Get Your First Look at Sir Ian McKellen as 'Mr. Holmes'

The full trailer for upcoming big screen Sherlock Holmes saga Mr. Holmes has arrived and, while it represents at least the fourth mainstream portrayal of the great detective to grace popular culture in the past five years, it seems safe to say that this film is doing its best to set itself apart as something different.

Based on the novel A Slight Trick of the Mind by Mitch Cullin, the film follows the adventures of the great detective near the end of his life. At the age of 93, Holmes has retired to Sussex, where he lives with a housekeeper (Laura Linney) and her young son (Milo Parker) as he struggles with getting older and the perils of encroaching dementia.

And, of course, there’s the fact that it stars the great Sir Ian McKellen, one of those actors who is of such a caliber that most people would happily watch him read the phone book, let along play Sherlock Holmes. (I have actually watched McKellen read the phone book, for the record, and it was still a mesmerizing performance. Just so you know.)

Based on the novel A Slight Trick of the Mind by Mitch Cullin, the film follows the adventures of the great detective near the end of his life. At the age of 93, Holmes has retired to Sussex, where he lives with a housekeeper (Laura Linney) and her young son (Milo Parker) as he struggles with getting older and the perils of encroaching dementia.

And, of course, there’s the fact that it stars the great Sir Ian McKellen, one of those actors who is of such a caliber that most people would happily watch him read the phone book, let along play Sherlock Holmes. (I have actually watched McKellen read the phone book, for the record, and it was still a mesmerizing performance. Just so you know.)

Despite the fact that there are currently three versions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's great detective in popular culture at the moment - Benedict Cumberbatch in Sherlock, Jonny Lee Miller in Elementary and Robert Downey, Jr in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes series of films (Yes, I am determined to believe a third installment is going to happen. One day.) - there's always room for one more.

Especially when that one more is being played by acting legend Sir Ian McKellen.

Sherlock Holmes currently holds the Guinness World Record for most frequently portrayed fictional character in film or television – over 70 actors have taken on the role of the world’s greatest detective, from Basil Rathbone to Jeremy Brett to Michael Caine to Benedict Cumberbatch.

There are currently two contemporary television properties (Sherlock, Elementary) and a feature film series (starring Robert Downey, Jr.) focused on the character, but we’re about to add yet another Holmes adaptation to the list – a big screen adaptation called Mr. Holmes directed by Bill Condon (known most recently for his work on The Fifth Estate and several of the Twilight films) has just gone into production.

The movie will offer a slightly different take on the tale of the great detective –and will be set during the twilight of his life, as he battles old age, dementia and a growing obsession with an unsolved case. The great Sir Ian McKellen is set to play Holmes – yes, get the screaming out of your system now; it is perfect casting – as he grapples with the diminishing powers of his singular mind.

Filming officially gets under way this month, and we now have our first look at McKellen as Holmes (though there doesn’t appear to be a deerstalker in sight, sadly).

Take a look for yourselves below.