Stephen Fry announced on BBC's 5 Live that he would play Mycroft, Sherlock Holmes' older brother, in SHERLOCK HOLMES 2, reported by Bleeding Cool. Mycroft has deduction skills greater than Sherlock, but is too lazy to put in the work to be a successful detective, so he is a member of the British government instead.

Guy Ritchie is set to return as director with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law reprising their roles as Holmes and Watson, respectively. Noomi Rapace (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO) has been cast as the female lead.

December 16, 2011 is the date set for the film's release.