Do you think the real Moriarty would reveal his identity so easily? No, he'd confuse his pursuers with misdirection and false leads. But just like legends, a good rumor never dies.

The Hollywood Reporter is getting in on the rumor mill by suggesting that Brad Pitt has had discussions with producers to star as Moriarty in a potential "Sherlock Holmes" sequel. The report acknowledges the previous Pitt rumors, but states that "those familiar with the script say the character [of Moriarty] is in shadow and cannot be recognized," verifying director Ritchie's statement that the Holmes villain is slated for an appearance -- just not with any specific actor in mind.

Perhaps more important than Pitt's potential enlistment in a "Holmes" sequel is the very existence of a sequel itself. The Robert Downey Jr.-starring action-mystery-what-have-you flick doesn't even hit theaters until December, and there are already active plans to turn the film into a franchise.

According to THR, screenwriters Kieran and Michele Mulroney have been hired to pen "Sherlock Holmes 2" for Warners. The screenwriting pair are also mentioned as the writers behind "Justice League: Mortal," the WB's defunct superhero team-up project. They also wrote and directed "Paper Man," the Jeff Daniels and Ryan Reynolds-starring dramedy about a man accompanied by an imaginary superhero pal.

So, not only is Brad Pitt maybe-possibly starring in the "Holmes" franchise after all, but a sequel is actually being fast-tracked in advance of the initial film's release. Seems a little early to be talking about "Sherlock Holmes 2" to me, when we don't even know if the first movie is any good or not.

What say you, readers? Is Brad Pitt a good fit for Moriarty? Should we even be talking about a "Sherlock Holmes 2" at this point? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!

You can of course check out Pitt this weekend, starring in Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" for an up-close look at exactly where the star's career has gone. In short... UP!

Of course, as anyone with even cursory knowledge of the Bible knows, World War II was far from the first time that Jews have been oppressed in large numbers. In the story of Exodus, Moses led the Hebrews out of their life of slavery in Egypt. That was only after he heralded the coming of the ten plagues that God would visit upon the Egyptians if the Pharaoh did not let Moses' people go. In the Cecil B. Demille-directed classic, "The Ten Commandments," Charlton Heston played the bearded savior. He and the Pharaoh -- played by Yul Brenner -- are both the focus in today's eBay Prop-Watch.

This here prop display is a veritable "Ten Commandments" value pack. First up you've got a real, actual prop knife, which was apparently handled by Yul Brenner's tyrannical Pharaoh. There's also a signed publicity photo of Heston, in costume as Moses. And, strangest of all, a personal check (for $24) signed by Demille. The dagger and the check are both legit, with certificates of authenticity for each. All this can be yours for the low, low Buy It Now price of... $4,950. Ouch. Or you can take your chances in the auction -- currently at 0 bids -- which opens at $1,995.

In the below video, the director and "Inglourious Basterds" star Brad Pitt describe audience reactions to what is ultimately a funny World War II movie. They focus specifically on a German audience screening, and the crowd's at-first tentative response to the humor.

Hit the jump for your last chance to give Max Cherry his due in the poll!

In the below video, "Inglourious Basterds" star Brad Pitt talks about the director's characters, how they have fully developed back stories. That's part of the reason they all tend to be so unforgettable; even if you never learn the full background, it's always there to inform the actor's performance, creating a more nuanced, more believable portrayal.

Hit the jump for the poll, and remember: if you don't agree with the picks, share your thoughts in the comments section or upload your video response to Your MTV (make sure to tag it "favorite Tarantino character").

Two days ago word slipped out that Brad Pitt was off to London, where he'd be shooting a few pickup scenes as Moriarty for Guy Ritchie's December blockbuster "Sherlock Holmes," starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. Warner Bros. acted quickly, issuing a statement that Pitt would not be "joining the cast of 'Sherlock Holmes.'" If wishes were fishes, right?

As it turns out, Moriarty will still be making some kind of appearance in "Holmes." How do we know? Because Ritchie himself told MTV's Josh Horowitz! I would even go as far as saying -- and this is pure speculation -- the Pitt may indeed be showing up as Holmes' nemesis in an uncredited role, since that wouldn't technically mean he's "joining the cast." Think on that as you read what Ritchie had to say.

"Some kind of an appearance is probably the best way to describe it," the Holmes director said. When pressed, and asked if an actor is credited as Moriarty, Ritchie's reply was "I believe not."

