Sherlock Holmes (2009 film)
| Sherlock Holmes | |
|---|---|
| File:Holmeslogo.jpg Official logo | |
| Directed by | Guy Ritchie |
| Written by | Michael Johnson Lionel Wigram |
| Produced by | Joel Silver |
| Starring | Robert Downey, Jr. Jude Law Rachel McAdams |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date | October 2009 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Sherlock Holmes is an upcoming film based on Arthur Conan Doyle's detective Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey, Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as Watson. The film began shooting in October 2008 under Guy Ritchie's direction, and will be released a year later.[1] Set in 1891,[2] the film revolves around Holmes and Watson stopping a conspiracy to destroy Britain.[3]
Cast
- Robert Downey, Jr. as Sherlock Holmes. Downey was visiting Joel Silver's offices with his producer wife Susan when he learned about the project.[4] Ritchie initially felt Downey was too old for the role.[5] However, "I think me and Guy are well-suited to working together. The more I look into the books, the more fantastic it becomes. Holmes is such a weirdo."[1] Downey's wife told him "that when you read the description of the guy – quirky and kind of nuts – it could be a description of me."[2] Downey intends to focus more on Holmes' patriotic side and his bohemianism, and felt that his work on Chaplin has prepared him for an English accent.[6] Ritchie feels his accent is "flawless".[7] Both Downey and Ritchie are martial arts enthusiasts, and have improvised much of the "baritsu" introduced in the 1901 story The Adventure of the Empty House.[8]
- Jude Law as Dr. John Watson, Holmes' ally, a surgeon and a war veteran. Law is not portraying the bumbling fool that actor Nigel Bruce popularised in the 1930s–40s films.[9] Law previously appeared in the Granada Television series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, in an episode based on The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place.
- Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler, a femme fatale from New Jersey who once outwitted Holmes, leaving him slightly lovestruck.[9]
- Mark Strong as Lord Blackwood, a villain.[9]
- Kelly Reilly as Mary Morstan. Watson wishes to settle down with her, causing a conflict with Holmes.[2]
- Eddie Marsan as Inspector Lestrade.[10]
Production
In March 2007, Warner Bros. announced they would produce a film adaptation of Lionel Wigram's (unpublished) Sherlock Holmes comic book. Wigram, a film producer, wrote the comic in place of a spec script.[11] Neil Marshall was set to direct. Warner Bros. sought to reinvent Holmes in the same way Batman Begins revived that franchise, focusing on aspects of the character generally ignored in previous films (such as his bare-knuckle boxing and fencing skills). Arthur Conan Doyle's estate had some involvement in sorting out legal issues, although the stories are in the public domain in the United States.[12] Warner are also interested in beginning a series.[5] The story, including its villain, are an amalgam of Holmes stories.[2]
Guy Ritchie signed on to direct in June 2008.[13] When a child at boarding school, Ritchie and other pupils listened to the Holmes stories through dormitory loudspeakers. "Holmes used to talk me to sleep every night when I was seven years old," he said.[14] Therefore, his image of Holmes differed from the films. He wanted to make his film more "authentic" to Doyle,[6] explaining, "There's quite a lot of intense action sequences in the stories, [and] sometimes that hasn't been reflected in the movies."[15] Holmes' "brilliance will percolate into the action", and the film will show that his "intellect was as much of a curse as it was a blessing".[7] It will be a "very contemporary film as far as the tone and texture", because it has been "a relatively long time since there's been a film version that people embraced".[15] Filming began in October 2008.[3] There will be three months of shooting in London,[1] including locations such as Freemasons' Hall and St Paul's Cathedral. It will also film in Liverpool.[9]
References
- ^ a b c "Law to star in Ritchie's Sherlock". BBC News Online. 2008-10-01. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ a b c d Matt Mueller. "New 'Sherlock Holmes' Details from London!". Premiere. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ a b "Sherlock Starts Shooting". IGN. 2008-10-01. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ "Robert Downey Jr 'to play Holmes'". BBC News Online. 2008-07-10. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ a b Mike Collett-White (2008-10-01). "Downey to play Sherlock Holmes as studio eyes series". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ a b Mark Brown and Ben Child (2008-10-02). "Ritchie and Downey Jr launch new, 'authentic' Sherlock Holmes". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ a b Susan Wloszczyna (2008-08-01). "Sherlock Holmes? Ritchie's on the case". USA Today. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
- ^ Matt Mueller. "Robert Downey Jr.'s Bad-Ass Sherlock Holmes". Premiere. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
- ^ a b c d Glen Ferris (2008-10-01). "Sherlock Holmes Casting Confirmed". Empire Online. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ Simon Reynolds (2008-09-29). "Marsan joins 'Sherlock Holmes' cast". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
- ^ Borys Kit (2008-09-25). "Rachel McAdams joins 'Sherlock Holmes'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
- ^ Pamela McClintock (2007-03-15). "Warner Bros. gets a clue". Variety. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ Orlando Parfitt (2008-10-03). "Elementary, my dear Ritchie". IGN. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
- ^ "Guy's Take On London's Gritty Underworld". CBS News. 2008-10-08. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
- ^ a b Anita Singh (2008-09-19). "Jude Law to star in Sherlock Holmes remake". The Independent. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
