Robert Downey Junior, who recently burned up the box office in Iron Man, is set to play Sherlock Holmes in an adaptation of the eponymous detective story.

If this news item is ringing a bell, it is probably because Sacha Baron Cohen and Will Ferrell have been linked to a Judd Apatow comedy about the very same Sir Arthur Conan Doyle character.

The Downey Junior (Or DoJu, as I like to call him) vehicle will be an adaptation of Lionel Wingram's upcoming comic book. Wignram's Holmes emphasizes more or the action/adventure side of the intellectually deft gumshoe.

Guy Ritchie will be directing this vehicle, supposing he can shake off the Curse of Madge and direct a decent film.

Both Apatow's and Ritchie's versions have stepped up their production schedules to try and beat the other to the box office. The game is afoot!