The Big Picture

• Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Sherlock Holmes revitalized his career and turned him into one of the biggest actors in Hollywood.
• The chemistry between Downey and co-star Jude Law was a major factor in the success of the Sherlock Holmes films.
• Despite delays and setbacks, a third installment of the Sherlock Holmes series remains a priority for Downey.

There have been more films about Sherlock Holmes than almost any other character in the history of cinema. Similar to iconic screen heroes like Robin Hood, King Arthur, Tarzan, Zorro, and the Three Musketeers, Sherlock Holmes belongs in the public domain, meaning that any filmmaker or studio can make a film about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved detective. Holmes has appeared in many great films, including classics like Billy Wilder’s The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes and Bill Condon’s underrated recent project Mr. Holmes. However, the series of films by Guy Ritchie that starred Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr., as the beloved private eye became some of the biggest blockbusters ever made about the character. Despite the success of the first two films in the series, a third installment seems to be just as elusive as one of Holmes’ cases.

The 'Sherlock Holmes' Films Were Big Successes

What’s easy to forget is that in the early 21st century, Robert Downey Jr. was not the same star that he is today. While roles in critically acclaimed films like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Zodiac earned him more praise than he had received in years, Downey was not considered to be a box office commodity by any stretch of the imagination. This all changed in 2008 thanks to the combined power of Jon Favreau’s first Iron Man film and Ben Stiller’s show business dark comedy Tropic Thunder. Iron Man showed that Downey could carry a leading role in a franchise that spans much larger than just one character, and Tropic Thunder earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In less than a year, Downey had transformed from a risky bet to the biggest actor in Hollywood.

By 2009, Robert Downey Jr. gave us his take on the classic detective Sherlock Holmes in Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes. The film became a surprise box office hit, as it turned the traditionally straightforward premise of a Holmes film into a much more exciting action-adventure epic. Although Ritchie’s clever dialogue and idiosyncratic filming techniques were largely responsible for the film’s success, much of Sherlock Holmes relied upon the chemistry between Downey and Jude Law, who co-starred as Professor John Watson. The two actors have great chemistry in the film and managed to generate interest from a general audience around making a sequel. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows saw Holmes and Watson facing off against Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris), the most wicked of all the Holmes antagonists. Like its predecessor, A Game of Shadows earned both solid reviews and a respectable box office total.

What Happened to 'Sherlock Holmes 3'?

Among the best moments in A Game of Shadows is a final scene that teases the future of the series. While Watson initially believes that his best friend sacrificed himself to defeat Moriarty, Holmes reveals himself to be alive, hiding in plain sight in Watson’s living room. This confirmed that the two buddies would be free to go on more adventures together should the film ever inspire additional sequels. It appeared that Warner Brothers was just as keen to see the two get back together, as Iron Man 3 screenwriter Drew Pearce was hired shortly after A Game of Shadows’ initial release to work on a draft for Sherlock Holmes 3. Unfortunately, Downey’s obligations to his role as Tony Stark in the MCU meant that a third adventure for Holmes became a second priority for him.

Law would confirm in 2013 that there was an “idea” for a third film, but that no official screenplay had actually been written. The following year, Downey’s wife Susan (who served as a producer on the project) said, “There’s an idea, there’s an outline, there is not a script yet.” She stated, “When you come back, and you do a third one, there’s gotta be something there that really warrants putting it back on the screen again.” She revealed that after the appearance of Moriarty in the second film, the creative team was looking for another way to elevate the stakes for a third installment. After a series of additional delays, Warner Brothers dated Sherlock Holmes 3 for a Christmas 2020 release date. While releasing a new installment ten years after its predecessor seemed like a preposterous idea, it would become a date that Warner Brothers would again fail to actually meet.

Production on 'Sherlock Holmes 3' Was Pushed Back Further Due to COVID

An announcement that the film would be delayed another year came with surprising news about its director; Ritchie was replaced as the film’s director by Dexter Fletcher, who was hot off the success of the 2019 biopic Rocketman. Downey’s schedule was now freed up, as Avengers: Endgame had marked his final appearance as Tony Stark in the MCU. While it appeared that Sherlock Holmes 3 might start moving forward, the film's premiere hit another snag due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it’s now been over a decade since Downey last played Holmes, his collaborator Amanda Burrell confirmed that a third film in the series was still a “priority” for him.

What makes the project particularly fascinating are the plans for the film to not just continue Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law’s stories, but to incorporate other characters as well. It was announced in 2022 that Warner Brothers would begin developing two television series set in the Sherlock Holmes universe that would be released directly to HBO Max. Although plans were made to create a "Marvel-style universe" at that time, no word has since been made on these shows’ status.

One of the most exciting things about the end of Downey’s tenure as Tony Stark is getting to see him take on projects outside the MCU; it’s easy to forget that Downey is one of cinema’s greatest actors, and Oppenheimer certainly proved that he still had it in him to give a truly original performance. Perhaps the goodwill that Downey has amassed after his Oscar-winning work in Oppenheimer will inspire him to finally return to one of his best characters in the movies.

Sherlock Holmes is available to stream on Apple TV+ in the U.S.

Watch on Apple TV+