If you’ve read our review of the “Sherlock Holmes” script — the film that Guy Ritchie has directed with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law starring as the famous detective and his sidekick Watson — you’ll know talk of a sequel and a PG-13 rating are no big surprise.
We wrote last year, “A lot of action adventure films have a hokey, whoa-what’s-going-on! corny thrill ride vibe to them (we can’t help but going back to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” comparison) and ‘Sherlock’ is no exception,” which tells you everything you need to know about the inherent PG-13ness that will be delivered ( Guy Ritchie himself already said the film would be like “James Bond in 1891,” and “fun for families,” strong enough clues for you?)
And then about a sequel, well, it’s a Hollywood tentpole and well, we wrote about the film’s concluding hint, “The story is meant to begat a Mcfranchise (and look for a famous villain cameo near the end) and that means asses-in-seats and nothing too wild or edgy.”
Now Robert Downey Jr. is saying the same. “I feel like there’s going to be a ‘Sherlock Holmes 2,’” he told MTV News, which basically translates into, “if this film does gangbusters at the box-office like we hope it does, they’ll clearly green light another.”
A devoted 12-stepper, Downey Jr. says he didn’t want the film to delve into Holmes opium-addicted past, (even MTV says he and the filmmakers were trying to keep the “overall family friendly tone”) and apparently he asked that scenes with drug references be as ambiguous as possible.
“I actually petitioned the court and said, ‘This is a PG-13 movie. Let’s just refer to these peripherally.’ So at one point, Watson says, ‘What are you doing, that’s for eye surgery!’” Downey said in his cheeky way that generally only makes partial sense.
Anyhow, there you have it. “Sherlock Holmes,” possible sequels, decidedly PG-13 popcorn munching feel. Have fun come December 25.