News > Robert Downey Jr. Talks Iron Man 2 and Sherlock Holmes

Via: IESB 

Fresh off an amazing, multi-layered comedic performance in TROPIC THUNDER, Robert Downey Jr. commented on Iron Man 2, saying that his goals for the movie included not following the superhero formula.

“Our goals are more of the same. The idea that he said he’s Iron Man in part 1…it’s one thing to say it, and it’s another thing to actually evolve to the point where you can live in a heroic fashion. You know, they say, ‘The superhero movie always needs to follow…’ and I said who is that guy? Get him out of here! We want to do what worked for us last time, in a way that evolves. We’re talking about a guy who is put in an extraordinary circumstance, and the people that are around him, and how that creates a sense of family, and how that disrupts whatever forces that we have to say that are working [in his life]. I like the idea of an Iron Man 2 that you’re able to understand various points of view. You’re able to touch on some subjects that are a lot more far reaching, while still grounding it in entertainment.”

Downey then spoke about the upcoming SHERLOCK HOLMES project, directed by Guy Ritchie. Not only will audiences see the famed English detective appear in a new tale not connected to any of the stories previously told by Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle, but this time around, Sherlock Holmes will share a passion that Downey Jr. practices in real life: martial arts.

“Sherlock Holmes, we start October 6th. Guy Ritchie’s take on it was that…it’s like [we’ll be] making a contemporary version of a very classic portrayal of exactly how it was. But it’s not telling one of the stories from one of the books or anything like that. Watson…it’s all there. The cool thing about Sherlock Holmes was he’s actually a very skilled martial artist. So it’s going to have elements of that…it’s not just his deduction and all that stuff. It’s going to be a very action-packed version of that. To me it’s really exciting.”

“I’m always training. I’m big into martial arts. We’re putting together a team of people, we’re going to try to do something a little more transcendent and interesting. I love the idea of martial arts and bare-knuckle boxing…before the Queensbury rules, where it was all kind of proper, it was this real balls-to-the-wall, brutal type stuff. Guy Ritchie’s a martial artist, and martial arts student…so we’re going to have a real fun time doing all that.”

TROPIC THUNDER opens in theaters August 13th!

To see images from the movie click here.