We reported recently that Noomi Rapace and Stephen Fry had been cast in Guy Ritchie‘s Sherlock Holmes 2.
Just yesterday in fact, I reported the part of Moriarty, Holmes’ devious nemesis, was a popular point of speculation. Playlist notes that A-listers like Daniel Day-Lewis , Gary Oldman, Sean Penn, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt were blogosphere favorites to play the part opposite Robert Downey Jr.
So today’s announcement from Latino Review declaring that character actor Jared Harris (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) will take on the role of criminal mastermind Moriarty, is surprising to say the least.
Harris has most recently been seen on Mad Men as the stern taskmaster, Lane Bryce, but the better comparison may be his role as the murderous philosophizing Traveller, Eamon Quinn on the FX series, The Riches.
With so many big names having been thrown around, Harris, while a talented actor, was on no one’s radar.
More surprises may be in store, as Playlist reported earlier today that British wildman and comedian Russell Brand has met with Ritchie about appearing in the Sherlock sequel.
With the film set to shoot this fall, expect more cast updates soon.
What are your thoughts on Jared Harris as Moriarty?