The first Sherlock Holmes movie from Guy Ritchie featured the awesome Mark Strong as its villain, but the film itself served largely as an introduction to the evil Professor Moriarty, who was shown lurking in the shadows for most of the picture and was clearly being set up as the villain for the sequel. Well, now we know who to expect to pop out from under the shade of Moriarty’s top hat, as actor Jared Harris has been cast in the role! Harris doesn’t have a huge filmography, being featured in small roles in movies like Lost in Space and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and having reoccuring roles on television shows like Fringe and Mad Men, but I think he’s a terrific choice for the part. Even in his small roles, Harris has a talent for playing sinister, and his unusual appearence makes him the perfect candidate to play a villain. Between this casting announcement and the addition of Stephen Fry to the film as Sherlock’s brother Mycroft, I’m actually kind of excited for Sherlock Holmes 2.
On a related note, Den of Geek is reporting that a rumour is going around that Russell Brand might play a role in the sequel, but no one actually has any evidence of it beyond Brand visiting Ritchie’s home. I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one.