Robert Downey Jr. has been known as Tony Stark for over 14 years now. However, before Iron Man became an official member of The Avengers, many fans knew him through another role: Sherlock Holmes. The star's first outing as the iconic detective was released in 2009, and saw him, alongside Jude Law's Dr. John Watson, take on both Lord Henry Blackwood and Irene Adler.
In 2011, Downey went on to star in a sequel to that successful outing, titled A Game of Shadows, where the world's best detective took on Professor Moriarty, the character's classic arch-nemesis. By the end of the movie, the world assumed him dead—though audiences were let in on Holmes' secret, as he was alive and well.
While a third film was announced all the way back in 2011, the project has yet to come to fruition. It was promised several times over the year, yet nothing came of those empty words—likely due to Downey's intense involvement with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Now, however, it seems that the time for the long-awaited threequel may finally be approaching... hopefully.
Another Promising Update For Holmes?
One Take News is reporting that multiple sources have informed them that Sherlock Holmes 3 is planning to start filming at the end of the year,
Production is said to take place in Atlanta, Georgia. If this information is true, it means the film could be released in late 2023 or at some point in 2024.
Will Sherlock Holmes 3 Ever Happen?
Some might argue that Sherlock Holmes 3 missed its time to shine. After all, the entertainment landscape is quite different from it was in 2011. When it comes to the famous detective himself, several other interpretations of the character have gone on to be massively popular.
The biggest example is the BBC show starring Benedict Cumberbatch. While the series was airing by the time the second Sherlock Holmes released, it wasn't until the second season finale in 2012 when its popularity skyrocketed. Those who have watched will know the exact cliffhanger that caused it as well.
More recently, there was Netflix's Enola Holmes, led by Millie Bobbie Brown and Henry Cavil. The movie pulled some great numbers for the streaming service, with it becoming the most watched film on Netflix within its first five days. In fact, a sequel is set to debut sometime before the end of the year.
Given the presence of both of those projects, can Sherlock Holmes 3 hope to pull in the same audience it once had? Its long hiatus may actually be key to drumming up enough hype and buzz for the movie, not to mention the return of Robert Downey Jr. to a big-time role.
Fans will just have to cross their fingers that everything goes through smoothly this time around. Any more delays and Downey may end up reprising his role of Tony Stark for Avengers: Secret Wars before he even comes close to stepping foot on a new Sherlock Holmes project.
Both Sherlock Holmes movies can be streamed on Netflix.
