Downey Confirms "Gravity", Talks "Holmes 2"

Robert Downey Jr. has confirmed that Alfonso Cuaron's sci-fi-thriller "Gravity" is his next immediate project followed by Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" sequel reports MTV News.

According to MTV News: Downey confirmed that he'll be doing "Gravity" next, with director Alfonso Cuaron, and then following that up with the "Holmes" sequel.

The 'Holmes' sequel kicks off this fall and while it will mostly shoot in London, Downey expects to "be abroad" saying "A bit of Paris, a bit of Switzerland by the end, if I'm not mistaken".

That last bit could allude to the filmmakers using the famous ending of "The Final Problem" in which both Holmes and Moriarty seemingly fall to their death at Reichenbach Falls (Holmes ultimately survives). As its already been stated that Moriarty will serve as the film's villain, it would come as no surprise if the events in 'Problem' are incorporated into the script.

Downey's not sure if Rachel McAdams' Irene Adler character will also return: "It's hard to say. Because Irene Adler only appeared in one of the stories of Doyle's reservoir of activities. But we'll find out quickly."

He's also not sure if they'll do it 3D but says "you're leaving a bunch of dough on the table if you don't shoot something in 3-D."

Although I didn’t think it was perfect, I really enjoyed “Sherlock Holmes” and I thought Downey Jr. was brilliant with the way he took on the classic character. Hopefully the sequel will build on the quality parts of the first film to make an awesome follow up, much like how “The Dark Knight” was to “Batman Begins”.

Also, hearing that two talents like Cuaron and Downey will be working together on a sci-fi project has got me excited. I thought “Children of Men” was brilliant and it’ll be interesting to see what Cuaron does with “Gravity”.

Downey will shoot "Gravity" in London this summer.

"Sherlock Holmes" Producer Doing "The Three Musketeers"

"Sherlock Holmes" producer Lionel Wigram is setting up a similar period-set but modern-toned update of another great literary adventure, Alexandre Dumas' "The Three Musketeers," at Warner Bros. Pictures.

According to Variety: In the wake of 'Sherlock Holmes's' success, the next literary mainstay to get the "reboot" treatment will be the 'Three Musketeers', Alexandre Dumas' age-old tale about D'Artagnan, a young drifter pulled into a three-way, 17th century bromance between swashbucklers.

Peter Straughan ("The Men Who Stare at Goats") has been hired to pen an adaptation that will play up the action, humor and 'sexier' elements of the story.

No director or cast has yet been announced. The project is not linked with Paul W. Anderson's 3D version of the story currently in development.

While the reboots have become the norm in Hollywood these days--with high-profile franchises like 'Spider-Man,' 'Jurassic Park.' 'Star Trek' and now possibly 'Superman' getting do-overs--'Musketeers' has been one story that studios have adapted again and again over the last 70 years.

The 1940s saw Lana Turner and Gene Kelly adapt the book, while the '70s gave us an Oliver Reed/Michael York version. The '90s featured two big-budget takes on the tale--Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen and Chris O'Donnell's chummy 1993 version, as well as the less campy 1998 film 'The Man in the Iron Mask,' which featured a crew of over-the-hill Musketeers (Jeremy Irons, Gerard Depardieu, John Malkovich) battling against a long-haired Leonardo DiCaprio as King Louie XIV.

There are three books written by Alexandre Dumas--"The Three Musketeers," "Twenty Years After" and "The Vicomte de Bragalonne"--which are collectively known as "The D’Artagnan Romances."

I thought Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes” was pretty good, and I think the “Three Musketeers” could follow its success if put in the right hands. Ritchie and Robert Downey Jr. put a great spin on the character, and if the “Musketeers” snags a solid cast and director, it could be a big smash.

Look for the new and hopefully improved “Musketeers” sometime in 2011.

"Sherlock Holmes" Sequel Racing To Production

Producer Joel Silver tells The Los Angeles Times that due to the "Sherlock Holmes" sequel being fast-tracked, Guy Ritchie is no longer attached to direct the comic adaptation "Lobo."

According to the LA Times: "Sherlock Holmes" played second fiddle to the aliens of "Avatar" at the box office, but the Victorian Age sleuth just beat out another extraterrestrial -- director Guy Ritchie has set aside the planned "Lobo" film to clear his schedule for a fast-tracked "Holmes" sequel, according to producer Joel Silver.

"Holmes" has pulled in $389 million in worldwide box office since its Christmas Day release and looks to add to that with overseas releases still pending in Germany, Japan, France and several other markets. The role of the famed literary detective also just earned Robert Downey Jr. a surprise Golden Globe, suggesting that the actor might still be in play for an Oscar nomination next week.

Silver is a producer of "Holmes" as well as "Lobo," which would adapt the ultra-violent antihero from the pages of DC Comics.

Said Silver: "I don't think he's going to do it now. The studio wants us and Guy to focus on making another 'Sherlock Holmes'... So we're trying to see if we can do something quickly with another 'Sherlock Holmes' movie. We have some ideas and some good story points."

Silver said "Lobo" remains a viable project. In the 1980s, the character was a wickedly funny parody of the antiheroes Wolverine and Punisher, characters that now have a combined seven film appearances to their credit.

Casting rumors have been floating around the Internet in regards to who might turn up in the “Sherlock Holmes” sequel, including Brad Pitt himself. Pitt is familiar with Ritchie, having worked with the director before on “Snatch,” which I think was Ritchie’s best film. The role Pitt was mentioned in was as Holmes’ nemesis, and literature’s first arch villain, Professor Moriarity.

Silver mentioned the rumor in the interview, saying: “Well, I mean, we talked about that at one point, but you know as of right now we're not sure what we're going to do. We'll see what happens."

Look for “Sherlock Holmes 2” sometime in 2011.