Surprise, Russell Crowe isn't Dr. Watson in the new Sherlock Holmes film from Guy Ritchie, and the warning signs were there, the anonymous source, the British gossip paper, and the fact that he would be too big a star next to Robert Downey Jr.'s Holmes.

The announcement comes from none other than Guy Ritchie himself who has revealed that he hasn't cast anyone and it would seem hasn't even talked to Crowe about the film.

Speaking at the premiere of RocknRolla he said:

"I don't have a Watson...Somebody just told me that I have Russell Crowe lined up but that's news to me. I suspect that hasn't happened and I'm still looking for my Watson."

However time is running out on picking a cast according to Empire who have the comments. Still Guy Ritchie. is positive about the production of Sherlock Holmes:

"Good, I'm very happy about it. We've got what I'd like to think are some of the best locations in London and with this film I get to show a whole new side to London. I've done contemporary and now I won't be doing that, obviously."

There's still the rumour that Mark Strong is to play the bad guy, and actually that's much more than a rumour as Ritchie apparently confirmed it himself.

Robert Downey Jr. has also been talking about his role and said of the Sherlock Holmes story that:

"The world is within all the stories and it actually goes back to the books but the story is actually one that we made for the movie...What we can tell you is that he's a badass in this movie alright. That's what we're going back to, any Holmes fan that we've spoken to is getting really excited about this one."

This is sounding very interesting, and I'm really glad the Russell Crowe casting was just a rumour, not for the actor himself, but just because having a presence as big as Downey in the role might have created the wrong dynamic.