No love for the deerstalker? In the first image from Mr. Holmes (previously titled A Slight Trick of the Mind), Sir Ian McKellen takes on the iconic role of Sherlock Holmes, but seems to have switched over to a more hip fedora in place of the detective’s iconic headwear.
Seeing as the shot is a promotional image and not a shot taken from the film, there’s not much more to comment on than that aforementioned detail, though it is shocking how good McKellen looks considering he’s meant to be playing a 93-year-old iteration of Holmes.
Directed by Bill Condon (The Fifth Estate), Mr. Holmes takes place in 1947, by which time a retired Holmes is living with his housekeeper and her son, who also aspires to be a sleuth. One case from fifty years prior continues to haunt and baffle Holmes, and he eventually sets out to solve it, though he’s forced to do without the help of his dear friend Dr. Watson and with declining mental abilities.
The last time Condon and McKellen teamed up, for Gods and Monsters, Condon was nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and McKellen also received a nod for best Actor, so we have cause to be excited for Mr. Holmes. The film is currently in post-production and is expected to be released at some point in 2015.
Sherlock Holmes is an iconic figure in pop culture, but he’s perhaps never been more ubiquitous than he is today. And thanks to the wildly popular BBC series Sherlock (in which Benedict Cumberbatch plays the master sleuth), the successful CBS series Elementary (in which Jonny Lee Miller takes on the part) and of course Warner Bros.’ Sherlock Holmes franchise (in which Robert Downey Jr. has portrayed the character twice), he has gained favor as a brash and brilliant heart-throb. With that in mind, watching McKellen play a significantly aged version of the Baker Street detective in Mr. Holmes should be an absolute pleasure.
Over 70 actors have previously played Sherlock Holmes. Now he’s 93 years old and it’s my turn. #MrHolmes pic.twitter.com/B9HkUgfkCv
— Ian McKellen (@IanMcKellen) July 9, 2014
