News

Australia-China co-pro 'Guardians of the Tomb' (formerly 'Nest') stars Chinese mega-star Li Bingbing..

The official co-production treaty between China and Australia entered into force in 2008. Since then, despite growing interest in working with the burgeoning film power, only a handful of official co-productions have been made. They include The Dragon Pearl, 33 Postcards.and The Children of the Silk Road (made under a Mou prior to the signing of the treaty)..

However in the past 18 months, things have started to shift. The biggest co-pro to date, Kimble Rendall.s Guardians of the Tomb (formerly Nest), shot on the Gold Coast early last year, and gangster film Dog Fight shot in Victoria last September. Both films are now in post..

Two other projects, Pauline Chan.s My Extraordinary Wedding and Nadia Tass and David Parker.s Tying the Knot,.have been issued provisional approval but are yet to enter production.

Rob Leane Apr 12, 2017

Jude Law will play the young(er) Albus Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them 2...

Accio major casting news! It's been announced on J.K. Rowling's official Pottermore website that Jude Law has been cast as Albus Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them 2.

He'll be stepping into the role originated by Richard Harris and inhabited for years by Michael Gambon, albeit at a much earlier point in the timeline.

Mr Law, of course, is known for the Sherlock Holmes films, The Talented Mr Ripley, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Spy, The Young Pope, Side Effects, The Aviator, Alfie, A.I. and a bunch of other stuff.

Fantastic Beasts 2, one assumes, will begin to explore the complicated relationship between Law's Dumbledore and Johnny Depp's dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. They were once firm friends, and later on they were sworn enemies.

Could this...

Mark Harrison Aug 5, 2016

Hello! From Armageddon to Harry Potter, we salute the screen work of Mr Jason Isaacs...

This feature contains spoilers for Event Horizon and the Harry Potter films. This spoiler warning contains spoilers for the list.

Hello to Jason Isaacs! Through roles in an impressive array of movies, from indies to massive blockbusters on both sides of the pond, he's become one of our favourite character actors. We've found that no matter how the film turns out, you can guarantee that if he's in it, his performance is going to be one of the highlights.

Off-screen, Isaacs has a whole other profile of popularity. Out of several prominent celebrity fans of Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo's film review show on BBC Radio 5 Live, he's the patron saint of their “church of Wittertainment”, and “hello to Jason Isaacs” is the show's first, most popular catchphrase.

Some might argue...

Alicia Vikander/Ex Machina

Ex Machina was the big winner at the Moët British Independent Film Awards this evening. The film won four awards: Best British Independent Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay for Alex Garland and Outstanding Achievement in Craft for its Visual Effects, by Andrew Whitehurst.

The film will be screened in 74 cinemas across the country on Sunday 13 December as part of a landmark Bifa screening series supported by the BFI. Tickets can be booked at discover.bifa.film

Performance awards were spread across the board: Saoirse Ronan picked up Best Actress for Brooklyn and Tom Hardy won Best Actor for his dual role as Ronnie and Reggie Kray in Legend.

Saoirse Ronan

Olivia Colman won her third Bifa for her Best Supporting Actress performance in The Lobster. Brendan Gleeson made it two years in a row, winning Best Supporting Actor for Suffragette this year after taking away...

Fans don’t want to see it. Studios try to avoid it. But sometimes a recast in the midst of a movie franchise is inevitable.

Whether it be a scheduling conflict, salary negotiations gone wrong, or even an unexpected death – we’re taking a look at six times a movie recast was too obvious to ignore.

1. James “Rhodey” Rhodes – The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Terrence Howard played James “Rhodey” Rhodes in 2008’s Iron Man. But a salary conflict stopped Terrence from returning for the sequel. Re-casting Don Cheadle as Rhodey for Iron Man 2 was a bit obvious, so Marvel made a light of it in the 2010 sequel. Cheadle’s first line: “Look, it’s me. I'm here. Deal with it. Let's move on.”

