Funnymen Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are getting back together to headline “Holmes and Watson,” a humorous adaptation of the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novels.
Etan Cohen will direct the film for Sony’s Columbia Pictures, which originally had “Borat” star Sacha Baron Cohen — no relation — playing Sherlock Holmes to Ferrell’s Dr. Watson when the then-untitled project was first cast in 2008. With the new headliners, Ferrell moves over to play Holmes and Reilly will portray his dutiful assistant, Watson.
Ferrell and Reilly are longtime collaborators who memorably co-starred in two other Sony films, 2006’s “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” and 2008’s “Step Brothers,” both of which cleared more than $100 million at the domestic box office.
“Holmes and Watson” is also a reunion for Ferrell and Cohen, who made his directorial debut with last year’s “Get Hard,” which starred Ferrell and Kevin Hart and made $90.4 million domestically and $111.8 million worldwide.
Ferrell is coming off December’s “Daddy’s Home,” which made $240.3 million worldwide. Reilly, an Oscar nominee, will be in next year’s “Kong: Skull Island.”
“Holmes and Watson” will be produced by Mosaic and Gary Sanchez. Jonathan Kadin is overseeing the project for Columbia. Chris Henchy and Jessica Elbaum are overseeing for Sanchez.