Robert Downey Jr wants to make a Avengers: Endgame.
During his time in the MCU, Sherlock Holmes 3 is currently set for a late 2021 release, with both Downey Jr and Law set to return, though now with Dexter Fletcher as director. Details on Sherlock Holmes’ new adventure on the big screen are a mystery, but Downey Jr has shared some interesting plans regarding this film series.
During a at the Fast Company Innovation Festival, Robert Downey Jr. revealed his vision for the Sherlock Holmes franchise, inspired by his experience as Iron Man in the MCU. Downey Jr explained that there’s not a “mystery-verse built out anywhere” and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is “the definitive voice in that arena”, adding that a third Sherlock Holmes movie would be a good opportunity to “spin off into some real gems of diversity and other times and elements”. While the concept of cinematic universes is not exclusive to the superhero genre, and Sherlock Holmes (especially Downey Jr’s version) is a beloved character, could a Sherlock cinematic universe really work?
Mystery Movies Are Popular Again (& Can Easily Produce Sequels)
A Sherlock Holmes cinematic universe could benefit from mystery movies’ newfound popularity. Although there have always been mystery movies, with hints of other genres like horror and comedy, they are currently going through a great run. Of course, that doesn’t mean they are all great stories, as is the case of Netflix’s Murder Mystery, starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, which broke viewership records yet was panned by critics, and Kenneth Branagh’s Knives Out, which sequel is now in development.
How Sherlock Holmes 3 Can Launch A Cinematic Universe
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows ended on a massive cliffhanger: Sherlock and Moriarty (Jared Harris), during a physical altercation, fell off a balcony and into the Reichenbach Falls, after which both were presumed dead. However, right at the end of the movie, Sherlock made a surprise appearance in Watson’s office, where he had been hiding thanks to one of his camouflage suits. The story was based on Conan Doyle’s “The Final Problem”, where Sherlock and Moriarty got into a fight at the Reichenbach Falls and fell to their deaths. This was supposed to be Sherlock Holmes’ final adventure, but due to extreme fan pressure, Conan Doyle brought him back years later in “The Adventure of the Empty House”, and gave him a couple more stories before finally retiring in His Last Bow.
Now, even though the Sherlock Holmes movies have already addressed the Reichenbach Falls incident and Sherlock’s fake death, there are still various cases it can adapt or be inspired by, though it can also give the detective new stories, as it has already done. The key for Sherlock Holmes 3 to kickstart a cinematic universe will be in the characters it introduces, as it already got rid of two big and important ones: Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) and Moriarty, supposing the latter is really dead. Of course, Sherlock Holmes 3 could introduce original characters (as were Lord Blackwood and Madame Simza Heron) that could get their own stories if they are popular enough with the audience. The magic of a cinematic universe is that Sherlock Holmes wouldn’t have to be present in every movie, instead being the link between all of them.
What Characters & Stories A Sherlock Universe Could Have
Another point in favor of cinematic universes is that the movies don’t have to follow a chronological order, as recently seen in the MCU with Wonder Woman 1984. With that in mind, the Sherlock Holmes universe could explore the backstories of not only Sherlock (and with him Mycroft as well), but also those of John Watson, Irene Adler (who was painfully underused in both movies), Moriarty, and even his right-hand Sebastian Moran, who Sherlock once described as the “second most dangerous man in London” (following Moriarty, of course).
As for the stories the Sherlock universe could explore, it would depend on the characters that will take part in it, but when it comes to the Great Detective himself, there are cases like “The Adventure of the Dancing Men”, “The Adventure of the Six Napoleons”, and “The Adventure of the Second Stain”, among many others, which take place after his fake death. As mentioned above, the Sherlock universe could also have its own stories, so it wouldn’t be limited to just Conan Doyle’s works.
Could A Sherlock Holmes Cinematic Universe Work
What has worked for a genre won’t necessarily work for the rest, so a Sherlock Holmes cinematic universe might not enjoy the success that the MCU has, as inspired by it as it might be. Exploring the stories of other characters related to Sherlock Holmes could help this universe live for a while, as giving the audience a break from the famous detective would prevent them from getting bored of seeing him in every movie, but the trick is in how their stories are approached (and how much they can add and change, as Sherlock, where after the return of the detective, his cases and methods became very hard to believe, and the quality of the stories decreased.
A Sherlock Holmes universe is not a necessity, but done the right way, it can be an interesting one to explore – and for how long will depend on its characters, stories, and how the audience reacts to it. Sherlock Holmes 3 could either make or break a Sherlock Holmes cinematic universe, and until the movie comes out, the plans for the franchise can change, so at this point, anything is possible.
