Robert Downey Jr. Thinks Sherlock Holmes Could Go the Marvel Universe Route
While speaking at a keynote panel at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival, Robert Downey Jr. and producer Susan Downey laid out some ideas they have in store for the long-delayed Sherlock Holmes series. Evidently, both are keen to expand the two-film franchise into something more beginning with the third film, which is currently slated to release in theaters (finally) on December 22, 2021, some 10 years after the sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, hit the big screen.
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“At this point, we really feel that there is not a mystery-verse built out anywhere, and Conan Doyle is the definitive voice in that arena, I think, to this day,” Downey Jr. said. “So to me, why do a third movie if you’re not going to be able to spin off into some real gems of diversity and other times and elements?”
Added Downey: “We think there’s an opportunity to build it out more. Spin-off characters from a third movie, to see what’s going on in the television landscape, to see what Warner Media is starting to build out, things with HBO and HBO Max.”
A Sherlock series might certainly be interesting as the character is surrounded by a number of interesting side characters and villains. Of course, we’ll have to wait and see if the third film ever gets completed before thinking too far ahead.
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Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows released on December 16, 2011 and eventually earned $545 million worldwide. A third film has long been in development, but now it seems Warner Bros. has tapped Dexter Fletcher to helm the flick with Downey Jr. and Jude Law set to reprise their roles as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, respectively.
