Hollywood heads to Bellshill for Trainspotting sequel

Danny Boyle
(right) with Garry Fraser on the set of Trainspotting 2 — Danny Boyle (right) with Garry Fraser on the set of Trainspotting 2

Hollywood stars Ewan McGregor and Robert Carlyle could be set to head to Bellshill to shoot scenes for Trainspotting 2.

The sequel to Danny Boyle’s hit 1996 movie is currently being filmed around Glasgow and Edinburgh and will be released in January.

Set 20 years after the events of the original film, Trainspotting 2 will be loosely based on author Irvine Welsh’s follow-up novel, Porno.

The book, which uses the pornography industry as its seedy backdrop rather than heroin use, catches up with the main characters as they hatch yet more dodgy plans to make money.

Its cinematic adaptation will see the return of original cast members McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller and Carlyle, with Oscar winner Danny Boyle back behind the camera and screenwriter John Hodge once again penning the script.

Last week a crowd of around 40 people looked on at the Muirhouse shopping centre in Edinburgh as Boyle filmed a scene featuring Bremner, who plays Daniel “Spud” Murphy, and it will soon be Bellshill’s turn.

The Orb in Hamilton Road has been chosen to feature after the popular working men’s venue was spotted by researchers looking for “gritty” locations.

An Orb spokesman said: “As far as we know one or two scenes will be shot here.

“Everyone is looking forward to it and it will be good for the bar and the area to be featured in such a high profile occasion.”