Ian McKellen has confirmed that he will be adding Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's world-famous detective to his list of iconic characters from literature, which also includes Gandalf, Magneto and Richard III. The 74-year-old actor will play the character of Sherlock Holmes in Bill Condon's upcoming film "A Slight Trick of the Mind."
According to EW.com, McKellen will play Holmes in his later years as a retired investigator in the upcoming film. This film was not adapted by Conan Doyle but rather from a 2006 novel by Mitch Cullin. The story begins with Sherlock retired in Sussex at age 93. The famous detective is haunted by a case that went unsolved half a century ago.
Meanwhile, his partner Dr. Watson is no longer with him and he must rely on his mental capabilities. Unfortunately, at the age of 93 those mental capabilities have significantly diminished due to the ravages of time. Sherlock will be seen struggling with old age and the lack of his long-time partner.
This film will mark the first time McKellen and Condon have worked together since the 1998 film "Gods and Monsters," which earned the actor a Best Actor Oscar nod for his performance as "Bride of Frankenstein" director James Whale. The film also won Condon the award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
In a funny coincidence, Condon spent months directing a film about the Wikileaks scandal called "The Fifth Estate." The star of that film, playing the role of Julian Assange is none other than the current younger version of Sherlock Holmes, Benedict Cumberbatch who has taken on the role of the famous detective in Steven Moffat's BBC One series "Sherlock."
Tell us what you think. Is McKellen the right choice for a Sherlock Holmes character in his later years? Is it perhaps too soon to bring about another Sherlock film given the popularity of Cumberbatch's character as well as the Robert Downey Jr. films? Comment and share your thoughts below.
