Robert Downey dishes Sherlock Holmes

When Downey took to the stage at Comic Con 2009 to hype up his Sherlock Holmes, one of the most anticipated films of the year, the actor immediately set the tone. "I can never have too much applause," he said smiling. More applause ensued!

With Guy Ritchie directing, Jude Law starring as Watson and McAdams filling the femme fatale role, Sherlock Holmes has all the makings of a cinematic series.

"I said to Joel shortly after the success of Iron Man, I was like, 'dude, where's our franchise?'" Downey said gazing at Silver a few feet away on the Comic Con panel. "Shortly thereafter...we were trying to garner some interest around Sherlock and actually since there's a graphic-type novel type comic book of sorts in the works about it and when people start seeing it in that light, it may be a little more palatable. Joel and I got excited. And obviously, the Misses down there on the end got excited -- we love working together. We knew it had to be done."

Sherlock Holmes was the franchise and Downey's wife Susan Downey was all too eager to get the story on screen. Courtesy of Silver's fellow producer Lionel Wigram who had been attempting to launch a Sherlock Holmes film for years, it took a graphic novel type of treatment crafted by Wigram to have the centuries-old story find new light on screen.

McAdams proved to be perfect for opposite Downey's Holmes. Adler is a role she relished. "It's incredible, to see it all on screen," McAdams said.

Downey welcomed McAdams' being sporty with all the testosterone on set. "We really looked far and wide for the right foil for Holmes. She's not a foil. She's more of kind of a vixen and adventuress. This is a very important theme. Jude and I had great chemistry. We needed our very important third wheel. We worked our asses off on this one."

McAdams survived. In fact, she flourished on the male-heavy set. "Every three scenes it was like, 'why don't you kick him in the nuts?" McAdams said as Downey and the entire panel laughed. McAdams' character is only present in one of the Sir Arthur Doyle's legendary Sherlock Holmes books and she delved into the literature front-to-back and back again. "I played around a bit with her," McAdams said.

Meanwhile, Downey comes back to the proficient physicality of his female co-star.

"Guys, it is embarrassing to get your ass kicked by a girl," Downey said and laughed. "Unless you're a girl, because, you're still getting your ass kicked."

Clearly, Sherlock Holmes' leading lady found the British shoot a welcomed hurdle for herself professionally.

But what was Downey's biggest challenge tackling Sherlock?

"This is how sick I am...I don't think there's anything I can't do," Downey said -- sending the room into laughter.

SheKnows is beyond excited, after witnessing the five-minute trailer, to see Adams in action in Sherlock Holmes. Oh, and witnessing Downey as Holmes and Law as Watson while Ritchie directs, is sure to be pure cinematic bliss.

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