Warner Bros. never misses a beat, do they? With Sherlock Holmes' release date still three months away, WB has already started looking ahead to a sequel to the Guy Ritchie helmed mystery/actioner. Variety is reporting that the studio has already hired Kieren and Michele Mulroney to script the sequel. WB is hoping Sherlock gains enough steam to become a potential cash cow franchise, and this is a pre-emptive step in that direction, assuring that if the film is a success there won't need to be a long production time in between films. The Mulroneys are probably best known for writing the Justice League animated series which lasted for three seasons.
There are rumors floating around that Brad Pitt is in negotiations to play Holmes' nemesis, Moriarty, in the sequel. Some even go so far as to say that he's already shot some of the scenes, but this is confirmed by nobody at this stage.
This is a smart move, because I think we can all reasonably expect that Sherlock Holmes will at least be something of a hit when it finally comes out. I don't think it's going to be a runaway success, however, just based on Guy Ritchie's box office track record here in the States. Globally, however, Ritchie fares pretty well and the combination of he, Downey, and Law should mean big bucks globally and a surefire start to a successful franchise.
