Trainspotting fans have waited years for this. T2: Trainspotting 2 is the official sequel to the original cult classic that introduced the world to the talents of Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller, Ewen Bremner, Danny Boyle, and Irvine Welsh. Today, the first and very NSFW trailer for the film premiered, and it is a blast from the past. Here it is followed by our reactions.
Andrew Hawkins: I can’t believe it’s finally here. Renton is back in Edinburgh, Spud is having flashbacks, Sick Boy is as scheme-y as ever, and Begbie is finally out of jail. This is huge. It’s been over ten years since Danny Boyle and Andrew Macdonald stirred the pot on rumors of a Trainspotting sequel, and since then I have read Irvine Welsh’s sequel Porno multiple times. Danielle, are you as excited for this as I am?
Danielle Ryan: Excited isn’t a strong enough adjective. Trainspotting was a huge influence on my budding film fanaticism in my teen years. I remember how shocked I was by the withdrawal sequence. It’s amazing to see the old gang back again, 20 years later. Since then many of the guys have gone on to have big careers, but they’re still back for this. I’m ecstatic.
Andrew Hawkins: Let’s talk about this trailer. Parts of Porno are clearly being adapted here, but there’s also stuff that seems entirely new. Diane is back in a role apparently different from the book, and Spud’s former girlfriend Gail makes an appearance too. More than anything, though, the bits that have me the most intrigued are the fight between Renton and Sick Boy and the subsequent Begbie chase scene. It looks like Begbie is playing Roy Batty to Renton’s Deckard, and that’s terrifying!
Danielle Ryan: Begbie is always terrifying. He’s one of those villains that you can’t help but be afraid of, and the fact that he’s fresh out of prison after being framed by Rents and Co. makes it that much worse. I’m glad to see Diane in a slightly different role because I thought she deserved better. I really am curious to see how much of Porno is adapted into this sequel, because that book is absolutely filthy.
Andrew Hawkins: Yeah, it really is. From some of the shots in this preview, it looks like at least a bit of Welsh’s novel is in the script. Anjela Nedyalkova is credited as Nikki who plays a huge part in that story, so we’ll surely see parts of the book on screen. What’s your take on the trailer as a whole? Does this feel like the sequel we’ve been waiting all these years for?
Danielle Ryan: I think so. The spirit of the original definitely shines through, which is important. It also looks much more polished, which could be a good thing. There are moments in the original where the low budget really shows.
Andrew Hawkins: Sure. So from what I can gather, this story takes place 20 years later when Rents returns home to Edinburgh. He seeks out Sick Boy, runs into Spud, and Begbie hunts him down after spending two decades in lockup. Along the way Renton confronts ghosts from his past and hatches another major drug scam with Simon, all the while doing copious amounts of illegal narcotics. Does that sound about right?
Danielle Ryan: Yeah, there is definitely some scheming going on. Probably lots of MDMA and such too, as opposed to heroin. Instead of ten years away like Porno, it’s 20 years, which means our boys have had even more time to behave badly.
Andrew Hawkins: Well, I’m ready for it. This has been a long time coming, and I can’t wait to see what happens. Danny Boyle rarely disappoints and since all the original players are back, I’m willing to put money down that T2 is going to be great. Everything from the tone and visuals in this trailer works, and hearing Renton’s new “choose life” monolog alongside Underworld’s “Born Slippy” followed by Wolf Alice’s “Silk” makes this seem like a proper sequel.
Danielle Ryan: Trainspotting was such an incredible experience for me, I don’t know if anything can ever live up to it. As long as the film entertains, T2 will be a success in my eyes. I’m just looking forward to reuniting with the characters, especially Renton and Sick Boy. Maybe we’ll get a T3 one day when they’re all in the nursing home crushing their meds and snorting them.
