Trainspotting (film) discussing which chapters of the book would and would not translate into film. Hodge finished the first draft by December. Macdonald secured financing from Channel 4, a British television station known for funding independent films. Pre-production began in April 1995. Ewan McGregor was cast after impressing Boyle and Macdonald with his work on their previous film, "Shallow Grave". According to Boyle, for the role of Renton, they wanted the quality of Michael Caine's character in "Alfie" and Malcolm McDowell's character in "A Clockwork Orange", "repulsive ... with charm "that makes you feel deeply ambiguous about what he's doing." McGregor shaved
Ewen Bremner "Heavenly Pursuits" (1986). He would also play the lead in the BBC Scotland feature-length adaptation of the William McIlvanney short story "Dreaming" (1990). Bremner portrayed Spud in Danny Boyle's film adaptation of Irvine Welsh's 1993 novel "Trainspotting", and Mullet, a street thug in Guy Ritchie's "Snatch". In the 1995 stage version of "Trainspotting", Bremner played the lead role of Mark Renton, the role played by Ewan McGregor in the 1996 film. He has played supporting roles in blockbusters such as "Pearl Harbor" and "Black Hawk Down", in which he appeared alongside "Trainspotting" co-star Ewan McGregor (which he has again since,