Literary Casting: Sherlock Holmes

I'm not saying this is going to be a regular installment on the blog or anything, but for whatever reason some casting ideas popped into my head tonight for an awesome Sherlock Holmes movie, and I had to share them with the world on the off chance that somebody in Hollywood might be reading this and might go ahead and make the movie.

So here is my literary casting of the Sherlock Holmes stories and novels of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:

Sherlock Holmes
Christopher Eccleston

Seriously, how has Christopher Eccleston never been cast as Sherlock Holmes? First of all, he's just a really good actor, with the right level of wit, intensity, and quirkiness to pull off the character perfectly. He's lean yet athletic looking, so he could handle the pugilism scenes with grace and skill. And, come on... he has that perfect Sherlock Holmes nose. Just imagine that face in a dearstalker hat.

Dr John Watson
Jason Isaacs

Why not? Jason Isaacs is one of those actors who's always good, but for some reason he has been typecast as the villain even though he's perfectly charming and likable in those few occasions where he was allowed to play the hero. I think he would be a great straight man to Eccleston's Holmes, giving the character the charm and strength found in the original stories and novels. Anyway, I just think he's a cool actor.

Mycroft Holmes
Robbie Coltrane

Mycroft Holmes is the older and smarter brother of the more famous Sherlock Holmes. Mycroft is a little slower, however, and possibly lethargic, since he rarely likes to leave the confines of his apartment or the gentlemen's club the Diogenes Society where he spends most of his time in quite thought and contemplation. I really started casting this movie in my head after it occurred to me that Robbie Coltrane, of the coolest character actors ever, would be incredible as Mycroft Holmes. Maybe Guy Richie will read this and put him in his upcoming Sherlock Holmes sequel. Make it happen!

Inspector Lestrade
Neil Jackson

This is hardly a glorious part for any actor, so I decided to get creative and just cast an underrated actor who I think deserves to be a lot more well known. Neil Jackson is the gymnastics coach on that show Make it or Break it, but I saw him first as the main villain on the short-lived (but awesome) Blade series. He's maybe a little too handsome for the role of Lestrade, but Watson never actually calls him ugly, just "rat-faced." And as handsome as he is, I think Neil Jackson has a look about him that would make him perfectly suited for the dismissive, and possibly uptight and unlikable inspector from Scotland Yard. Anyway, this is my movie and I want to work with Neil Jackson. When you make your Sherlock Holmes movie, you can cast anybody you want.

Professor Moriarty
Ralph Fiennes

This was a tough one to cast, if only because I kept thinking of so many actors who'd be amazing in the role. My first instinct was to go with Patrick Stewart, who would be awesome, of course, but I wanted to cast the role a little younger, even though he'd actually be perfect as the aged criminal mastermind. However, when it comes to playing villains, nobody is better than Ralph Fiennes. I don't even need to say why he would be so good as the ruthless, charming, and brilliant Napoleon of crime, Professor Moriarty.

Irene Adler
Michelle Williams

First of all, Irene Adler isn't going to be in my movie, since she wasn't really a central character, nor did she ever even appear in more than one story. However, she's often used because she is a great character and because Hollywood insists on having at least one strong female lead. I was tempted to just go with Rachel McAdams, since she was so wonderful in the recent Sherlock Holmes film. But I figured I'd be different, so I cast Michelle Williams, if only because I think she's cute and because I liked her a lot in Shutter Island. But I'll admit I'm not 100% sold on this casting choice, since she's probably way too young to play opposite Eccleston.