Brad Pitt Not Doing ‘Sherlock Holmes’

This Christmas, Guy Ritchie is said to make film history again, by bringing back to life legendary detective Sherlock Holmes in a film with the same name. Starring household names like Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as the two leading characters, one star that “Sherlock” won’t be getting is Brad Pitt, as a studio rep says for Us Magazine.

Over the weekend, reports in the British media had it that director Ritchie was in troubled waters with the movie studio, as execs had seen the final cut of the film and did not like it one bit. Desperate and clutching at straws, he then thought of including in the film Holmes’ nemesis, Moriarty, and asked Brad Pitt to do it, with whom he had maintained some sort of contact ever since they worked together on “Snatch.” The actor accepted and was preparing to travel to London for reshoots, it was further claimed.

It turns out that all reports of this type were completely off-base, a statement from the movie studio reads. Moreover, the film is complete and the inclusion of an extra character is redundant and rather absurd at this point, it is further pointed out. Brad Pitt has not been contacted for the part of Moriarty because studio executives are happy with the existent cast and the wonderful work they’ve put in so far. “Sherlock Holmes” is still on for Christmas Day release and nothing has changed about it.

“The report in today’s London Mirror is completely inaccurate. Brad Pitt is not joining the cast of Sherlock Holmes and we’re extremely pleased with the production of the film. As planned, it will be released on Christmas Day, 2009. In order to complete the movie, we’ve scheduled a few days on set to shoot a couple of additional scenes, obtain pick-up shots, and perfect some of the visual effects elements, all of which is standard filmmaking practice.” the official statement from the movie studio reads.

Even if word of reshoots always has a bad tinge to it, this time, fans are happy they’re not to be with Brad Pitt. Presumably, Robert Downey Jr. can make a movie successful all by himself, and adding Pitt at such a later stage would have ruined the story and bespoke desperation, they say on dedicated forums.