Robert Downey Jr as...Holmes?

[alina]

So...

I was wasting time on Yahoo in between classes and found that next November, Robert Downey Jr will be playing Holmes with Jude Law playing Watson in a mixture of the canonical Holmes with some plot and action elements from Lionel Wigram's comic novels based on the Holmes franchise.

My head still spins. I can't find anything on the comic book because it isn't even out yet. And from what I've read (always a sketchy thing on the internet), they're focusing more on his fighting skills. The pictures WarnerBros have let out are certainly suggestive of much action and shirtless Holmes.

...wait, shirtless Holmes?

I would like to hear the illustrious board's voices on the matter. What do you make of a RDJr and JL casting of Holmes and Watson? Oh, and wait; Rachel McAdams is playing Irene Adler too (and Claire Abshire in a movie version of The Time Traveler's Wife coming out this year, too). Comments? Anyone?

[tangential1]

As much as I like Robert Downey Jr., I just can't see him as Holmes. And I'm super weirded out by shirtless Holmes....

FYI: Vicki also posted about this (http://www.laurierking.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=450) a couple months back, if you want to read some other comments:)

[Strawberry Curls]

Over on Letters of Mary (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Letters_Of_Mary) we have been keeping an eye on this production, and have had many exchanges about the pros and cons and the (in my case) amazement that Robert Downey, Jr. would be picked to play Holmes. What puts me over the top is they have paired him with Jude Law as Watson (not a bad choice as Watson in Canon is handsome and a bit of a ladies man). Law is several inches taller than Downey. Some pictures I have seen from the production have Law (Watson) bending down so Downey (Holmes) can speak in his ear. YIKES!! The shirtless pictures look CGIed to the extreme and I hold little hope that this will be a movie enjoyed by fans of Sherlock Holmes. I'm not even sure the writer or the producer have ever read the stories, of if they did they decided they could "improve" on this iconic character. Heaven help us. --Alice

[JTACorwyn]

OK so who WOULD we pick to play Holmes?

We need to age someone like Pierce Brosnan. Lots of SA (as Mary would say)

Cate Blanchett could probably pull off Mary pretty well....

More ideas? Or are we shuddering at a Hollywood tainted Russell & Holmes altogether?

[annie]

The BBC have paired Ian Hart as Watson with Rupert Everett's Holmes. I thought them both very good, although the story they put on this Christmas left a bit to be desired. Despite being a bit skinny, Ian Hart captures Watson (he is a very good actor). Rupert Everett always plays Rupert Everett, but captured the mix of ennui & intensity very well. I m not sure that anyone will ever top my beloved Jeremy Brett's Holmes - but who knows?

[JTACorwyn]

Yeah, I must say, none of these guys is making it for me. At all.

SIGH. I always thought Peter Cushing at least LOOKED like Holmes to me.

[alina]

Many thanks, Tangential, for posting the link! It was quite enjoyable!

Alice, yes; I cannot see either of them in their respective casted roles. Whoever heard of Watson being taller than Holmes? Of course you can realign the spine to take you a few inches down, but, really, that's a bit of a stretch. And Watson as an army man would never slouch.

JTA, I can't really imagine anyone playing Holmes except the image in my head. I know how you feel. And I think Cushing is a good choice, though in my own little moments of fangirldom back in middle school I had hoped he would be a bit more handsome and a bit more (I can't believe I'm admitting this) blonde.

As an aside, what do you think of his mildly misguided progeny, House? And Hugh Laurie as House?

[JTACorwyn]

Who doesn't love House? I mean really!

LOL

I never thought of Holmes as blond, ALWAYS dark, but definitely handsome, albeit austere.

[2bnallegory]

Hugh Laurie, mm, mm, mm, butter him up and I'll have him for breakfast. A much scruffier version of Holmes.

[jtb1951]

Hugh Laurie, mm, mm, mm, butter him up and I'll have him for breakfast.

LOL!!! Too funny for words! (I'm a big fan but I obviously look at him from a different perspective:))

John.

[JTACorwyn]

LOL!!! Too funny for words! (I'm a big fan but I obviously look at him from a different perspective:))

John.

Well, frankly, me too. I like a handsome older man (read: older than 20), and House would qualify, AND Hugh Laurie is handsome, BUT, I would not deign to become involved, even theoretically, with someone so devious and dishonest.

