Robert Downey, Jr. Signs for "Sherlock Holmes"

Ooh, here’s a cool casting coup. Variety is reporting that Robert Downey, Jr. is set to start in “Sherlock Holmes,” a drama Guy Ritchie will direct for Warner Bros.

Downey committed to the pic, which begins shooting in October, after Ritchie turned in a polish of the latest version of the script, written by Anthony Peckham.

But get this, with Downey aboard, the film will start shooting before a comedy at Columbia Pictures, with Sacha Baron Cohen playing Holmes and Will Ferrell playing his crime-fighting partner, Dr. Watson.

Columbia is fast tracking its project, which is being written by Etan Cohen (Tropic Thunder) and produced by Judd Apatow and Jimmy Miller. 

Well, they certainly sound like different movies – that’s for sure! I’m sure Warner Bros.’ version will be more drama and action, given Downey’s success in Iron Man. I’d definitely pick Downey over Cohen any day of the week.

Image: Iron Man, Paramount Pictures, 2008