Guess Who’s Coming to Baker Street? Casting News for Sherlock Holmes 2!

With much anticipation, details about the sequel to Guy Ritchie’s sensational Sherlock Holmes are slowly coming out of the woodwork. Just as a teaser, let’s review what we already know about the 2009 film. It grossed nearly a whopping $525 million worldwide, earning Robert Downey Jr. an unexpected, but much-deserved Golden Globe Award for his performance as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s title character. Jude Law has enthusiastically spoken to the press over his excitement to rejoin the cast as Watson, under Ritchie’s direction, which begins filming next month. At first, I couldn’t peg Law to play a sidekick to such a prominent character like Sherlock Holmes, but his poised, understated, and witty repertoire opposite Downey Jr. was instant screen magic. Although Rachel McAdams’ chemistry with Downey Jr. was lacking in the first movie, she is expected to reprise her role as Holmes’ mischievous American beauty / love interest, Irene Adler.

Drumroll please… The most exciting thing of all is the revelation of new cast members to the highly-anticipated sequel, including the decorated two-time Oscar-winner, Daniel Day-Lewis, as “the infinitely more devious” Professor Moriarty. Some sources said that Gary Oldman, Sean Penn, or Javier Bardem were in talks to play the lead villain. However, Day-Lewis’ is definitely the right man to portray a criminal mastermind, Holmes’ most famous adversary.


And of course, I’ve saved the best for last. The movie industry’s newest it-girl, the original “girl with the dragon tattoo,” Swedish import, Noomi Rapace, has been cast in the film as well. Rapace has appeared as Lisbeth Salander in the critically-acclaimed adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy, which include The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest. In her debut English-language role, it’s rumored that she plays a French gypsy. Perhaps causing more trouble for Holmes who certainly has his hands full with Ms. Adler?

Also, there’s buzz about town that another lauded character of Conan Doyle’s classic will be brought to life with Holmes’ brother, Mycroft, but presently, there are no details to confirm this rumor. According to IMDB.com, the film is scheduled for release on December 16, 2011.