Russell Crowe as Dr. Watson

Has Guy Ritchie found his Dr. Watson? According to the Melbourne Herald Sun, Russell Crowe is set to star opposite Robert Downey Jr. in  the film about legendary English detective Sherlock Holmes.

“Russell wants the part, Guy wants Russell,† a movie source told The Sun newspaper. “All they’ve got left to do is dot the i’s and cross the t’s.†

Crowe had been due to start work on Ridley Scott’s film about Robin Hood and star as the Sheriff of Nottingham. But that has now been put on the backburner because of production delay, leaving Crowe free to concentrate on his new role as Dr Watson.

The movie’s script is based on a new comic book series about the famous English detective, with filming due to begin next month.

If true, it would be a brilliant bit of casting and show that Crowe is at that A-list status where he can start taking secondary parts and/or be in a film just for the fun of it.