Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly have raced cars and lived together as stepbrothers onscreen, and now the actors will join forces to solve mysteries. The duo will put a comedic spin on Irish-Scots writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories of Sherlock Holmes in Sony Pictures’ upcoming Holmes & Watson, reports Deadline.
The actors have reportedly been wanting to team up again for years after co-starring in 2006’s Talladega Nights and 2008’s Step Brothers, and now they have found the perfect opportunity. Directed by Etan Cohen, Holmes & Watson is inspired by Conan Doyle’s beloved tales but will present a more comic version of the iconic crime-solving duo. Ferrell will put on Sherlock Holmes’ famous detective cap, while Reilly will take on the role of his sidekick, Dr. John Watson.
Over the years, Sherlock Holmes has been adapted numerous times, from early 1900s stage and radio plays to films and TV series, with Holmes having been portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert Downey Jr., Charlton Heston, and more. Given that the stories have usually been dramatized, Holmes & Watson should give the story a unique spin. In addition to reuniting a successful comedy duo, the film will bring Ferrell and Cohen back together — the two worked on the Cohen-helmed Get Hard.
Holmes & Watson has been in the works for some time now, with Ferrell previously attached to star alongside Sacha Baron Cohen, according to Deadline. While that evidently did not work out, Reilly emerged as a capable replacement. The comedy flick is produced by Mosaic and Gary Sanchez Productions, with Jonathan Kadin overseeing for Columbia, and Chris Henchy and Jessica Elbaum overseeing for Gary Sanchez.
A timeline for the film’s release has not been announced, but production is reportedly set to begin shortly following Thanksgiving.
