As fans continue to discuss the possibility of Sherlock Holmes 3 being made, one star from the first two movies noted they have heard nothing about it happening. Revamped behind Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law's John Watson, the franchise gained new life through movies released in 2009 and 2011. However, with a third movie having been on the table for years, the real question is how viable the prospects of it being made are.
Sherlock Holmes star Jared Harris, who played Professor James Moriarty, has not heard anything about Sherlock Holmes 3 potentially being made. The first two films came to theaters and earned a fair amount of success, grossing a combined $1.067 billion at the global box office, which came during a period when Downey rose to fame through the MCU as Iron Man in Phase 1. Even so, he gained notoriety for his portrayal of the classic English detective, and fans have clamored for him to return to the role ever since.
Speaking exclusively with The Direct during promotion for Apple TV+'s The Foundation Season 3, Harris joked about his efforts with the movie's IMDb page, saying he "[keeps] taking that down" before it gets back up again. He not only said that "no one's talking to [him] about it" but also urged people to "stop asking," expressing his lack of insight on the threequel:
The Direct: "What is the latest update on 'Sherlock Holmes 3?' Because everyone is dying for it, and we're still waiting."
Jared Harris: "Yeah. I mean, I keep taking that down [on IMDb] and someone keeps putting it back up. I have no idea. No one's talking to me about it. And I really wish people would stop asking me... It should be on there. I mean, no one's talking to me about it. I have no clue."
Harris portrayed Professor James Moriarty in 2011's Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows after playing the same role (uncredited) in 2009's Sherlock Holmes. The second film utilized Moriarty as the main villain in the way he has been used in past interpretations of the Sherlock story. Under the guise of being a mathematics professor, Moriarty is the connecting link between several murders and terrorist attacks, with Holmes discovering this and going after Moriarty. The film ends with Holmes dragging Moriarty over a balcony and falling to their supposed deaths, but Holmes conceals himself and reads Watson's memoirs as the story concludes. Sherlock Holmes is streaming on Max, and both movies are available to rent and purchase through online retailers.
Will Sherlock Holmes 3 Ever Be Released?
Given the 14 years that have passed since Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows was released, the odds of Sherlock Holmes 3 being made seem to be diminishing. Even though Jude Law shared a desire from the production team to get the movie made as recently as November 2024, there are plenty of obstacles standing in the way of making it happen.
At the forefront is the fact that Downey is in the midst of his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, portraying Doctor Doom in both 2026's Avengers: Doomsday and 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars. Filming for Doomsday is expected to last through the end of 2025, and Secret Wars will likely fill up most of Downey's schedule for 2026, with the films expected to hit theaters in December 2026 and December 2027.
This (on top of other actors' schedules) would hypothetically keep Downey from filming anything Sherlock Holmes-related until at least 2027, meaning a third movie likely would not be ready to hit theaters until sometime in 2028. That timeframe would be almost 20 years after he first played the classic hero in 2009. While legacy sequels are not uncommon (as seen by the success of 2022's Top Gun: Maverick), it is unclear how much longer Warner Bros. and the cast can continue to push out a possible threequel's production date.
For the time being, fans will have to wait to hear more official news from Warner Bros., director Guy Ritchie, or any other higher-ups on whether Sherlock Holmes 3 could become a reality.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