2. The Incredible Hulk – The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Edward Norton played The Incredible Hulk in the 2008 standalone film. But when it came time for The Avengers, Marvel decided the team would assemble sans Norton. [link...

The stars turned out in force last night for the 15th Moët British Independent Film Awards at Old Billingsgate in London.

Last night's glittering event was a who's who of British cinema and was hosted by actor James Nesbitt fresh off the set of The Hobbit.

Attending the star-studded event was Jude Law who received the Variety Award, and acting legend Michael Gambon who won the coveted Richard Harris Award.

Other guests included Terence Stamp, Billy Connolly, Tom Hiddleston, Terry Gilliam, Peter Capaldi, Olivia Coleman, Idris Elba, John Hurt, Tom Felton, Andrea Riseborough, Elle Fanning, Ruth Wilson, Felicity Jones, Holliday Grainger, Edith Bowman and Noomi Rapace.

Past nominees, patrons and supporters of Bifa celebrated the 15th birthday of the awards by posing for a group picture (see above) taken by official photographer Idil Sukan.

Berberian Sound Studio triumphed at the British Independent Film Awards, picking up four trophies for Best Director,...

The British Independent Film Awards celebrated its fifteenth year tonight, with James Nesbitt returning to host, and Tom Hiddleston (The Avengers) making up part of the jury.

The awards continue to celebrate the finest films in the British independent industry, and after another year of brilliant productions from our shores, it can’t have been easy to choose between them.

But of course, decisions must be made, and the results are now in.

Coming away with the top prize of the night is Rufus Norris’ Broken, starring Cillian Murphy, Tim Roth, and Rory Kinnear, winning the Best British Independent Film Award, as well as the Best Supporting Actor Award for Kinnear.

Alice Lowe, Steve Oram, and Amy Jump’s writing earned them the Best Screenplay Award for Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers, following months of critical acclaim since its debut at Cannes back in May. The film will be getting its...

The nominations for the 15th annual Moët British Independent Film Awards have been unveiled in London.

They were announced by patron Adrian Lester (above), the Birmingham-born actor whose credits include The Day After Tomorrow and TV series Being Human, Bonekickers, Merlin and Hustle.

In a statement, joint directors of the awards Johanna von Fischer & Tessa Collinson said: "In this our 15th year, we are delighted to welcome back six-time former host James Nesbitt.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank our dedicated Pre-Selection Committee who watched over 200 films in order to produce the 2012 nominations, which once again reflect the diverse range of British film talent, and also welcome this year's appointed independent jury who will now spend the next month considering the nominated films."

The highest number of nominations this year goes to Broken with 9 nominations including Best Film, Best Director and Best Debut Director for Rufus Norris,...

Rufus Norris's drama about an 11-year-old diabetic leads the pack in a year otherwise devoted to honouring older stars

Broken, the feature-film debut of award-winning theatre and opera director Rufus Norris, has emerged as the surprise frontrunner at this year's Bifas, the British independent film awards, with nine nominations. This year's judges have also doffed their caps to the elder generation of British acting talent, with Judi Dench, Vanessa Redgrave, Maggie Smith and Terence Stamp among the notable nominees.

A coming-of-age drama, adapted from Daniel Clay's 2008 novel, about a young girl living in a British suburb, which premiered to mixed reviews at the Cannes film festival in May but went on to win the Golden Eye award for best international film at the Zurich film festival, Broken stars Eloise Laurence as 11-year-old diabetic Skunk, along with Tim Roth, Cillian Murphy and Roy Kinnear. Critics have praised its acting...

Celebrating its fifteenth year, The Moët British Independent Film Awards have now been announced, honouring some of the finest independent films released in Britain this year.

This year’s awards will be held on 9th December, and you can be sure we’ll be bringing you the results on the night as they come in. It’s been another excellent year for British cinema, and it’s always nice to see films like these get the recognition they deserve.

