Shortly after helping launch the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. found himself headlining another successful film franchise when he starred in Sherlock Holmes. Thanks in large part to the chemistry between Downey and co-star Jude Law, director Guy Ritchie’s two films received generally positive reviews and proved to be reliable box office draws. For years, there’s been talk of bringing the band back together for Sherlock Holmes 3, but such a project has yet to come to fruition. Though it’s been well over a decade since Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows hit theaters, the threequel remains on the table, and now fans have some idea of what they could expect if the movie ever gets made.
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Speaking with Collider, Sherlock Holmes franchise producer Susan Downey addressed the development of the planned third film and shed light on a story idea. “We’ve been talking about a slightly different direction,” she said. “It’s always been kind of set in America, and whether that’s a good idea or not, I’m not sure, but I love it. I love that idea. So, I would just love to do it. It’s just hard. It’s been a while, the bar is really high, or at least Robert has set the bar really high, so I don’t know.”
Should Sherlock Holmes 3 Be Set in America?
Like most Sherlock Holmes stories, Ritchie’s two films take place in London. Those movies boast impressive production design with their recreations of Victorian Era England that immersed viewers in the time period. As great as it would be to see that setting again, it might be for the best if Sherlock Holmes 3 shakes things up. The franchise has been absent for a very long time now, so if it comes back, the filmmakers will be looking to make a big splash. Having Holmes and Watson run around old London again for a third outing could give the impression of retreading old ground. The goal should be to make Sherlock Holmes 3 feel like an event to draw viewers to the theater. Changing locations is a surefire way to make the film seem fresh.
Shipping Holmes and Watson across the Atlantic could be an interesting way for Sherlock Holmes 3 to carve out its own storytelling path. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original novels were all set in England; on the page, the famous detective didn’t travel to the United States until a 2019 collection of short stories fittingly titled Sherlock Holmes in America. So this is an angle that hasn’t truly been comprehensively explored before — at least on the big screen (the TV show Elementary sees Holmes and Watson living in modern-day New York). There’s potential here for an entertaining fish out of water element as Holmes and Watson are exposed to a new society and culture. Plus, there would be opportunities for them to cross paths with American historical figures.
For what it’s worth, Downey doesn’t seem dead set on the idea even though she “loves” it. It appears the filmmakers are still weighing the pros and cons of such a drastic shift, which is the best approach to take. Mixing things up just for the sake of mixing them up isn’t the right reason to do something. If Holmes and Watson are going to travel to America, it needs to feel organic for the story and the characters. The biggest hurdle could be devising a compelling reason for Holmes and Watson to travel a great distance to solve their next case. Perhaps news reaches England of a criminal mastermind terrorizing America, and Sherlock believes he’s the only one who can stop him. There could also be a scenario where Sherlock has grown bored solving crimes in England and feels a change of scenery could provide him with a new challenge.
It’s great to hear ideas for Sherlock Holmes 3 are still being discussed, but there’s no telling when the film could take the next steps forward. Once again, Downey is going to be tied up with Marvel commitments for a while, as he’s returning to the MCU to play Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. The former has seemingly wrapped production, but the latter will be filming next year so it can meet its 2027 release date. It might still be a few years before Downey has time to shoot Sherlock Holmes 3, and hopefully the creative team will use that time to iron out a strong story.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
