It's been ages since Robert Downey Jr. was cast in the title role of Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movie. So long, in fact, that we were beginning to wonder if Ritchie would ever get around to casting his Dr. Watson.
Well, today he has - and it's Jude Law.
If Law signs, and it's highly likely that he will, it will end the rampant speculation that has surrounded the role of Holmes’ indefatigable biographer and sidekick, with which the likes of The Stath and Russell Crowe had been linked.
But now it has emerged that it's Law who will fill John Watson’s shoes and tap out his pipe.
If you expected Ritchie’s Watson to be a gruff gentlemen in his late fifties/early sixties, a la Edward Hardwicke or Nigel Bruce, then Law might seem to be a little young, but in many of the stories he’s in his forties and fifties, so we’re prepared to let that go.
Certainly, Our Jude projects a keen intelligence, which is essential for a character who, while admittedly far behind Holmes in terms of intellect, is far from the buffoon depicted in many previous Holmes films. And Law’s casting indicates that Watson has an integral role to play in the film, which starts shooting soon.
We’re particularly intrigued to see how Ritchie will depict their relationship which, when Holmes is in a particularly cruel mood, can sometimes feel like the detective is torturing his faithful friend.
Anyway, we’re glad to see that such a fine actor has joined Downey and the already-cast Mark Strong, who will play one of the movie’s villains. We’re guessing that Law’s take on Watson will be substantially different from Will Ferrell’s in the comedic Sherlock movie that will team him with Sacha Baron Cohen’s Holmes.
Mind you, that one seems to have gone a bit quiet of late. Might bear some investigating, that one. We know just the chap.