Robert Downey Junior to play literary legend?

Robert Downey Junior is reportedly up for the part of Sherlock Holmes in the upcoming film about the famous detective.

Empire magazine asserts that Downey would be "fantastic" in the role of Arthur Conan Doyle's mystery solver, stating that he has starred in a wide variety of film genres and despite his American roots has already proved that he can nail an English accent in Chaplin and Restoration.

Directed by Guy Ritchie, known for the popular movies Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch and being married to Madonna, the film will be based upon a comic book by Lionel Wigrma rather than directly on the original novels, reports the publication

The news provider adds that this may mean the movie has a more modern slant, noting: "Expect more sword-fighting and boxing, and less deerstalker-wearing and violin-playing."

However, the magazine continues to say that Downey has not yet signed any contracts and may be tempted by other projects, such as Brett Ratner's Hugh Hefner biopic which he has previously been linked with.

In related news, Downey is also reportedly in talks to appear in upcoming Dreamworks and Universal Studios' project Cowboys and Aliens.

Titles related to this article

Related/similar articles

• Capote screenwriter plays murdered journalist (15 August 2006)
• Made for Export? (28 September 2010)
• Downey, Jr. signs up for movie-musical (7 December 2010)
• Truth or Dare? (13 December 2010)
• The X Factor: the Stars of Tomorrow? (1 June 2011)