Exclusive: Robert Carlyle On ‘Trainspotting’ Sequel: ‘We Could Do It Now’

Note to Director Danny Boyle — Robert Carlyle is ready for the follow up to “Trainspotting.”

“I’d work with Danny Boyle any day of the week so if it’s gonna be that, then that’s great,” Robert told Access Hollywood on Sunday, when asked about rumored plans for a sequel based on the novels by Irvine Welsh. “I think there’s probably a long way to go before that comes to fruition.”

But, after discussing with Access the timeline – the original film was released in 1996 — and material in Welsh’s follow up book, “Porno,” Robert said it could happen on a much shorter timeline.

“I’m 50 now, I mean I guess we made, it… [it’s] probably 15 years down line now. I think that’s about right,” Carlyle told Access after promoting his upcoming ABC fairytale drama “Once Upon A Time” in Beverly Hills on Sunday. “In actual fact, I think they are — I think Renton is 45-46 so it’s probably bang on the right time, now.”

So is he ready to go now?

“We could do it now,” he said. “Could do it now.”

Last year, director Boyle told Cinematical.com that he planned to make a follow up to the cult classic, which starred Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Kelly Macdonald and Carlyle, but was waiting to approach the stars about the sequel.

“It will happen, I think,” Boyle told the website, in a story published in December 2010. “I mean, we’ll approach them all again about it, but it will depend on what place they’re all at.”

When asked about Boyle’s comments, Carlyle said it would take no swaying to get back into the world of Begbie.

“He’s very respectful like that, Danny, isn’t he?” Carlyle said, referring to the director’s comments about considering where the actors are in their lives when he approaches them. “I’m all for it. If they want to do it, I’d be certain to do it.”

Smoker Begbie was the bully of Renton’s bunch of drug users and misfits in “Trainspotting,” and Carlyle said it has been a character who has had a lasting impact.

“It’s an amazing character and it keeps coming back to me. And people mention it a lot. That’s how you know, people keep mentioning it to you, you know,” he said. “So I enjoyed playing that, I enjoyed working with Danny.

“There’s very few characters — unless you’re in a TV show [where] it’s great to have that arc over several hours. It’s very different to do that in film, you can’t do that in film, but this… Begbie, out of all the parts that I’ve played, is the one I would look forward to. “

Carlyle said he expects that if the follow up is made, his character, fond of fighting and cracking pool cues in half, will be incarcerated.

“He’s definitely in prison. He’s either in prison or death, one of the two, but I think obviously to keep the film going, he has to be in prison,” he laughed. “That is where he is in actual fact. Do you know the second book? That’s where Begbie in.”

“Once Upon A Time” premeires on ABC on Sunday, October 23 at 8 PM.