U2 fans can expect a new album from their heroes in September – with Brian Barton of Dangermouse in the producer’s chair.

Drummer Larry Mullen has told Irish broadcaster Dave Fanning that the ban are currently working with Barton on new material.

He told Fanning in an interview with Irish state broadcaster RTE that the new U2 album should be in the shops in the Fall.

Mullen said: “We hope have something released by September.”

The new album will be the band’s first since smash hit No Line on the Horizon four years ago.

The drummer added: “I’d say we will be finished by the summer - and hopefully we will have something released by September.

“Hopefully what we will be able to do is release September this year and shortly afterwards, release again. That’s what we want to do.

“We are working with producer Brian Barton at the moment of Dangermouse, no will.i.am is not there, just Mister Mouse!

“We have been working for the last couple of years mostly in Ireland which has been great, we have been here for a long period of time. There’s lots of music which is great.”

In a frank interview with old friend Fanning, Mullen revealed the inspiration behind his recent move into the world of acting and film.

He said: “I have spent 30 years sitting behind something...looking at men’s arses!

“I’ve enjoyed it and it’s been great but I looked at Bono and Edge in particular when he went to

Broadway, I kind of felt you know I’m not punching high enough.

“I need to actually move out of this place and actually do other things, and have different conversations and sit at different tables, because everybody else was, except me.”

His new movie, a remake of Man on a Train alongside the legendary Donald Sutherland, makes its Irish debut on Friday night.

Mullen said: “I just took the ball and ran with it. I met Donald Sutherland the day before and at 6am the next morning and there we were doing it.

“Failure wasn’t an option when you are working with Donald Sutherland. You are standing there and this is the guy from Don’t Look Now, Klute and Mash. I just threw myself into it”

Later this year Mullen will appear alongside Maria Doyle Kennedy in ‘A Thousand Times Good Night’ and he admitted he has a wish list of directors he would like to work with.

The Dubliner said: “When I see the Coen Brothers films, and I don’t say this in an arrogant way, but I always think I know I could work with these guys, I know they’d get me, they do something that I really like.

“I’d love to work with Danny Boyle and I’d love to work with Quentin Tarantino but that’s a pretty high aspiration but that’s what I’d like to do.”