Last year, Paddy Considine’s powerful directorial debut, Tyrannosaur, swept the top awards, taking Best Film, Best Directorial Debut, and Best Actress; Lynne Ramsay took home the Best Director award for We Need to Talk About Kevin; and Michael Fassbender’s remarkable performance in Steve McQueen’s Shame was rightfully honoured with Best Actor (whereas the film was sadly absent from the Oscars at the start of the year).

James Nesbitt...

"The only reason to put yourself through Guy Ritchie's overblown, inelegant Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows is to see Jared Harris, who plays Professor Moriarty, in a chilling low key," argues New York's David Edelstein. "As Holmes's nemesis, Harris suggests a short, unprepossessing brainiac who was mercilessly taunted in prep school, with the result that he is now a bitter nihilist, quietly determined both to trigger a world war and supply the weaponry. I wonder if Harris, who grew up knowing he'd never cut as dashing a figure as his leading-man father, Richard, dipped into his private well of bitterness for his scenes opposite Robert Downey Jr, whose Holmes is in the capering, somewhat fruity mode of… Richard Harris. In any case, Downey is only good when face-to-face with Harris: grounded, alert, angry instead of peevish. Opposite Jude Law's Watson, he flaps his arms and carries on...

Sitting down to talk to Jared Harris about his work in the new film "Sherlock Holmes - A Game Of Shadows," I was excited not just because he's playing Professor Moriarty in the sequel to Guy Ritchie's first big hit adventure with the pulp detective, but also because of the full body of work that Harris has been putting together. It must be hard as an actor when your father is not just a well-known person, but an undeniable legend.  There's no other way to describe Richard Harris, though, and a career like his casts a shadow over the entire English...

For years, actor Jared Harris appeared in great indie movies such as "Igby Goes Down" and "Happiness." In the last couple of years, however, he's been introduced to mainstream audiences thanks to his role as Lane Pryce in "Mad Men," and his star is about to get a whole lot bigger.

In "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," opening Dec. 16, Harris takes on the role of nefarious Professor James Moriarty opposite Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. Next year, the genial 50-year-old Brit will portray Ulysses S. Grant in the highly-anticipated film "Lincoln."

Harris chatted with The Huffington Post about working with Downey Jr. and Law, joining the cast of "Mad Men" and his father, actor Richard Harris, who passed away in 2002.

What is it like to be on "Mad Men"?

Originally, the part was a one-off episode and maybe there would be others but they weren't sure. It was that kind of thing.

For years, actor Jared Harris appeared in great indie movies such as "Igby Goes Down" and "Happiness." In the last couple of years, however, he's been introduced to mainstream audiences thanks to his role as Lane Pryce in "Mad Men," and his star is about to get a whole lot bigger.

In "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," opening Dec. 16, Harris takes on the role of nefarious Professor James Moriarty opposite Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. Next year, the genial 50-year-old Brit will portray Ulysses S. Grant in the highly-anticipated film "Lincoln."

Harris chatted with The Huffington Post about working with Downey Jr. and Law, joining the cast of "Mad Men" and his father, actor Richard Harris, who passed away in 2002.

What is it like to be on "Mad Men"?

Originally, the part was a one-off episode and maybe there would be others but they weren't sure. It was that kind of thing.

Jared Harris is the son of the late Richard Harris (Harry Potter), so the acting blood lines are there.  He's been a recurring character on AMC hit series Mad Men, and plays Sherlock Holmes villain Professor Moriarty in A Game of Shadows coming out December 16 next.  

Variety reports today, Steven Spielberg has cast Harris as Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant in his star studded biopic Lincoln.  Harris joins noteworthy performers Daniel Day-Lewis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tommy Lee Jones in this epic film adaptation of the biography "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Lincoln, Spielberg's upcoming look at one of America's most beloved presidents, is proving to be surprisingly Brit-heavy. After casting Daniel Day-Lewis in the lead as Lincoln, now another top-tier role has gone to an actor from across the pond. Variety is reporting that Jared Harris, the son of the late and legendary Richard Harris, will play Ulysses S. Grant. If you're a Mad Men fan, you'll recognize Harris as Lane Pryce, and he's also put in appearances on Fringe. Next month he'll be squaring off against Robert Downey Jr. as the villainous Professor Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows. He joins a star-heavy Lincoln cast that already includes Day-Lewis, Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader, Jackie Earle Haley, and Tim Blake Nelson. Grant became one of the most successful of the Union's military commanders, and later served as the 18th...

