Downey, Jr. Describes How He Will Play Sherlock Holmes
Better than it's ever been done before, Downey, Jr. says.
After the huge success that was Iron Man and Tropic Thunder this summer, Robert Downey, Jr. has finally vaulted himself into one of the best leading men in Hollywood.
His acting was never questioned, but rather a combination of drug use that seemed to keep him from the leading roles in large, studio films.
But now that Downey, Jr. has kicked his habit, he legitimized himself in Iron Man and now will get the chance to prove himself once again in the new Sherlock Holmes film that will be directed by Guy Ritchie.
At a press conference in London, Thursday, Downey, Jr. said that he will play Sherlock Holmes "better than it's ever been done before."
The 43-year-old actor says that he will bring something new to the role that Charlton Heston, Edward Woodward and Rupert Everett didn't.
"In case you aren't aware I had a hell of a summer, and it's made me much more viable to play a lead role than I might have been in the past. And clearly I'm going to do it better than it's ever been done before," Downey, Jr. said. "The more I read about it the more overwhelmed I was by the weight of it and the amount of people who will be watching to see if it's gotten right."
Ritchie went on to describe how he helped develop the new adaptation of the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle character.
"I really knew Sherlock Holmes from tapes - I wasn't a very good reader. What I had imagined in my mind was not exactly what I'd seen previously manifested on film," Ritchie said. "I am a fan of many of the previous productions of Sherlock Holmes. I just think we can have a different take and I'd like to think a better take. We're trying to be as authentic as we can to the original Sherlock Holmes. We are also keen on keeping it authentic to Conan Doyle."
