Sherlock Holmes can’t help but charm legions of ladies, and word has it we can soon add another babe to his list. Warner Bros. Sherlock Holmes 2 will feature Robert Downey Jr.’s swoon-worthy leading man stumbling around the dank London streets alongside a new leading lady, breakout star Noomi Rapace. The actress garnered acclaim for her performance in the Swedish film, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
It seems the Holmes gears are shifting this time around, so don’t expect a reincarnation of Rachel McAdams’ brash and brazen beauty. Instead of throwing punches at grown men in back alleys and tying Holmes to his own hotel bed, Rapace will reportedly bring some mystery to the tale, possibly playing a French gypsy according to The Hollywood Reporter. No word yet on whether or not Downey Jr. will be wooing Rapace’s shady lady.
While Rapace’s lead will undoubtedly change things up for the franchise, don’t panic. We can look forward to seeing a few familiar faces in the next installment. Guy Ritchie returns as director, promising even more slow-motion fight sequences and giving us a few sweet moments to enjoy Downey Jr.’s arsenal of facial expressions and each crippling blow in its full glory. Most importantly, Jude Law fan-girls can rest easy. (And I mean, really, who doesn’t love that chiseled face?) Law will return as Watson, keeping Downey Jr.’s eccentric sleuth on track and adding that gratuitous, but oh-so welcome, dose of dashing good looks.
Production starts later this year, and while much of the anticipated plotline is still under heavy lock and key, the game is definitely afoot. Ritchie wet our appetites with a shadowy glimpse of Holmes’ arch-nemesis, Professor Moriarty, in 2009’s Sherlock Holmes, and it doesn’t look like he plans to leave us hanging. We’ll get healthy dose of the villain when he and Holmes face off in the sequel, which may or may not have already cast Daniel Day-Lewis as the enigmatic evil-doer.
As for Rapace, this is her first English-language role, and it looks to be a good one. She’s got some serious chops already, and even if she doesn’t manage to bring it onscreen, Downey Jr’s got enough panache in his pinky to make up for it.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
