Studio: Pitt not joining 'Holmes' cast

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Warner Bros. is denying a British report Brad Pitt is reuniting with his "Snatch" director Guy Ritchie for Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" movie.

The Daily Mirror said Pitt is expected to arrive in London this week to begin playing Holmes's nemesis Moriarty. Pitt reportedly was called to help out on the film, which stars Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, after Ritchie was displeased with his first edit of the movie.

However, Warner Bros., the studio behind the film, disputed the claim in a statement to Usmagazine.com.

"The report in today's London Mirror is completely inaccurate," a studio representative said Monday. "Brad Pitt is not joining the cast of 'Sherlock Holmes' and we're extremely pleased with the production of the film. As planned, it will be released on Christmas Day 2009. In order to complete the movie, we've scheduled a few days on set to shoot a couple of additional scenes, obtain pickup shots, and perfect some of the visual effects elements, all of which is standard film-making practice."