The director perhaps more famously known as Madonna's ex was in charge of the 2010 big-budget film version of the story of England's most famous detective and his doctor sidekick. Robert Downey, Jr., and Jude Law were Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson in the film, which made oodles of money despite some really harsh reviews. (A sequel is in the works.)
That was by no means the most original incarnation of the famous resident of 221B Baker Street, although the rough-and-tumble, lock-picking, street fighter performance that Downey turned in reminded me much more of the character that leaps off the pages of the four Holmes novels and 56 Holmes short stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle than did the likes of Basil Rathbone or Jeremy Brett (as amazing as the latter was).
But anyway, on to the latest announcement. The estate of Conan Doyle has given its consent for a new Sherlock Holmes novel to be written. This is big news in the realm of Holmesiana because the last novel written by Conan Doyle himself, The Valley of Fear, hit the newsstands and bookstore shelves in 1915.Since Conan Doyle famously "killed off" Sherlock Holmes (in "The Final Problem") and even more famously brought him back (in "The Empty House"), interest in new stories featuring the amazingly intelligent detective have appeared far and wide, in language after language. However, no book, short story, TV show, comic book, film, or any other medium has had imprimatur from those associated with the person who knew him best — Conan Doyle himself.
That has now changed. The approved author is Anthony Horowitz, perhaps most famous for writing a series of stories about Alex Rider, a teenage spy, and for the TV show Foyle's War. Tellingly, he has also written for TV's Agatha Christie Mysteries.
No further details on the new book have been released — other than the fact that the planned released date is in September 2011. We'll just have to wait to discover the title and the plot. Revenge of the Giant Rat of Sumatra, anyone?
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