"Roland Emmerich's Anonymous is a well-polished cowpat that will confuse and bore those who know nothing about Shakespeare and incense those who know almost anything," declares David Edelstein in New York. The film begins with Derek Jacobi announcing on a contemporary Broadway stage that the plays we attribute to Shakespeare are, in fact, the work of "Edward de Vere, seventeenth Earl of Oxford, who could not, by virtue of his rank, have anything to do with the theater and so handed over his masterworks — many of which were not performed until well after his death — to a boobish actor named Will Shakespeare, who incidentally was the one who stabbed Christopher Marlowe in the eye. Less improbably, De Vere screwed Queen Elizabeth, as well as (accidentally) his own mum…. Apart from its ineptitude, Anonymous is peculiarly beside the point. Shakespeare's succession of masterpieces, near masterpieces, and thrilling misses is a...

Jared Harris is one of those actors you might not instantly recognise by name, but you’ll definitely know him by on sight. The son of acting legend Richard Harris, he has appeared in tons of movies and TV shows over the years, including Fringe, Mad Men, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, he even played Winona Ryder’s boss Mac McGrath in the Adam Sandler comedy Mr. Deeds!

His latest movie, which is released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 17th, is John Carpenter’s The Ward, where he plays the Dr. Stringer, the head of the eponymous ward… He’ll also next be seen as Professor Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows – which, if you ask me, is a case of perfect casting! We recently got a chance to talk to Harris to discuss The Ward, Sherlock Holmes 2 and much more.

You...

In the vein of similar takes on Back to the Future, Gremlins and Star Wars, here are my reasons for naming 1993 sensation Jurassic Park as the best movie of all time. Many of them aren’t strictly “reasons” – just cool, funny or nostalgic things that fans will hopefully get a kick out of:

1. “Clever girl.”

An iconic scene…

Game warden Robert Muldoon (Bob Peck) has some of the film’s finest moments (“they remember”; “they should all be destroyed!”; “I told you how many times we needed locking mechanisms on the vehicle doors!?”; and “quiet all of you: they’re approaching the tyrannosaur paddock!”), but his best remembered line – one of the most quoted from the movie – is the above gem, delivered just prior to his grisly demise.

2. “I bring a scientist, you bring a rockstar.”

Jeff Goldblum: Movie Scientist!

Remember that film starring Jeff Goldblum that you like?...

When "Harry Potter" fans head to the theater this weekend to check out "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2," they'll no doubt be worrying about minor details like, you know, Voldemort trying to kill Harry, the Death Eaters taking over the wizarding world and basically the end of all things.

But some movie buffs will be focused on another amazing aspect of the film: all those incredible British thespians (and a couple Irishmen and Scots).

All that wand waving is cool and everything, but for us, the real magic behind the success of "Harry Potter" has been the franchise's ability to get just about every big-name British actor in the universe to take a major role in the film. Sure, there are a couple of exceptions -- Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart were probably too busy fighting in "X-Men" to find the time -- but even so, "Harry...

Filed under: Movie Photos, Hot Topic, Holiday Movies

At long last, Moriarty revealed! We're just now seeing Sherlock Holmes' nefarious foe, as embodied by Jared Harris, in new photos from the upcoming 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.'

Harris (son of the late Richard Harris), has shown his flair for silky villainry before, but we're really looking forward to see him as the mysterious Moriarty. "He's one of the greatest villains in literary history," director Guy Ritchie says. "It seemed like he should play a bigger part this time around."

Hit the jump to see Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and newcomer Noomi Rapace (of the Swedish 'Girl With the Dragon Tattoo' films) in more photos from the upcoming sequel, which opens Dec. 16.