"I don’t know how to answer that other than to say there is some kind of appearance," he said. "All will be revealed. I’m afraid I have to be slightly ambiguous about this but you’ll understand what I’m talking about when you see the movie."

Pretty secretive for what sounds a helluva lot like a cameo. Why the big silence? Perhaps because that cameo involves one of the biggest superstar actors out there today? Could be... but nobody's talking and we'll have to wait until December to find out the whole truth.

What do you think?

That's why I'm running a poll this week, to determine who you think takes top honors among Tarantino's many colorful characters. My pick is Max Cherry, from "Jackie Brown." Two reasons for that. One: "Jackie Brown" is my favorite of the director's flicks. Two: Robert Forster is badass. You don't want to mess with that guy. Who's your favorite? Cast your vote after the jump. Don't agree with our selections? Then enter your pick as a write-in in the comments section or record your thoughts on video and share them with us at Your MTV (make sure to tag it "favorite Tarantino character").

It's hard to narrow down a single favorite, but I have to go with Robert Forster's bail bondsman Max Cherry, from "Jackie Brown." By far QT's most underrated effort, Forster's top-notch role is just one among many in the movie. Still, it's his character who sticks with me the most. As all of these shady dealings are unfolding before his eyes, this old fogey dullard sticks to his moral center and comes out of the mess clean as a result. Tremendous, that performance.

I want to know who your favorite is though. Hit the jump for the associated poll I'll be running this week, as well as thoughts from the rest of the MTV News team on their own favorites. And of course, if you have more to say than the poll really offers, I encourage you to share your thoughts in the comments or in a video post on Your MTV.

Jim Cantiello
My favorite Quentin Tarantino character EVER is "Gawker #2" in "Pulp Fiction." Mostly because it was portrayed by Kathy Griffin, pre-plastic surgery. It's so weird to watch that movie now. In the middle of all the gay rape and gunshots, you're like, "Wait, Kathy Griffin's in this scene?" I also remember seeing her do stand-up from like 1874 where she did a riff about scoring that bit part. Showbiz is weird.

Sabrina Weiss
Uma Thurman as The Bride in "Kill Bill." It's pretty clear she could take on any other baddie in the Tarantino arsenal. She defied death so many times I lost count. Motivated by revenge and love, she's so much more soulful than earlier, money-hungry Tarantino characters. But she's also pretty funny, and though she's usually cruel and ruthless, she can be a softy too. That moment at the end of "Vol. 2," when she finds Bill reading to their daughter, you almost think she'd be willing to ditch the revenge mission and live happily ever after. But when he won't have it that easy... whoops! Where'd that five-point palm exploding heart technique come from, honey?

Jem Aswad
Jules [Winnfield, from "Pulp Fiction"] by a mile. Samuel L. Jackson not winning an oscar for that is one of the greatest crimes in movie history. What other character has offered up so many brilliant one-liners?

Steven Roberts
O-Ren Ishii (Cottonmouth) - Lucy Liu in "Kill Bill: Vol. 1"

There's just something so sexy about a women who can run across a table and unsheathe her blade to decapitate a Yazuka boss all in one motion. I'm a huge fan of kung-fu flicks and Quentin Tarantino's movies, so you can imagine that "Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2" are two of my favorite movies. Lucy Liu plays the half Japanese, half Chinese-American ruler of the Japanese underworld, O-Ren Ishii. The Bride (Uma Thurman) narrates O-Ren's tragic origin and ascension to the top of the Yakuza during a 7-minute anime sequence of sheer awesomeness. She also leads a gang called the Crazy 88s featuring members with cool names like Johnny Mo and Gogo Yubari. I'm hoping Tarantino does do a sequel to "Kill Bill," but I would so settle for an extended version of O-Ren's exploits.

Joe DeShano
Gogo Yubari. The crazy right-hand assassin of O-ren Ishii from "Kill Bill." The character was a deadly force not to be messed with. A bad ass in a school girl's uniform. She even had a gut-wrenching back-story (pun intended).

Jonathan Goldner
Because I can't reasonably name every character from "Pulp Fiction," I choose Sam Jackson's Jules Winnfield. Everything he said was pithy and sparkling and resonated on the screen like a concert violinist. His hair, the sneer, the dialogue, the suit, the attitude…. all in all just about perfect.

