Stars to attend T2 premiere screened at Capital cinema

VisitScotland has given its backing for Trainspotting just weeks ahead of the release of the sequel.

Renton, Sick Boy, Spud and Begbie will be joined on the red carpet by Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle outside Cineworld, Fountain Park, on Sunday, January 22 for the first star-studded showing of the T2 movie.

Crowds are expected to gather to catch a glimpse of Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Ewen Bremner and Robert Carlyle after the quartet reunited, and have spent months filming in the Capital.

T2 comes 21 years after the original movie which was based on the novel by Irvine Welsh, and followed the story of a group of heroin addicts in Leith.

The sequel has once again been directed by Boyle and is losely based on Welsh’s novel Porno.

Manuela Calchini, VisitScotland’s Regional Director for  Edinburgh and the Lothians, said: “The original Trainspotting was a cultural phenomenon, with famous lines becoming part of popular culture and stars becoming household names.

“We are thrilled that the world premiere of Danny Boyle’s long-awaited sequel will be held in Edinburgh and in many ways it is the natural choice.

“There is a huge amount of interest in the film, with some fans keen to visit locations associated with the movie.

“T2 is not only exciting news for those who remember Trainspotting first time around, but also for a new generation of cinema-goers.”

After the producers released a trailer of the film late last year, fans were given a taste of what to expect in the sequel.

Thousands praised the two-minute clip which showed a handful of Edinburgh’s iconic landmarks including Arthur’s Seat, Parliament Square, Edinburgh Airport and the trams.

It opened with the line: “Hello Mark, so what have you been up to for 20 years?”

The premiere is scheduled to begin at 6.30pm on January 22.

The film will then be officially released in cinemas on Friday, January 27.

John Donnelly, Chief Executive of Marketing Edinburgh said: “Following over three months of filming and production in the city last summer, we are thrilled Edinburgh has been chosen to host the world premiere of T2 Trainspotting.

“The city’s film office, Film Edinburgh, worked very closely with the production team to facilitate location shoots and source the local crew for the movie.

“The film has had huge community support and everyone is incredibly proud that the first official screening will be in Scotland’s capital.”

He added: “I am also delighted so many of Edinburgh’s iconic backdrops such as Arthur’s Seat and The Grassmarket will be seen in T2.

“VisitBritain estimate 40 per cent of visitors choose a destination based on locations they have seen on screen.

“With T2 showcasing Edinburgh to a global audience, we’d encourage film fans to come and experience all the city has to offer for themselves.”

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