Continue Reading...

Filed under: Movie Photos, Hot Topic, Holiday Movies

At long last, Moriarty, revealed! We're just now seeing Sherlock Holmes' nefarious foe, as embodied by Jared Harris, in new photos from the upcoming 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.'

Harris (son of the late Richard Harris), has shown his flair for silky villainry before but we're really looking forward to see him as the legendarily nefarious Moriarty.

Hit the jump to see Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and newcomer Noomi Rapace (of the Swedish 'Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' films) in more photos from the upcoming sequel, which opens December 16.

Continue Reading...

Directed by Guy Richie, the first posters for “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” have been released. The highly anticipated sequel which sees the return of Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as Watson, is due out on December 16. The trailer is expected to be released later this week. Richie who also directed the first “Sherlock Homes” in 2009, has brought the famous investigation team back to the big screen where the pair try to outwit and bring down heir fiercest adversary, Professor Moriarty. Noomi Rapace who is best known for her portrayal of Lisbeth Salander in the film adaption of the "Millennium series", plays the character of Sim in the upcoming production. ____________ Read more: Richard Harris' son will play 'Sherlock Holmes 2' villan Daniel Day-Lewis to star in Sherlock Holmes 2? Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law begin filming ‘Sherlock Holmes 2’ ____________ ...

Cinema's Architects Of The Uncanny, London

Artist Pablo Bronstein has taken over the Ica and temporarily remodelled it to disorienting effect, but you'll find no refuge in the cinema. Instead, you'll get a selection of great artists who've achieved similarly surreal architectural effects on celluloid. The weirdest ones seem to last the longest. Buñuel mischievously swapped dining rooms and lavatories for The Phantom Of Liberty's infamous dinner party, and prevented guests from leaving another one in The Exterminating Angel. There are spooky houses exerting sinister influences in the likes of Dario Argento's Inferno, Rivette's Celine And Julie Go Boating and Orson Welles-led oddity Malpertuis. In Repulsion, all Roman Polanski needed was a London apartment and Catherine Deneuve.

Ica Cinema, SE1, Wed to 30 Jun

Ray Davies, London

You can hear the Kinks on screen in everything from Hot Fuzz to Juno, but how many have seen Ray Davies's acting?...

The new year is well underway and already people are shaking off the holiday cheer, breaking New Year's resolutions, and getting back into the normal swing of things. So with our CinemaSpy eyes focused on the coming twelve months, which movies will ultimately thrill and which ones will spill?

Each year is full of exciting possibilities and 2011 is no exception, with several pending blockbuster contenders set to compete for your dollars. The following 30 films are on our radar and probably worthy of your attention, too.

Here's what's heading our way in order of release...

Unknown (Feb. 18)

Liam Neeson plays a doctor who, after waking from a car accident, finds that another man has assumed his identity. He doesn't think this is a good thing.

I Am Number Four (Feb. 18)

Teen aliens on the run. We're hopeful this Disney film is better than it sounds. Produced by Steven Spielberg and Michael Bay.

Coming Soon has acquired several new pics from 'Sherlock Holmes 2', featuring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Guy Ritchie on the London sets. You can check out one of the images below and head over to the above link — or click on the photo below — for the rest.

While details of the story remain under wraps, it's been revealed that the core of the story will focus on Holmes attempting to outwit his mortal enemy, Professor Moriarty, played by Jared Harris, the son of the late, great Richard Harris and a member of the Mad Men cast.

We're especially looking forward to watching Stephen Fry play opposite Downey as Holmes' elder brother, Mycroft Holmes, particularly given that the character, as written in the novels, possesses deductive powers exceeding even those of Sherlock—though he lacks the ambition and energy to conclude detective cases.

Scheduled for a release...

The recent months have been imbued with speculation surrounding who will play the character of Professor James Moriarty (Sherlock Holmes’ arch-enemy) in the second installment of the Holmes franchise. However, Latino Review has exclusively reported that none other than British actor Jared Harris has managed to bag the role.

