‘Sherlock Holmes 3’ Back in Development According to Rumors After Years of Delay

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Good news for Sherlock Holmes fans! A third movie is officially in the works, and Robert Downey Jr. is set to return as the iconic detective – the role he’s so well known for.

— Cinema Wire 🎥🎞️ (@CinemaWireNews) January 31, 2026

The movie’s journey to the screen has been quite a process. Warner Bros. originally announced a third film in 2011 and hired Drew Pearce to start writing it. Since then, many other writers – including Justin Haythe and James Coyne – have worked on the script. Changes in directors and numerous delays have further complicated and slowed down production.

In 2013, Jude Law, who played Dr. Watson, discussed plans for a potential sequel. He mentioned that he, Robert Downey Jr., and Guy Ritchie had met to discuss the project and the script was being written. However, Warner Bros. still needed to approve funding, though Law believed they were likely to do so. He also noted that coordinating everyone’s schedules was proving difficult and was taking longer than expected.

I remember back in 2014, Susan Downey, who produces and is married to Robert Downey Jr., let slip that they were indeed working on a new project. But, and this was the key thing, it was still very early days. She explained they had a concept and a basic structure, but no actual script yet. She emphasized the studio was eager to move forward, but they were determined to get the story just right before committing anything to paper. It was clear they weren’t rushing it, and wanted to ensure the final product lived up to expectations.

Dexter Fletcher took over as director in 2019, and the film received a $20.9 million tax break in California. The planned budget was around $107.8 million, but production was then slowed down by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, Fletcher explained that their project was halted by the Covid-19 pandemic. He said the decision was made to stop, as Robert had other priorities. Fletcher emphasized the project was substantial and shouldn’t be reduced in scope, expressing confidence that Robert wouldn’t abandon it completely.

As of 2023, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Fletcher, and writer Joe Penhall were collaborating on the screenplay at Downey’s house. Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell, representing Team Downey, have since affirmed that the film is still a key project for both the company and Downey personally.

The world of Sherlock Holmes isn’t stopping with this one movie. Robert Downey Jr. and his wife Susan Downey are planning a whole franchise, with more films, spin-off stories, and even TV shows coming to HBO Max.

They’re not trying to replicate the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but they admit working with Marvel gave them valuable lessons in building a connected world. Currently, they have two TV series planned that will take place in this universe.

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2026-01-31 23:15