Enola Holmes 2 actor Sam Claflin isn't present in the sequel for one reason, the director explains. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series is a well-known literary classic which has spawned many on-screen adaptations and spin-offs. Young adult novel series Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer is one such spin-off, giving Sherlock a younger sister with her own skills and aspirations to become a detective. With a star-studded cast including Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, and Helena Bonham Carter, the Netflix film debuted in 2020 and offered those stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic a charming new movie experience via streaming.
Enola Holmes earned critical acclaim as well as becoming a massive critical success, which combined with the several novels of source material almost guaranteed a sequel from Netflix. In May 2021, the streaming giant made it official, bringing Brown back as a star and producer in addition to writer Jack Thorne and director Harry Bradbeer. While Cavill, Carter, and even Louis Partridge will reprise their roles in the sequel, Claflin is notably absent from the cast. Though his character Mycroft, the eldest of the Holmes siblings, was Enola's guardian in the first movie, the titular character became Sherlock's ward by the end. However, Mycroft is an important part of their group dynamic, leading viewers to wonder why the character won't appear in the sequel.
During a conversation with Collider, Bradbeer clarified that Claflin's absence from Enola Holmes 2 was purely due to scheduling concerns. Those hoping to see Claflin in a potential future Enola Holmes film can take heart in his comment that "[we] absolutely love him, and we would love to have him again," meaning that Mycroft hasn't been written out of the film completely. See what he had to say below:
Well, it was Sam's schedule that became very clear, so Sam was not going to be in it...We were very sorry that Sam couldn't be in this one. If there was a future one we would love to have him back. But that was just the practicalities of life. That then meant though that we had to then concentrate on Sherlock, which has some advantages in the sense and that it becomes a sharp pencil if you like. You're just having to work with that particular relationship. It had to be about Sherlock and Enola and coming together. So I guess there is some blessings in having less pieces because you can do more with what you have.
Why Claflin's Enola Holmes 2 Absence Is For The Best
The trailers and marketing for Enola Holmes 2 have centered on the dynamic between Enola and Sherlock, which seems to have been largely borne from Claflin's absence based on Bradbeer's comments. This shift in focus from the trio of siblings clashing in the first film to Enola and Sherlock working together is a completely organic development after the events of Enola Holmes, which saw Sherlock assume guardianship of Enola, so she could have the freedom to pursue her own cases. After solving her first mystery in Enola Holmes, the eponymous character will be solving her first case as a detective in Enola Holmes 2, seeking to establish her own agency and make her mark on Victorian London.
Though it's likely that neither sibling will be thrilled that their cases are connected based on the tension between Enola and her brothers in the first film, she and Sherlock managed to get along by the end of the movie, and it will be a treat to see the two bond further in the sequel. The early reviews seem to agree, with critics pointing to the chemistry between Brown and Cavill and the charming development of Enola and Sherlock's relationship as the highlight of the film. Audiences can see the pair interact for themselves when Enola Holmes 2 hits Netflix November 4.
Source: Collider
