“Holmes” Run: Robert Downey Jr. Talks Sherlock

Holmes and Watson look like they’re trying to pull off that one last big heist. 

“Sherlock Holmes” is one of the most anticipated movies of the holiday season…okay, at least it is for me. Aside from the fact that it’s a long-needed fresh take on the Holmes character, it’s also fascinating as part of the third act of Robert Downey Jr.’s great career. The Hollywood Reporter talked to him about the film. Here’s a good quote about how it all got started:

THR: Where were things in the development process when you came on board?

Downey Jr.: I’d just heard that the concept by Lionel Wigram had gone back to Holmes’ roots but was presented in a way that made sense in a sort of post-”300″ atmosphere. Then Guy Ritchie got interested. I was hearing about Guy through my wife Susan (a “Holmes” producer) and Joel because they had financed “RocknRolla,” which I really liked. I guess I had a little too much time on my hands because I asked Susan to get the North American trailers for me (for “RocknRolla”). I love Gerry Butler and the turn that he did, which showed a very funny, different side than he’d shown in “300″ — and for some reason I was really interested in making sure that was reflected in the trailer. I found myself tweaking in an area where I had no actual business tweaking. Guy didn’t know any of this at the time, but I started talking to him about it and then we both realized that they’d put us on the phone because we were supposed to discuss the possibility of doing “Sherlock Holmes.” Shortly thereafter, he told me that we shouldn’t even be having that conversation because I was too old.

THR: And who changed his mind about that?

Downey Jr.: Somebody called him and said, “You said WHAT?” and gently explained that I was in a different career situation than I was in years past and that I might be the perfect choice. Next thing I knew, we were talking about doing the movie and who would be my best co-star for what’s essentially a Victorian buddy movie.

…and then it segues into a good story about director Guy Ritchie’s nickname for Jude Law. I’d paste it in also, but you know, fair use and all that. So go read it here.

Again, I’m really looking forward to this movie, but do have some reservations about the Guy Ritchie part. I’ve never been a fan. He feels like all flash to me. But maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised. Actually, I hope I will.