A potential third installment for Robert Downey Jr’s Sherlock Holmes franchise has been under wraps for quite some time now. The Guy Ritchie-directed previous two movies that crossed an astonishing $1 Billion mark globally have opened the corridor for the third movie.
However, the updates of the third movie are still in the dark. The second installment of the series, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows came out in 2011 and it has been nearly a decade but the third movie is not even in production. So, what’s pushing Sherlock Holmes 3 to uncertainty even after the Avengers actor’s retirement from MCU?
What Happened to Sherlock Holmes 3?
It was almost certain that Robert Downey Jr’s Sherlock Holmes 3 was going to happen but fans have waited for the movie for a pretty long time. Jude Law who played Dr. John Watson in the franchise revealed in 2018 that the story of the third movie was intended to “propel the story forward.” Revealing further on the plot he said that the story will “play up the fact that [Holmes and Watson] haven’t seen each other for a long time.” It was a big update at the time and as it was a long time since the second movie, it did fit the narrative. However, the movie was further delayed. Later in July 2019, it was revealed that Dexter Fletcher who recently directed Ghosted, was confirmed to direct Sherlock Holmes 3 replacing Guy Ritchie. With further delays, the pandemic has pushed the movie to more uncertainties.
Later, Fletcher told Cinemablend that the project was far from development. “Not currently, no. The simple truth was that I worked closely with Robert and Jude, but mainly Robert, for quite a while on it,” he told Cinemablend. “And we got it to a certain point, and then Covid hit. And that threw everyone to the winds,” he added.
“These things are so delicate that now trying to pull all those threads back together to a meaningful place is proving to be difficult. I’m busy. He’s busy. People are busy. It’s a big old thing. And I haven’t spoken to him for a while, so I don’t know where his appetite for it is. I’m sure it’s there, but how it fits in his plan… because plans have changed.”
The director further revealed that the script was brilliant and he was working with the Iron Man actor to develop the script at the actor’s house.
Susan Downey’s Update on Sherlock Holmes 3
Still, in 2023, Sherlock Holmes 3 carries hope among fans. While appearing in UnWrapped podcast in April this year, producer and Downey Jr’s wife, Susan Downey provided a vital update on the Oppenheimer actor’s commitment and his potential detective movie.
“Prior to this we had lunch together with Robert, the three of us, and it was a very specific topic of conversation. So, yes. [‘Sherlock Holmes 3’] is in the hopper. We’re going to do it when it’s right with the right people. But it is a priority for the company and a priority for Robert,” Susan Downey said.
As per Slash Film, Warner Brothers Discovery has been more keen on expanding the Sherlock Holmes Universe with a spin-off series. In fact, the potential spin-off series was teased in April last year along with the Harry Potter TV reboot. But considering the existing rights the studio possesses, Warner Bros. is likely to extend the movie franchise as well given the fact that the movie series has earned a substantial amount for the studio. As the studio’s DC slates are in question, it would be a wise move to go with Sherlock Holmes 3. Although there is not any concrete production update and Downey Jr. is yet to commit to the film, Susan Downey’s confirmation surely raised the bar of expectation.
Source: SlashFilm.
