TheSherlock Holmesfilm franchise is a recent mystery series based on the adventures of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic character Sherlock Holmes. The films feature a star-studded cast including Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Kelly Reilly, and many other well-known actors. Thanks toGuy Ritchie’s directionand highly stylized approach to the material, theSherlock Holmesfranchise has carved a name for itself as a unique take on the classic literature character, with special attention to how Holmes approaches scenarios in his head.
The franchise features a total of two films so far. Shortly after the second film was released, it was announced that a third film was already in the works. However, that was back in 2011, and after more than a decade, it would appear that the film is not closer to actually being made than after the initial announcement. The question on everyone’s mind is: isSherlock Holmes 3still happening?
Initial Announcement and Scriptwriting
The original announcement forGuy Ritchie’sSherlock Holmes 3came in 2011, shortly after the release of the second filmA Game of Shadows. The first draft for the screenplay of the third film was already in the works. In 2013, Law stated that after changing screenwriters, the third film was being rewritten with Warner Bros. still agreeing to back the project. Law further clarified that the delay was largely due to the fact that Warner Bros. had higher expectations for the third film than it had for either of its predecessors, placing a great deal of pressure on the screenwriters to make it perfect. In 2014, Susan Downey stated that the film was still in development as the writers hoped to get the script perfect in order to do the film series justice. In May 2015, Law further updated that they were still working on a script, but that the delay was creating a great deal of skepticism from the cast and also from Warner Bros as to whether or not a third film would ever make it into production.
Related:Robert Downey Jr. to Produce Sherlock Holmes Spinoffs for HBO Max
Principal Shooting, Further Delays & First Release Date
Producer Lionel Wigram stated that principal shooting forSherlock Holmes 3was planned to take place in 2016, which was confirmed by Downey Jr. However, this was changed when it was revealed that James Coyne had been hired to rewrite the script. Why this was done is still unclear, but it threw a wrench into the plans to begin shooting, placing an even further delay on any development of the project. Towards the end of 2016, production companies Team Downey and Village Roadshow put together a writers' room with top names to help the project move forward more quickly through initial development so that shooting could begin. In 2017, Wigram hoped that shooting would begin in 2018. In 2018, Warner Bros. announced that the third film was scheduled for release in December of 2020, which, perCBR, was later pushed to 2021.
Change of Director and COVID-19 Pandemic
One of the biggest changes made to the film franchise is the change of director that Warner Bros. decided upon after the announcement of the “official” release date. While Ritchie brought his own style and mastery to eachSherlock Holmesfilm prior toSherlock Holmes 3, his name was no longer on the roster, perScreen Rant, being replaced by Dexter Fletcher who famously directedBohemian RhapsodyandRocketman. Fletcher has also worked closely with Ritchie in the past, starring in Ritchie’s underrated filmLock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. On top of all these changes, the COVID-19 pandemic furthered the delay of shooting and development, postponing the film indefinitely.
Related:Teases of a Sherlock Holmes 3 Are Afoot
Will There Ever Be a Sherlock Holmes 3?
After over a decade since the release ofSherlock Holmes 2, it’s arguable that the time gap is far too large for fans to remain interested in a third film. While it is still possible for Warner Bros to pick up the idea in the future, the hopes for it have fallen flat. With that being said, Team Downey has since announced that they plan to turn the film franchise into a TV series for HBO Max. With their experience working within the MCU, Team Downey hopes to build the world as Ritchie had done in the films. While nothing official has been announced as of yet for the TV series' in terms of casting or dates, there are two seriesset in the films' universethat are currently in development for HBO Max.
