10 Big-Name Actors Who Were Wasted In Major Blockbusters

With the many different interpretations of private detective Sherlock Holmes, the most expensive and extravagent entry showed up on our screens in 2009 with an adaptation by Guy Ritchie.

At Robert Downey Jr's side was Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler, a key character from the original Conan Doyle books. She's often one of the few individuals who can outsmart the proficient investigator. As Hollwood-ised as the 2009 film was, the actress's performance added another dimension to the story and appeared to set up further encounters in the upcoming sequel.

When Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows arrived in 2011, it was generally a decent sequel, but one of its biggest faults was how McAdams' interpretation of the character found herself abruptly knocked off the story to make way for Noomi Rapace's character.

What was disappointing about her untimely demise was how little screen-time she received. Adler is merely poisoned by Holmes' nemesis Moriarty, collapses in a restaurant and is never heard from again. Sherlock merely tosses his final memory of her into the sea and the film moves on. There needed to be a greater role for her to play, or a more developed means to conclude her character arc, something Game of Shadows failed to .