Robert Downey Jr. will have an older brother in Sherlock Holmes 2, in the form of actor, writer, journalist, comedian, and Twitterist Stephen Fry.
According to Wikipedia Mycroft is Sherlock Holmes’ older brother by seven years. Possessing deductive powers exceeding even those Sherlock, Mycroft is nonetheless incapable of performing similar detective work as he is unwilling to put in the physical effort necessary to bring cases to their conclusions. It’s unclear what his position is in the British government.
Fry revealed the news on The Danny Baker Show on BBC Radio 5 Live earlier today (via Bleeding Cool)
“I’m playing Mycroft in the sequel to the Sherlock Holmes film Guy Ritchie directed with Robert Downey Jr., and that sort of part is fun, but just once in a while to play a genuine all round sort of lead figure with complexity and tragedy and wit and all the sort of things that Oscar [Wilde] had was a once in a lifeftime thrill.”
I’m sure Fry will be a great Mycroft. He previously starred in V for Vendetta and was recently the voice of The Cheshire Cat in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.
Earlier this month Noomi Rapace signed up to play the female lead opposite Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, with Rachel McAdams returning as Irene Adler, but in a smaller capacity to the first film. Guy Ritchie will once again direct and filming is set to begin before the end of the year.
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