I'm a huge truth-sayer, and am NOT attracted to nor interested in liars of any variety. Not a lawyer fan, either. You gotta be straight up and full of moral terpitude for me.
Even if you do have dreamy blue eyes.

However, the House character has loads of appeal and the show is quite watchable.

[Elizabeth Chase]

The BBC have paired Ian Hart as Watson with Rupert Everett's Holmes. I thought them both very good, although the story they put on this Christmas left a bit to be desired. Despite being a bit skinny, Ian Hart captures Watson (he is a very good actor). Rupert Everett always plays Rupert Everett, but captured the mix of ennui & intensity very well. I m not sure that anyone will ever top my beloved Jeremy Brett's Holmes - but who knows?

Have they made another since The Case of the Silk Stocking (2004)? :eek: IIRC that's the one in which Holmes uses cocaine throughout the story rather than to deal with his 'after-the-case letdown'.

Ian Hart? I half expected him to dash into the sitting room yelling, "There's a troll in the dungeon! There's a troll in the dungeon!" Yes, I'm nuts -- he was Prof. Quirrell in the first Harry Potter movie and that's his best scene IMO! :o

[Millie]

nd dishonest.

Not a lawyer fan, either. You gotta be straight up and full of moral terpitude for me.




I know a nice one...and he's honest too! After 13 years of marriage I'm still madly in love with him. Not so keen on the workaholic aspect though.

[Pat Floyd]

I know a nice one...and he's honest too! After 13 years of marriage I'm still madly in love with him. Not so keen on the workaholic aspect though.

I know ones who are not only nice, but close to heroic in their struggle to get justice--in the civil rights struggle in the 1950s, for someone unjustly accused, for poor people now, for those denied health care, and for lesbian mothers in danger of losing their children.

[JTACorwyn]

Ok - I definitely concede the point. Lawyers are OK! :-)

Let's say, TV-style lawyers.... :-D

[jtb1951]

You gotta be straight up and full of moral terpitude for me.

Not to be a picker of nits, but maybe you mean free of moral turpitude!:)

John.

[JTACorwyn]

Not to be a picker of nits, but maybe you mean free of moral turpitude!:)

John.

Yes, that is what I meant. And clearly, I cannot spell, either! :rolleyes:

[classics_fiend]

I can't believe they picked Downey Jr. as Holmes either. One afternoon, my brother casually dropped the bombshell that, "Hey they're making a Sherlock Holmes movie, and Downey is going to play Holmes." My shock was beyond description; I was raving a the casting directors for a few minutes.

Jude will be allright as Watson, but I think Ewan McGreggor would have been better. . .

[alina]

Aww...Ewan McGreggor as Watson...that would have been almost too much cuteness for me to handle! He would make a wonderful charming Watson, though.

I'm still trying to figure out if I want to see this or not. Part of me says that, as a loyal Holmes fan, I must experience all of Holmesiana, even at its worst. But this? This may be too much for me.

[classics_fiend]

Wouldn't he? I wish people asked me first before messing with my favorite characters. ;)

I don't know if I want to watch it either. . . I'm so nervous they'll mess it up and I'll hate Robert Downey Jr. forever. If he ruins Holmes' character I could *not* forgive him for accepting a role he is in no way worthy of.

[Ruth]

Ewan McGreggor would be irresistible as Watson! He's one of my favorite actors, and I was particularly impressed by his performance in Miss Potter.

I'm rather nervous about RDJ as Holmes. I'll definitely watch the movie. Whether that will be in theaters or on DVD will depend -- quite heavily -- on the trailers. If it still looks to be more Victorian Fight Club than Sherlock Holmes, it's going on the Netflix queue.

[Staci]

I was excited when I heard they were making a Sherlock Holmes movie. I like RDJ especialy in Iron Man but as for him as Holmes, I am on the line. I want to believe he will do a good job but it really depends on the director, the writer and the producer.
As for the plot, I have no idea what it is about but I think the story will make or break this movie.
~Staci

[classics_fiend]

I agree, I liked RDJ Iron Man too, but I just cannot see him as Holmes! But I thought the same thing about Daniel Craig when it was announced he was going to be the new James Bond, and I like him the best of all.