USA Today has let loose nine new images (one is old) of Guy Ritchie’s upcoming “Sherlock Holmes,” a would-be summer-looking blockbuster now set to come out during Christmas (the 25th to be exact).
There’s lots of little tidbits of info in the piece, teases to the fact that this picture will likely be the beginning of a franchise (the end teases a possible sequel, naturally), but it’s interesting to hear the rumor that Russell Crowe was going to play Watson before Jude Law scored the role was true, which is interesting especially since it came from the British gossip “press” which is usually just making shit up on the fly (“Originally, Russell Crowe was on board to play Dr. Watson, Ritchie confirms,” is the exact quote if you’re curious).
Other tidbits:
Jude Law was apparently “reticent” to take the role, but eventually relented when he was convinced by Robert Downey Jr. who talked to him like, “two serious actors about the craft.”
– There was a lot of improv between Downey and Law and they “jazzed up the dialogue on the spot.”
– It’s obviously a PG-13 film, and the “language has been tamed.”
– “I met with every young Hollywood actress in Hollywood,’ Ritchie said of casting the con artist and thief Adler, the role of which went to Rachel McAdams. “She has the chops to keep up with him.” We concur, she’s consistently excellent.
– Famous duos that influenced the pairing of RDJ and Law include, “The Odd Couple,” “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “Withnail and I” and “Laurel and Hardy.”
– The film shot for 73 days, which is relatively long.
– Producer Joel Silver sounds as reptilian as ever. “We are always looking for branded ideas. Audiences are interested in seeing something they know,” he says of selling the film and possible franchise to audiences.
– The word “bromance” is thrown around again. “They complete each other,” says producer Lionel Wigram, who was key in reviving the Sherlock Holmes brand, sorry, franchise. “We are trying to make a fun adventure movie,” he says. “My favorites are the Bond films. Raiders of the Lost Ark. I want to make a movie like that.”
Anyhow, if you haven’t already seen all the pictures. Here’s the ones we like the best. No need to post nine photos now is there? We’ve been down on this Guy Ritchie film because the script was such fluff and his quotes and thoughts on the film haven’t exactly instilled a lot of confidence in the picture being more than a fun, dumb dash (and Wigram’s aforementioned quotes don’t help either, frankly), but we will say the look of the film, based on these pics, are well-done and gives us a bit more faith. Either way, kudos to USA. Today, because this piece is really in-depth, so if you’re really looking forward to “Sherlock Holmes,” you should read the entire thing.
“Sherlock Holmes” is due December 25. And it’s unfair, but tough: “Star Trek,” has set the bar for summer blockbusters this year, even during Xmas, so ‘Sherlock’ will have to be on par for it to be considered a success… at least in our prickly minds…