Harris, whose film credits include Paramount’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, is probably best known for playing major roles in the television series Mad Men (AMC), as Lane Pryce and Fringe (Fox), as David Robert Jones – that, as well as being the son of Irish actor Richard Harris.

His casting seems a perfect inclusion and he now joins a cast including Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law (both reprising their roles of Holmes and Watson from Guy Ritchie’s previous installment), as well as Stephen Fry, who was recently confirmed to play Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock’s older brother in the picture,...

Jared Harris, the son of the late great Richard Harris, will play the role of Moriarty in Guy Richie's "Sherlock Holmes 2". Although there were some rumors that the role would be nabbed by Colin Farrell or Daniel Day Lewis Latino Review scooped the exclusive news that Harris got the gig. Stephen Fry has also been cast as Holmes' brother, Mycroft and "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" star Noomi Rapace will play the love interest. Harris has made a real impact in his recent role in the hugely popular TV show "Mad Men"....

British Mad Men star beats Brad Pitt and Daniel Day-Lewis to the role of detective's criminal bete noire

Another day, another Brit cast in Guy Ritchie's forthcoming sequel to Sherlock Holmes – last year's big screen, big budget reimagining of the quintessentially English detective series.

Yesterday, we reported that Stephen Fry was set to play Mycroft, Holmes's even brainier elder brother. Today, it seems that the plum role of villain Professor James Moriarty is set to go to Jared Harris, best known for playing strait-laced Brit Lane Pryce on the sublime Us TV show Mad Men.

Brad Pitt, Daniel Day-Lewis, Colin Firth and Russell Crowe had all been mentioned in connection with the role but Latino Review reports that Harris, son of the late Richard Harris, is the final choice. The as-yet-untitled Sherlock Holmes 2 will drop in 2011, with Ritchie returning as director and Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law...

Mad Men star Jared Harris has signed on to play villainous Professor Moriarty in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes 2 The 49-year-old British actor, who is best known for the role of Lance Pryce in Mad Men, will portray the "Napoleon of Crime" opposite Robert Downey Jr's Holmes. The son of the acclaimed actor Richard Harris, Jared has also appeared as a recurring character on Fringe and in big screen fare such as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Igby Goes Down. Jude Law - who played Dr Watson - will return for the Sherlock Holmes sequel, joined by Noomi Rapace as the unknown female lead and Stephen Fry as Sherlock's elder brother, Mycroft Holmes.

Jared Harris, son of the late actor Richard Harris, might be boosting his profile as British ad man Lane Pryce on the acclaimed drama “Mad Men” but his star will rocket as the villainous Moriarty in “Sherlock Holmes 2.” According to “Deadline,” Harris recently joined fellow Brit Stephen Fry as the newest members to join director Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes 2.” Fry was cast as Holmes’ father. “Mad Men” star Harris took on the plum role of Professor Moriarty, Holmes’ archrival.

Earlier in the week, it was confirmed that Stephen Fry was to play Mycroft in Sherlock Holmes 2. And now we know who’s playing Moriarty, too…

It was inevitable, given how heavily he was teased throughout Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movie, that Moriarty would be taking a more prominent role in the soon-to-shoot sequel. But the original speculation that Brad Pitt was being lined up for the role has proved very wide of the mark.

Instead, joining the cast that already includes Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law and Stephen Fry will be Jared Harris. He's the son of the late Richard Harris, and will be taking on the role of Moriarty in the new film, although how extensive the part is remains to be seen. Right now, you can see Jared Harris plying his trade in Mad Men, where he plays Lane Pryce.

The Daily Mail, meanwhile, is...

