Trainspotting
“Choose life.”
Synopsis
Heroin addict Mark Renton stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends --Sick Boy, Begbie, Spud and Tommy. He also has an underage girlfriend, Diane, along for the ride. After cleaning up and moving from Edinburgh to London, Mark finds he can't escape the life he left behind as Begbie and Sick Boy come knocking.
Part of the Trainspotting Collection
Stream the entire interconnected saga and experience every installment in chronological storyline order.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official 30th Anniversary 4K Restoration TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2026-04-07
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Ewan McGregor
Renton
Ewen Bremner
Spud
Jonny Lee Miller
Sick Boy
Kevin McKidd
Tommy
Robert Carlyle
Begbie
Kelly Macdonald
Diane
Peter Mullan
Swanney
James Cosmo
Renton's Father
Eileen Nicholas
Renton's Mother
Susan Vidler
Allison
Pauline Lynch
Lizzy
Shirley Henderson
Gail
Stuart McQuarrie
Gavin
Irvine Welsh
Mikey Forrester
Dale Winton
Game Show Host
Keith Allen
Dealer
Kevin Allen
Andreas
Annie Louise Ross
Gail's Mother
Release History & Theatrical Window
Cannes Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
July 19, 1996
Wide Cinema Exhibition
November 11, 2024
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$4M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$72M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
18x
+$68M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Danny Boyle
- Screenplay & Story
- John Hodge
- Original Title
- Trainspotting
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 34m
- Production Budget
- $4M
- Worldwide Gross
- $72M
- Production Studios
- Figment Films, The Noel Gay Motion Picture Company, DNA Films, Channel Four Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Danny Boyle
John Hodge, Irvine Welsh
Brian Tufano
Masahiro Hirakubo
Andrew Macdonald
Department Leadership Roster
Brian Tufano
Director of Photography
Masahiro Hirakubo
Editor
Rachael Fleming
Costume Design
John Hodge
Screenplay
Danny Boyle
Director
Andrew Macdonald
Producer
Kave Quinn
Production Design
Terry Forrestal
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 16 ans — 16+ only.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Trainspotting.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Trainspotting.
Movie Collection
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Letterboxd's Top 250 Films with the Most Fans
Letterboxd's official Top 250 films with the most fans. Letterboxd 官方粉丝最多 Top 250 榜单： 按被平台用户标记为个人主页‘最爱（Favorites）’的数量对剧情长片进行排序的榜单。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:35:54 UTC+8)*
Letterboxd's Top 500 Films
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TSPDT - 1000 Greatest Films
They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? (TSPDT) - The 1,000 Greatest Films. A definitive meta-list aggregating thousands of critics' polls, historical rankings, and director top 10s to represent the ultimate critical consensus in cinema history. TSPDT 影史最伟大的1000部电影： 全球最权威的电影元榜单，由该网站汇总世界各大电影刊物历史评选结果及数千名影评人、学者的个人十佳榜单，通过算法加权计算得出的终极共识。 *片单说明：* 本片单只收录纯电影，以下剧集或迷你剧不予收录： • [#335] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#514] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#614] Edvard Munch (1974) • [#703] The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) • [#890] Elephant (1989) • [#925] Heimat (1984) • [#968] Doomed Love (1978) 以下作品在 TMDB 被拆分为多个独立电影条目；本片单按作品/章节顺序连续收录，且每个分拆条目均沿用同一 TSPDT 名次： • [#171] Dekalog (1989) — 展开为 10 部电影 • [#988] Olympia (1938) — 展开为 2 部电影 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:30:01 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Trainspotting
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Trainspotting about?
Heroin addict Mark Renton stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends --Sick Boy, Begbie, Spud and Tommy. He also has an underage girlfriend, Diane, along for the ride. After cleaning up and moving from Edinburgh to London, Mark finds he can't escape the life he left behind as Begbie and Sick Boy come knocking.
Who directed Trainspotting?
Trainspotting was directed by Danny Boyle.
Who stars in Trainspotting?
The principal cast of Trainspotting includes Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd, Robert Carlyle.
When was Trainspotting released and how long is it?
Trainspotting was released in 1996 with a total runtime of 1h 34m.
What was the box office and production budget of Trainspotting?
Trainspotting had a reported production budget of $4M and grossed $72M at the worldwide box office (18 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Is Trainspotting based on a book or true story?
Trainspotting is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Irvine Welsh".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Trainspotting?
Trainspotting holds official age classifications: AU: R 18+; CA: 18A; DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: 16 (Interdit aux moins de 16 ans — 16+ only.); GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).