— by ROB COX —
From the looks of its trailer, the new “Sherlock Holmes” movie looks promising (though, admittedly, I’ve never been much of a Guy Ritchie fan). But now comes the news that Warner Bros is already working on a sequel.
The Risky Biz Blog reports that three months ahead of the film’s American release, the studio is far enough along in development to be considering a writing team. According to The Biz story, they’re considering Kieran and Michele Mulroney, who wrote the recent film “Paper Man” and also scripted “Justice League: Mortal.”
Robert Downey Jr., of course, is a hot right draw at the moment (and also one of my personal favorites) and I’m sure this film will make a ton of cash. It might even set some Christmas Day opening records.
Undoubtedly, this move represents a great deal of faith on Warners’ part, but doesn’t it also smell of excess? This is the very issue so many have complained about regarding Hollywood in the last few years: the obsession with the bottom line, with churning out quantity over quality.
Lure a big name, create a franchise around it, make tons of money and then rush out a sequel (or sequels). Perhaps I’m a bit pessimistic here; there have been recent exceptions to this rule (“Superman Returns” comes to mind), but in Hollywood, greed usually wins the day.
No matter how much we might like to forget when we plop ourselves down in that darkened theater, Hollywood is a business, first and foremost. And that, is elementary.
Also starring Jude Law, Rachel McAdams and Mark Strong, “Sherlock Holmes” is scheduled to be released Dec. 25.
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What! WB is commiting to a sequel of a movie that is yet to open and still nothing on what most people I know want! Sorry seeing that just got my blood boiling and I couldn’t even finish the article.
Deep breath… Okay read the rest now.
I have always liked Robert Downey Jr and I’m so glad he is doing so well, but I am still mad at WB.
I actually am a Guy Ritchie fan, so I’m looking forward to this.
The fact that they scripted “JL: M” does not fill me with hope.
I like that they’re utilizing the buzz surround a sequel to promote their current installment. Harry Potter and Star Wars did that, but they were on a little more of a grand scale. With the possibility of a good sequel we’re almost obligated to see this one.
I actually like the looks of this movie. And I will see anything Ritchie does (aside from “Swept Away”), so I will be seeing this.
WB’s tentpole? I won’t be seeing it.