The big piece of casting on Sherlock Holmes 2 has finally been settled. The role of Moriarty, a criminal mastermind and Holmes arch-enemy, had long been rumored as a potential part for Brad Pitt or Daniel Day-Lewis, but ultimately a different choice was made. Jared Harris, currently seen on AMC's Mad Men, has been cast in the plum part. The son of Richard Harris, Jared has worked consistently in supporting roles for a number of years now, including The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Lady in the Water, and Mr. Deeds. While perhaps he isn't the A-list name that some people wanted, I think he'll fit the role nicely. Harris joins a growing cast that now includes Stephen Fry as Holmes' brother Mycroft Holmes and Noomi Rapace, the Swedish star of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, signed on as the female lead. And, of course, Robert Downey Jr. and...

Since before Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes even came out, rumors about who might play the longtime arch nemesis to Holmes, Moriarty, in Sherlock Holmes 2 have been swirling.

The most popular name associated with the role was that of Brad Pitt, who was at one time reported to have joined the film, though the validity of these reports were disputed and denied on numerous occasions. Now comes confirmation that Pitt will not be playing Moriarty, and that Ritchie has found the actor he does want for the role. Mad Men star and son of the legendary Richard Harris, Jared Harris, has been chosen to become the villain and constant opposition of the famed detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.).

Harris has been around for quite a while, building an impressive resume. The actor has delivered performances in titles like Happiness, Igby Goes Down, Mr. Deeds, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Ocean's Twelve,...

Over the weekend we told you that Stephen Fry was taking the role of Holmes’ brother, Mycroft Holmes. Today, LatinoReview has some exclusive casting news on Sherlock Holmes 2.

According to solid sources, it looks like Professor Moriarty will be played by actor Jared Harris! Jared Harris, is the son of actor Richard Harris and currently starring as Lane Pryce on AMC’s Mad Men.

Harris has been in such films as M. Night Shyamalan’s Lady In The Water, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, & Resident Evil: Apocalypse and on tv in FX’s “The Riches” and Fox’s ”Fringe.”

It was previously reported that Warner Bros. Pictures had been looking at Daniel Day Lewis to play the role of Moriarty. Recently it was announced that the Swedish star of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Noomi Rapace had signed on as the female lead. Harris, Fry and Rapace...

Have you ever hear a piece of casting news that you agree with so wholeheartedly that your only reaction is "Yes! That!"? Just me? Well either way, it seems to be happening a lot around here lately. First there was the inspired casting of James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender in X-Men: First Class, then came the news that Sasha Baron Cohen would take on the role of Freddie Mercury in an upcoming biopic, now it would seem that Guy Ritchie is closing in on his Moriarty for the highly anticipated Sherlock Holmes sequel...and his choice may surprise you.

The actor taking on the role of arch-nemesis to England's greatest fictional detective has been a notable question mark since the success of the first film. In it, we caught just a glimpse of Moriarty's hand and a brief silhouette but as the franchise continues, his presence will naturally loom larger...

Or that’s the word from Latino Review, who quotes “solid” sources as saying that “Mad Men” actor Jared Harris has landed the role of Sherlock Holmes arch-nemesis Moriarty in Guy Ritchie’s upcoming “Sherlock Holmes 2″. Besides “Mad Men”, English bloke Jared Harris has been in “Fringe” and is scheduled to appear in John Carpenter’s “The Ward” later this year. He’s also the son of Richard Harris. Apparently Harris won the role after Brad Pitt and Daniel Day-Lewis, the two top choices for the role, both passed. Hey, you gotta take’em as you get’em, right? “Sherlock Holmes 2″ will return Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as his Dr. Watson. Harris joins the sequel along with Noomi Rapace as the love interest and Stephen Fry as Holmes’ brother Mycroft. One of my favorite “Star Trek” episodes, featuring a Holodeck Moriarty (played by that...

It looks like Guy Ritchie has found his Moriarty, and it's not the previously rumored Brad Pitt or Daniel Day Lewis. According to our friends at Latino Review, Jared Harris has been cast in the role of the main villain Professor Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes 2.

I honestly didn't expect this sort of casting at all, but I love it! For those of you who don't know who Jared Harris is, he is the son of actor Richard Harris, and currently stars on the hit AMC TV series Mad Men. I thought for sure they would go for a more popular well known actor, but I couldn't be happier they went with Harris.

