. Begbie, one of the key characters in the first Trainspotting film and book, also appeared in the follow-up T2 Trainspotting in 2017. While there have only been two cinematic outings for Renton, Sick Boy, Spud, and the gang, author Irvine Welsh has penned five books in the series altogether, the fourth of which is titled The Blade Artist.

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In an interview with NME, the actor, who is promoting the new series of Cobra, confirmed that he is working with original author Irvine Welsh on a series based The Blade Artist. The actor explained that the series is still in early development but that there is a good chance it will actually happen. Carlyle also said they are deciding to make a TV show instead of another movie to include more details from the book. Carlyle's full quote can be read below:

Irvine [Welsh] and myself have been chatting quite a lot recently with a couple of excellent producers in London about [continuing the Trainspotting story]. As you know there was another book called The Blade Artist which is just entirely about Begbie and his mad story. It’s still in its early moments but it’s looking pretty good that this will happen eventually. I think we’re thinking about doing it as six one-hour ‘television event piece’, as they say nowadays. Whatever that means. But it seemed to me to be right to look at it like that, and Irvine loved that idea. It’s such a massive story – it’s all Los Angeles back and forth to Edinburgh – and it’s difficult to do all that in an hour and a half! Especially if you want to keep the basis of that book pure. I think nowadays people like the event thing too – they like ‘six hours of this… bang.’ They can boxset it. They can binge it. So after a few chats we thought that’s the way forward. So that’s the plan. Sometime in the next year and a bit we’ll hopefully be talking again and we’ll be talking about the return of Begbie.”

The Blade Artist book

While the producers of the show are currently unknown, it remains to be seen if original Trainspotting director Danny Boyle will have any involvement. However, he has spoken in recent years of his own interest in adapting the Begbie spin-off book. Begbie was last seen in Trainspotting 2, having escaped prison and seeking revenge on his friend Renton, played by Ewan McGregor. The sequel film was less dependent on the source material but still left the story open for continuation.

Welsh’s The Blade Artist follows Begbie as an artist living in California as Jim Francis. Following the murder of his estranged son, Francis returns to his hometown in Scotland. What follows is an unpredictable character study of one of Trainspotting’s standout personalities. While no date is confirmed yet for the series, it is in development, and Carlyle has confirmed his return to the role.

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Source: NME