Jude Law, Robert Downey, Jr., and Rachel McAdams Photo by Alex Bailey 2009
Brad Pitt is not glimpsed in the shadows as Professor Moriarty in Warner Brothers' upcoming release, Sherlock Holmes, supposedly laying the groundwork for the character to appear in a sequel.
It is true that although Sherlock Holmes doesn’t open for another three months, Warner Brothers is already developing a sequel, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, and the studio is poised to bring on Kieran and Michele Mulroney, the screenwriters who are drafting its Justice League: Mortal, to write it.
That's as far as it goes, at this point. Online rumors claiming that Brad Pitt appears in several shots of Sherlock Holmes as Professor Moriarty have abounded lately. A spokesperson for Warner Brothers, however, specifically told Examiner.com that Brad Pitt does not appear in Sherlock Holmes, and is not attached to a sequel at this time. The role of Professor Moriarty, if the character does indeed appear in a sequel, has not yet been cast.
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Jude Law and Robert Downey, Jr. in "Sherlock Holmes" Photo by Alex Bailey 2009
Guy Ritchie directed Sherlock Holmes, and Robert Downey, Jr. (Iron Man) stars as the title character. Jude Law plays perennial sidekick Dr. Watson, and Rachel McAdams stars as love interest Irene Adler. Much of the principal talent is expected to return in the sequel, including Ritchie as director, who was also recently announced as the director of Warner Brothers’ upcoming DC comic book adaptation, Lobo.
Prof. Moriarty, illustration by Sidney Paget
Moriarty’s prominence in the Holmes mythology is largely a product of Hollywood. Prof. Moriarty was created by Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the short story “The Final Problem.” The character is behind the events in Doyle’s novel, The Valley of Fear, technically a prequel, although Holmes and Moriarty do not actually meet. Moriarty is mentioned by Holmes in a handful of stories. Other than that, Moriarty does not appear in Doyle’s Holmes stories, despite his many appearances in movies over the decades that were often only loosely based on original works. Lionel Atwill and George Zucco played him opposite Basil Rathbone and Eric Porter played him opposite Jeremy Brett in the British TV series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Laurence Olivier was Moriarty to Nicol Williamson’s Holmes in a film adaptation of Nicholas Meyer’s novel The Seven Per-Cent Solution. John Huston played the part in the TV movie Sherlock Holmes in New York, with Roger Moore in the title role. Interestingly, despite having been under contract to Universal Studios when it was making Sherlock Holmes movies with Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, one of the screen’s greatest movie villains, never played the part despite making other films with Rathbone.
Pitt, if confirmed in the role, would be outside-the-box casting, to say the least.
Comments
And he would be easy on the eyes to say the least. I would suggest Matthew Damon. It will be great anyway. Robert Downey Jr. is pretty spectacular.
Robert Downey Jr. is spectacular on his own , he is soooo talented.. They really don't need Brad Pitt to "pretty" up the screen. Robert Downey Jr. is better looking than Pitt and handsome enough! I would love to see a true villian get the role if they are casting for the part ( and no "pretty" boys either) Moriarity was never ever seen in the books or stories but he was never described as "pretty" either. Lets' leave that to Robert! How about someone like maybe Tim Roth or Tim Curry (Love Tim Curry). I also love Alan Rickman (from Harry Potter). All 3 of these great actors are British and studied in England. God knows they are also all scary. One of these 3 should audition and maybe take it. They would be fantastic!!!!
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