This is seriously inspired casting, Harris has the look of an evil mastermind hell bent on creating chaos and causing problems.

Harris will be joining Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, and the recently cast Stephen Fry.

Here...

Update: Universal has bought screen rights to the Richard Aleas crime novel Little Girl Lost and has attached I'm With Cancer helmer Jonathan Levine to direct. Michael Bacall is writing the script. An Nyu dropout-turned private eye learns that the high school girlfriend he thought went to medical school instead became a stripper, and was murdered... The website Latino Review got the drop on the festering question of who would play arch-nemesis Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes 2. It will be Jared Harris, the son of Richard Harris and a Mad Men cast member. Rumors were the studio was looking to star cast for the role, with Daniel Day-Lewis and Colin Firth mentioned. Jude Law reprises, while Noomi Rapace and Stephen Fry are in the cast, the latter playing Holmes' older brother... Paul Haggis is reportedly going to write the script for The Equalizer, the CBS drama that's had Russell Crowe attached.

El Mayimbe here... So what's up with Sherlock Holmes 2? It was just announced that actor Stephen Fry Fry will join the returning Robert Downey Jr. (Holmes) and Jude Law (Watson). Fry will play the role of Mycroft Holmes in the sequel. But what about Sherlock Holmes' arch-villain Professor Moriarty?It's pretty certain that Professor Moriarty will play a larger part in the Sherlock Holmes 2 after his brief appearance in the first movie, essentially a shadowy figure in a carriage with a voice that many people tried to figure out who it belonged to. For a while, it was rumored Brad Pitt would play the role of Professor Moriarty, and even Robert Downey Jr tried to get Brad to do it, but it didn't pan out.  Then supposedly Guy Ritchie wanted to Daniel Day Lewis for the role. Well, guess what? That didn't pan out either because we...

Brad Pitt and Daniel Day Lewis have both been unofficially linked to embody the mysterious arch-villain; but one news agency reports the role has gone to Mad Men actor Harris. Just the other day, Stephen Fry revealed to BBC that he had recently landed the role of Mycroft Holmes; older brother to the eccentric Sherlock. Guy Ritchie is returning to direct the Sherlock Holmes sequel with Robert Downey Jr. again portraying the title character and Jude Law as Dr. Watson. The biggest question on Holmes fans minds is who would eventually be cast as the ultimate arch-nemesis; Professor Moriarty. LatinoReview.com reports that an undisclosed source has recently revealed to them Ritchie's casting choice: Jared Harris. Son of the late, great Richard Harris, Jared has recently stared in the...

Jared Harris has signed on to play Professor Moriarty in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes 2 , says a scoop from Latino Review . Harris is best known for his ongoing appearance on AMC's "Mad Men," as Lane Pryce. The son of the acclaimed actor Richard Harris, Jared Harris has also appeared as a recurring character on Fox's "Fringe" and on the big screen in films like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Igby Goes Down . Both Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law will return for the Sherlock Holmes sequel, joined by Noomi Rapace as the unknown female lead and Stephen Fry as Sherlock's brother, Mycroft Holmes. A number of names have been rumored for the part of Moriarty, most notably Brad Pitt. The character, a criminal mastermind and arch-nemesis of Holmes,...

Here are the gongs they didn't give out on the night

In France, the Césars honour the best of French cinema; in Spain, the Goyas do so for their Spanish counterpart; and in Germany, the Lolas do likewise for German films. In the UK, we do things differently: the Baftas celebrate achievements in film regardless of national origin, making them uncomfortably similar to, and highly predictive of, the Oscars.

Which is all very well, unless you are British film-maker or actor who would, quite frankly, enjoy your moment in the spotlight once in while. Hence last night's British independent film awards, which have emerged over their 12 years of existence as the premier event celebrating British film.

The organisers of the Bifas would probably acknowledge that their awards are only as good as the British movies produced in any given year. Ever so slightly embarrassing, in other words, when a picture...