robert carlyle Tagged Articles at Cinematical

In July, I alerted you to a new coming-of-age drama in the works -- I Know You Know. It's about a kid who thinks his dad might work undercover for the British Secret Intelligence Service, otherwise known as SIS or MI6. It's the second feature for writer/director Justin Kerrigan, who is the man behind the late '90s club film Human Traffic. And Robert Carlyle, everyone's favorite Begbie, had signed on to star. Now Variety has reported that Little Film Company has picked up the worldwide distribution rights, and there's a better synopsis and added cast for the film, which will begin shooting in Cardiff, Wales this November.

As Variety describes it, the film focuses "on a teenager who is fascinated by his father's espionage work until the world of spies becomes all too real and he slowly begins to understand that his father is occupying a different reality." I guess it's sort of like the dudes who want to blow people up, and then realize they have to go through boot camp before first. But, more serious. However it plays, it'll be cool to see Carlyle as a spy dad.

Newcomer Aaron Fuller, who is only 13, has been cast as the curious son. According to icWales, Fuller got cast although he's never had an acting lesson, and never thought about being an actor until a casting call went out at his school. They're all saying he's a natural. But that's not the only new cast member that has been added since word broke on the picture. David Bradley, who creeps people out as Argus Filch in the Harry Potter series, will also co-star.

The latest on the Trainspotting sequel is that it all depends on when John Hodge's screenplay is ready. At least, that's what novelist Irvine Welsh has told an audience in Edinburgh, according to Empire magazine. Welsh wrote the book of Trainspotting and of its sequel, titled Porno, and this week he's at the Edinburgh Film Festival promoting his directorial debut, a short film called Nuts. When asked about the status of the Porno adaptation during a Q&A, Welsh claimed it's all about the status of the script. Of course, Hodge, who earned an Oscar nomination for the first Trainspotting, turned in a draft at least as early as March of this year. Sure, it's probably being tweaked and whatnot before director Danny Boyle goes into production with it, but we've already been given the real reason for the delay.

No, it doesn't have anything to do with Boyle's falling out with Ewan McGregor, who starred in the original film, and maybe has actually agreed to do the sequel. The main reason Trainspotting 2 hasn't been made yet is because Boyle wants the cast to be at least 20 years older than they were in Trainspotting 1. That would put the shoot at least nine more years down the line. If the filmmakers want authenticity, anyway. As recent as Boyle's promotion of his latest film, Sunshine, the director insisted that Renton, Spud, Sick Boy, Begbie and whoever else returns be middle-aged. The point of the sequel is that they're at a time in their life where they're too old to keep pushing the limits of their bodies. Unless Welsh knows something completely new, he's simply out of the loop and spouting incorrect info.

The novelist, and now film director, also told the Edinburgh audience about The Meat Trade, a feature film he's scripted, which will be directed by Antonia Bird (Ravenous) and will star Colin Firth and Robert Carlyle as a duo who murders people in order to steal and then sell their body organs. Welsh is also currently adapting Alan Warner's novel The Man Who Walks, which is about a one-eyed man who robs his local pub of its World Cup lottery. His latest book, a collection of short stories, titled If You Liked School, You'll Love Work, hits U.S. bookstores September 4.

In the 90's, I was sure that Robert Carlyle was going to make it big. He made many fans as the comically acidic Begbie in Trainspotting*, and then followed it up with a huge and more mainstream hit, The Full Monty. However, while he hasn't completely faded from the spotlight, and has found himself recent stints in films like 28 Weeks Later and Eragon, he's not half as successful as I expected. Then again, I absolutely loved Plunkett & Macleane, which slipped by most people's radars, so my Carlyle-dar is a bit off.

I am, however, quite excited about his latest project. He has just signed on to star in I Know You Know. It's a Welsh coming-of-age drama, but it has two kickers. First, IMDb says that Ewen Bremner is already on the cast list, which means a bit of a Trainspotting reunion. Second, it's being directed by Justin Kerrigan, who has also written the script. His lone other credit is 1998's Human Traffic -- the light, club culture movie, which was far from a critical success, but definitely had entertainment value. (One of the film's stars, John Simm, recently wrapped up a devilish stint as "The Master" on Doctor Who.) The film will follow a boy who gets caught up in the espionage work of his dad -- who is, obviously, going to be played by Carlyle. Here's to the hope that it's a decent little film, and something to satiate the desire to see Porno come to the big screen, since Danny Boyle isn't ready for it yet.

*Thanks to Joe for spotting the missing "i." -MB

Well, cross your fingers, it looks like there might be a sequel to Trainspotting after all. Scotsman.com reported that Danny Boyle has confirmed that "all the actors" from the original cast (Well, not Tommy obviously, but I don't want to spoil it for the uninitiated) will be returning for a film version of Irvine Welsh's Porno (the follow-up to his 1993 novel Trainspotting). Rumblings of a sequel have been going on for years, but considering the relationship between Ewan McGregor and Boyle since their falling out over the casting for The Beach, it seemed that a sequel was not to be.

The mood changed from far-out idea to a real possibility when Boyle became more vocal about the likelihood of a sequel, albeit with a few conditions of his own. But it looked like we were back to square one when Chris had the news that McGregor had supposedly put the brakes on the whole idea. McGregor was attributed with the quote, "They can go ahead and do it if they want, but it will be without me on board." So far, McGregor has been unavailable for comment on Boyle's most recent claim, but if it all works out and McGregor does reprise his role, this could be the Martin and Lewis reunion for this generation -- not to mention we'll get to see a film we've been wanting for a very long time.

[via CHUD]

Fox Atomic decided to torture us by inviting us over the the swanky Fox lot to view the first 28 minutes of the in-progress flick, 28 Weeks Later (we parked in "The Sound of Music," and let me tell you ... those hills were most definitely not alive. They didn't have eyes either, thankfully). I can say with absolute conviction, if you liked the first one, you're going to like this one as well. It's also safe to say (according to Fox Atomic) that you don't have to have seen the first film in order to enjoy this one. That's definitely true from what I was treated to.

Here's the setting: it's 28 weeks since the outbreak of the Rage infection that decimated London in the first film, 28 Days Later (hence 28 Weeks Later ... both movies are timed from the infection outbreak, which is day zero.) If you haven't seen the first film, the Rage virus/infection isn't pretty. One bite (or even a single drop of blood) from someone who is infected will put you instantly into a "state of irreversible hyperactivity and murderousness," according to Wikipedia. It's almost like being turned into a familiar horror movie staple (we aren't using the zed word here), except with the extreme hyperactivity.

The film that's been lauded as "This year's Lord of the Rings" (I highly doubt that, but I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the movie) could be decorating your walls soon if you're lucky. This would be the perfect stocking stuffer for someone who loves fantasy, dragons or John Malkovich. While it's great to see another fantasy film hitting the box office, it makes me nostalgic for movies like Dragonslayer, which defined the genre for me when I was kid.

Eragon's big claim to fame is that it was written by Christopher Paolini when he was 15 years-old. Since being published, it has attracted a lot of attention, and the film stars actors like Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich and Robert Carlyle, which isn't too shabby for a fantasy film. The trailers haven't wowed me yet, and I played a demo of the video game based on the movie -- which was almost enough for me to give up on the film, it was that bad. However, I'm determined to give this one a fair shake. At the very least, they've got themselves a cool poster.

FirstShowing.net will be giving away 20 of these as part of their "Poster Madness Contest," so head over and sign up before midnight, December 16. You have to answer a couple of trivia questions, but with the help of your trusty sidekick 'The Internet,' we have every confidence that you'll come through with flying colors. Good luck!