10 Movies That Spent Decades In Development Hell (And Still Lived Up To The Hype)

10. Trainspotting 2

As one of the most critically acclaimed British films of all time, Trainspotting's electrifying mix of black comedy and the truly disturbing consequences of heroin addiction made it an instant classic. It spoke greatly to the culture and society of the late nineties. When it came to a follow-up however, fans would find themselves waiting a full two decades.

At first, plans were made to make a direct adaptation of Irvine Welsh's second novel, "Porno", but Danny Boyle and his crew took things in a different direction. With so many years having passed since the 1996 classic, the director saw an opportunity to go a different, more sombre direction.

While not as energised or funny as the first, Trainspotting 2 makes full use of its twenty-year time gap to place its characters in a darker, more cynical place. The cast of characters are trapped in a meaningless mid-life crisis, their friendships and personal health decaying. T2 uses these plot threads to fuel its themes and tone.

Just as the original Trainspotting spoke to the delinquent youths of the nineties, so too does it address them twenty years later. The reflections it casts on aging and its deteriorating effect made Trainspotting 2 a highly unique sequel that successfully honoured the first.