Sherlock Holmes 3 has received a cryptic but optimistic update from one of the producers. The rumored project would be the third outing for Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. as the iconic detective created by author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He originally starred in 2009's Sherlock Holmes opposite Jude Law as Watson, which received a sequel titled Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows in 2011.
Recently, producers Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell appeared on the UnWrapped podcast for an interview. When asked if they had any updates on the progress of the Sherlock Holmes 3 sequel, Downey coyly revealed that the two of them had only recently had lunch with Robert. She hinted that the project doesn't have any crew attached but "it's a priority" for both their company and the star himself. Read Downey's full quote below:
Here’s what I can tell you… Prior to this we had lunch together with Robert… It was a very specific topic of conversation, so yes. It is in the hopper. We’re gonna do it when it’s right with the right people but it is a priority for the company and a priority for Robert.
Sherlock Holmes 3 Might Be Exactly What Robert Downey Jr. Needs Post-Marvel
Although Sherlock Holmes 3 is too early in pre-production to even be a legitimate prospect, this is a reassuring update for those who have been waiting more than a decade for the new film. One thing that may help is that Sherlock Holmes would be a great move for the star following his 2019 exit from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although he will be appearing in upcoming one-off projects like Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, Sherlock Holmes may be the right move if he wants another surefire franchise outing.
The only film that Downey Jr. has starred in so far since 2019's Avengers: Endgame has been the intended franchise-starter Dolittle in 2020. That film was poorly received by critics and audiences and is unlikely to spawn a sequel. The big-budget outing was also a financial flop, earning $250 million when pundits estimated it would need to earn $500 million in order to make a profit.
Sherlock Holmes 3 may seem like the perfect way to right the ship, should Downey Jr. still have post-MCU franchise aspirations. The film comes with its own name recognition, both from the original two films and the iconic source material. Period detective pieces also haven't saturated the market in the way that superhero films have, so that could make the prospect of another Sherlock very appealing at this point.
Source: UnWrapped