Buccaneer to Adapt Irvine Welsh’s The Blade Artist

Buccaneer Media is in development to produce a TV adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s The Blade Artist, which picks up 20 years after the events of Trainspotting.

Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting, T2: Trainspotting, The Full Monty, The World Is Not Enough) is set to reprise his role as the infamous, ultra-violent Francis Begbie in this 6×1-hour TV adaptation of Welsh’s 2016 novel.

In the story, Begbie, now known as Jim Francis, has finally found the perfect life and is unrecognizable, even to himself. A successful painter and sculptor, he lives quietly with his wife and their two young daughters, in an affluent beach town in California. A return to Scotland for the funeral of a murdered son he hardly knew confronts him with a past he can barely recall.

Buccaneer is also currently in postproduction on Crime, an adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s first novel for BritBox.

Welsh said: “Begbie is Begbie and Bobby is the long-term friend and collaborator who inspirationally brought the character to life with his incendiary portrayal. To say I’m excited at us reuniting creatively on this project is obviously something of an understatement.”

Carlyle added: “Over 20 years ago I was privileged to be asked to play a character that subsequently became such a huge part of my life. The prospect of working with Irvine and bringing Francis Begbie to life once more is an absolute gift.”

Buccaneer Media Joint CEOs Richard Tulk-Hart and Tony Wood said: “Trainspotting is a landmark in British culture: the deeply loved novels and films have attained iconic status and Robert Carlyle’s Begbie is an anti-hero lodged in the heart of multiple generations across the globe. Working with Irvine and Bobby on this next story in the Trainspotting universe is a thrill and a privilege. We simply can’t wait to serve this up to the millions of hungry fans out there.”