The Glasgow movie will get a sequel with the original cast returning

First released in 1996, Small Faces told the story of Glasgow gang The Tongs in the 1960s and was filmed on location across the city as well as in Bishopbriggs and Edinburgh.

He is credited with launching the careers of Trainspotting’s Kevin McKidd, Lost star Laura Fraser, and River City’s Ian Robertson.

I wonder what his character’s fate might have been all these years after he put the wheels in motion for the follow-up movie, Smile.

Ian Robertson (photo: Newsquest)

Ian said, “I never really played a recurring character until I went to River City, but oddly enough, the character’s life starts to exist alongside yours.

“In the hiatus from filming, you start to wonder to yourself — how is Stevie, my character, and what was he going to do?

“I thought about the important characters I’d played over the years and started thinking about what Lex was going to be up to, so I emailed Gillis and Billy to ask them and here we are!”

Original director Gillis McKinnon is on board with his brother, screenwriter Billy McKinnon, who is handling the first draft of the project’s screenplay.

The couple confirmed that this would not be an ordinary sequel.

Gillis said: “Smile isn’t Small Faces 2, it’s a different movie, with a different tone and in a different era, but based on a drama that stopped a quarter of a century ago.

“This is a standalone movie and the viewer does not need to watch the original movie to enjoy Smile as a movie by itself.

“It’s in a way a Glasgow ghost story – a redemption story.

The character of Ian, Lex was a young boy who felt responsible for the murder of his brother at an ice skating rink in Glasgow.

“Now, at the age of 40, Lex is suddenly faced with the resurrection of his dead brother. As a ghost, apparition, or reality, he can’t know, but one thing is beyond doubt – Bobby, played by Stephen Duffy, is back from the dead!”

Kevin McKidd in Small Faces (photo: Newsquest)

Stephen – who became lifelong friends with Ian after meeting him on the set of the movie – is intrigued to see his character return, as is Kevin McKidd as both of his characters died in Small Faces.

He said, “The portrayal of my character’s death was very powerful cinematically.

“I haven’t seen a script yet and I’m obviously very curious to find out how I might be involved, but there is talk that this movie is a ghost story.

“I am sure to chase Ian!”

Grey’s Anatomy actor Kevin added, “I loved working with our cast and crew back in the day, but given that my character, Malky, also died in Small Faces, it’s very interesting to hear that there’s been talk of my involvement.”