Robert Downey Jr. is Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes

By Patrick Luce Jul 10, 2008, 12:35 GMT

Robert Downey Jr. - A Scanner Darkly Screening in New York - Walter Reade Threatre - New York, NY © Janet Mayer / Photorazzi

Robert Downey Jr. has committed to star as the world’s greatest detective in Guy Ritchie’s new “Sherlock Holmes” film for Warner Bros.

Variety reports Downey signed to play Sherlock Holmes after Ritchie turned in a new draft of the film’s script – which was written by Anthony Peckham.

The film is scheduled to start shooting in October with Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey and Dan Lin producing.

Following Downey’s flexing his superhero muscles at the box office, “Sherlock Holmes” will give the actor a chance to once again demonstrate his character acting ability. The film is based on the stories of “Holmes” creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and on the comic version of character.

The announcement of Downey’s casting comes on the heels of Columbia Pictures’ announcement that Sacha Baron Cohen will play Holmes and Will Ferrell will play Dr. Watson in a comedy take on the detective duo.

Ritchie’s flick will make it into production before the comedy, but Columbia has fast tracked the film – which is being written by Etan Cohen ("Tropic Thunder") and produced by Judd Apatow and Jimmy Miller.

Downey is set to return to the screen this summer in the Ben Stiller comedy "Tropic Thunder," and will star with Jamie Foxx in "The Soloist" for DreamWorks. He is also said to be getting ready to reprise the role of Tony Stark in the sequel to Iron Man.