“You listen to me you piece of junkie sh*t”, Robert Carlyle’s iconic Trainspotting character Begbie is set to get his own TV series. Sorry for the language, but we can’t help but get excited at the news that Carlyle’s foul-mouthed moustachioed menace will soon be gracing the small screen in a TV adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s The Blade Artist.
According to Deadline, Carlyle will reprise the role of Francis Begbie and serve as the six-part series executive producer. The Blade Artist continues the story of Welsh’s previous novels, Trainspotting and Porno and this time focuses on Begbie who, after another stint in prison, has completely reformed. Going by the name Jim Francis, and living in California, Begbie returns to Edinburgh for his murdered son’s funeral and soon finds hiomself confronted by the past he was trying to outrun.
Welsh will serves alongside Carlyle as an executive producer. “Begbie is Begbie and Robert is the long-term friend and collaborator who inspirationally brought the character to life with his incendiary portrayal,” Welsh told Deadline. “To say I’m excited at us reuniting creatively on this project is obviously something of an understatement.”
Neither a writer nor director have been announced for the project, nor do we know where the spin-off will air. Trainspotting and T2 director Danny Boyle had previously mentioned that he was interested in seeing a big-screen version of The Blade Artist.
Following the premiere of T2, Boyle told The Hollywood Reporter about the project. “I think [Robert Carlyle] would love to do that because it’s an interesting twist on the character”, Boyle said. “That may be made into a film. You couldn’t call it T3 because, although some of the other characters come into it, they’re only featured just momentarily. It’s a solo story. You could call that a spin-off. [The Blade Artist] is a great read.”
Unfortunately, during the same interview, he ruled himself out of directing The Blade Artist, saying that his affection was for all four of the Trainspotting boys and that he wouldn’t like to do an individual spin-off.
While we wait for more news on the Begbie spin-off why not check out our list of the best TV series on Netflix.