Jonny Lee Miller has been cast in a new Sherlock Holmes project.

The actor is to play the fictional British detective - created by author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the 19th century - in CBS pilot Elementary, and if it proves to be successful a full series will be commissioned.

The show - named after the character's famous catchphrase - will see Holmes leave his traditional 221b Baker Street home in London to solve mysteries in New York. By coincidence, his friend Benedict Cumberbatch - whom he starred with in Danny Boyle's theatre production of Frankenstein - plays the detective in BAFTA Award-winning BBC series Sherlock, which is set in modern times.

Robert Doherty - who has worked on Medium and Star Trek: Voyager - is lined up to write show, which will air in late 2012 if it gets the green light.

In recent years, Sherlock Holmes has seen a huge resurgence in popularity. As well as the TV series starring Cumberbatch, Guy Ritchie has also brought the character back to life on the big screen with Robert Downey Jr. portraying Holmes and Jude Law playing his trusty sidekick Dr. John Watson in their traditional historical setting.