Stars appear at Trainspotting sequel premiere Published duration 23 January 2017

image copyright Reuters image caption T2 stars Kelly Macdonald and Ewan McGregor at the Edinburgh premiere

The cast of the Trainspotting sequel have gathered in Edinburgh for the film's world premiere.

Original cast members Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller and Ewen Bremner all feature in T2 Trainspotting.

The sequel has been made 21 years after the first film, which followed the lives of a group of heroin addicts.

The original was based on a novel by Irvine Welsh, and the sequel is based on his book Porno.

image copyright Reuters image caption Robert Carlyle reprises his role as Begbie

image copyright Reuters image caption Ewen Bremner is back as Spud in T2 Trainspotting

The new film sees the central characters in the present day, now middle-aged.

Ewan McGregor and Kelly Macdonald were among the stars at the premiere at Cineworld in Edinburgh's Fountain Park.

McGregor described how his initial reservations about making a sequel were soon dispelled.

He said: "I think we were all a little nervous about making a sequel to Trainspotting and not pulling it off, damaging the reputation or leaving a stale taste in people's mouths about the original film.

"But we only felt like that until we read John Hodge's script.

"We all feel like these are people we know - Renton and Spud and Begbie. It's amazing to step back into their shoes, and to hear their voices again is very special."

The trailer for the sequel was released in November.

It opened with Ewan McGregor's character Renton returning to Edinburgh.

media caption Director Danny Boyle: "It felt like we should make it in Edinburgh ... these stories belong here."

He revives his bitter "choose life" motto which has been updated to: "Choose Facebook, choose Twitter, choose Instagram and hope that someone, somewhere, cares".

It also mentions choosing "reality TV, slut-shaming, revenge porn and zero-hour contracts" before saying: "Choose to smother the pain with an unknown dose of an unknown drug."

image copyright Getty Images image caption Danny Boyle on set with Ewan McGregor and Ewen Bremner

Much of the filming for the sequel, with director Danny Boyle, took place in Edinburgh and other Scottish locations in 2016.

Boyle was a young aspiring film maker when he made the original Trainspotting. He has since won an Oscar and worked on the Olympic opening ceremony in London.

He said: "For all of us this town, these stories have been fundamental in shaping our careers. If you are seriously trying to do it again, you have to do it really properly at the beginning and at the end.

image copyright Ivon Bartholomew image caption Robert Carlyle on the orange carpet with author Irvine Welsh in the foreground

"At the beginning it was to come to Edinburgh - the last one was made in Glasgow mostly for financial reasons - we didn't have any money then and now we've got a bit more we thought we should make it in Edinburgh.

"And then we thought we should end it by having the premiere here as well."

T2 Trainspotting will be released in UK cinemas on 27 January.

media caption T2 Trainspotting: What would you choose?