Kyle Anderson
I have to go with Winston Wolf from "Pulp Fiction." He's got a lot going for him: he's played by Harvey "Bad Lieutenant" Keitel, wears a tuxedo at 10 a.m., drives really fast and is friends with Julia Sweeney and "Monster Joe." He also gets to say a line that I wish I could toss around more often: "Pretty please, with sugar on top, clean the f--king car." Honorable mentions go to Nice Guy Eddie from "Reservoir Dogs" (because he uses Zack Morris' cell phone) and Seth Gecko from "From Dusk Till Dawn" (because he uses a roll of toilet paper to kill a dude).

Adam Murphy
My favorite Tarantino film character has to be "Jackie Brown"'s Max Cherry, bail bondsman. Even though Tarantino didn't write the novel on which the film is based, his take on Max Cherry shows a level of prowess that is rarely equalled. Tarantino's "sympathetic" characters always have an obvious tragic flaw; Max's only flaws appear to be loneliness and his desire for love. He seems like he's bound for disaster in Jackie Brown, but he makes it in the end. Sure, he doesn't get the girl, but that's his choice. He does get that last kiss, though, and all I can hear when I think of that moment is "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time" by the Delfonics. Perfection.

Now it's your turn! I've compiled an assortment of the more popular responses, one from each movie (except "Pulp Fiction," which sort of demanded two). I'm guessing that some of you will have different ideas. That's okay. I encourage you to share your alternate picks in the comments section below. I'll be running this poll all week long, so look for voting updates each day.

FROM WARNER BROS.: "The report in today’s London Mirror is completely inaccurate. 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 pick-up shots, and perfect some of the visual effects elements, all of which is standard filmmaking practice."

Oops. Someone done effed up.

You know, I was just looking at the IMDB listing for Guy Ritchie's upcoming "Sherlock Holmes" last week and wondering where the hell Moriarty was going to fit into that cast. If we're going to get this big, star-studded "Holmes" movie, surely there's a place for Holmes' arch-nemesis. And it turns out now that there is!

Us Magazine is reporting that Brad Pitt has officially joined the cast of "Holmes," and that he'll be trying to outwit the master detective from 221B Baker Street with his own nefarious plans. Pitt will arrive in London tomorrow, where "Holmes" shoots will continue throughout the week in a variety of locations.

I have faith in the director, and in his talented Holmes/Watson team-up of Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, respectively. Bringing Pitt into the mix is kind of cool, even if it turns out to be a cameo on the level with Sean Connery's in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves." Personally, I'd be happy to just catch occasional glimpses of Pitt-as-Moriarty in the backgroud, twirling his mustache and giggling maniacally.

With or without the "Inglourious Basterds" star, who last worked with Ritchie as the unintelligible pikey boxer in "Snatch," I still think "Holmes" will be a blast. I'm certainly excited about this latest development, but the real attention will be -- and deservedly so -- on Downey's portrayal of the iconic Holmes character. He certainly has the chops to nail the offbeat detective's odd mix of charisma and borderline-OCD eccentricity.

What does Pitt's addition to the "Sherlock Holmes" cast do for you? Is he a good pick for Moriarty? Were you excited for Ritchie's take on the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle character long before today's breaking news? Perhaps most importantly, who is the better detective: Sherlock Holmes or Batman?

It's a cool project too, at least from the sound of things. One of those increasingly rare "original spins" on an established idea. Super-villain Oobermind (Ferrell) has finally defeated his arch-nemesis (Pitt), and now he's bored to tears. So he uses one of his dastardly machines to create a new hero (Hill) to fight, only the newbie just wants to be a jerk. All of a sudden, Oorbermind finds himself in the hero's role. See? Clever.

Ferrell and Hill aren't exactly hurting for work these days, but I'm not surprised to see them join the cast. Pitt comes as a bit of a surprise. It sounds like his role is a minor one, as Oobermind's defeated nemesis, but the star's last voice acting gig -- in "Sinbad: Voyage of the Seven Seas" (2003) -- was rather underwhelming. Then again, the "Inglourious Basterds" star hasn't really made a bad choice since "Troy" (2004); if he sees something in "Oobermind," then I'm all the more interested in it.

The freshly cast trio join Tina Fey, who plays the obligatory no-nonsense reporter who is constantly trying to make sense of the crazy world around her. The bad guys winning? Super-villains saving the day? Crazy-talk, all of it. Should be fun to see Fey bring her "30 Rock" attitude to a Lois Lane-type. Especially with her three new voice actor pals.

Were you interested in "Oobermind" before this news? Was it on your radar? What does the addition of Pitt, Ferrell and Hill do for you? The loss of Downey? Who would make the better diabolical super-villain in real-life: Ferrell or Downey?