The 54-year-old actor starred in Danny Boyle's adaptation of the Irvine Welsh cult novel two decades ago - alongside fellow Scott Ewan McGregor, 44, and Jonny Lee Miller, 42 - about a heroine addict and his friends and revealed that after much speculation, the cast are now all on board with the project.

He said: ''(it is) difficult getting all our ships aligned at the same time. What I would say is that it's closer than it's ever been.

''Danny always said he wants us all to be 20 years older because the book ('Trainspotting' sequel 'Porno') is set 20 years later.

''One of the difficulties of just adapting 'Porno' is that so much of it is to do with internet porn, which has moved on a lot since the book was written - or so I understand - so it would require a hefty rewrite.''

And the star believes that his character Begbie would be ''in jail or dead'' if it wasn't for the sequel plot.

He told Shortlist magazine: ''That's interesting ... Where are any of us? If this film gets made all the actors are going to be middle-aged - or in my case, at 54, more than middle-aged - as will the audience.''