Sherlock Holmes 3has been stuck in development hell for years, but it looks like the film is slowly becoming a reality.Varietyreports thatRocketmanhelmerDexter Fletcherhas come on board to direct the upcoming sequel.Robert Downey Jr.is on board to star as Holmes andJude Lawis expected to return as Watson.
Per Variety, “Warner Bros. had always planned on making a third film. However, Downey’s busy schedule as Iron Man prevented any new filming for the series,” which I don’t really buy. Downey has been Iron Man since 2008. They still managed to crank outSherlock Holmesin 2009 andSherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadowsin 2011. The issue is that worldwide,A Game of Shadowsonly made $21 million more than the first movie, so it’s not like audiences were clamoring for moreHolmesmovies. They were a nice little Christmas-time blockbuster, but certainly far from essential. If theSherlock Holmesmovies were bigger hits, they’d be a bigger priority and not languishing in development hell as people try to figure out how to adaptSherlock Holmes, something that’s been happening for over a century.
I like the hire of Fletcher, and I think he’ll bring some new life to the series. WhileGuy Ritchie’s approach in the first two movies was unmistakable, I think Fletcher will be able to capture the hyperkinetic style while still making it feel fresh.Rocketmanis one of my favorite movies of the year so far, and it shows that Fletcher has a real knack for when to go big and when to hold back and focus more on character.
Chris Brancatois currently working on the script for the film withSusan Downey,Joel Silver,Dan Lin, andLionel Wigramproducing. The movie is set to open on June 01, 2025, which will be slightly over ten years sinceSherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadowshit theaters. It’s a good thing thatSherlock Holmesis timeless.
