It’s been more than a decade sinceSherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadowsended, but this long wait is perfect forSherlock Holmes3. The second movie in Robert Downey Jr’sSherlock Holmesfranchise left a clear door open for a threequel, and it was assumed that one would come shortly after its 2011 release. However, all these years later, there is still only tentative news aboutSherlock Holmes 3. This is a bit of a disappointment, but when considering where Holmes' story was left off inA Game of Shadows, it actually works out.
The ending ofSherlock Holmes: A Game of ShadowssawDowney Jr’s Sherlock Holmesjump off the Reichenbach Falls with arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty. Both were presumed dead, leavingJude Law’s Dr. Watsonto mourn his complicated friend. However, in the movie’s final moments, Watson receives a package containing an underwater breathing device. When he rushed from his office to inquire about who had delivered it, Sherlock Holmes appeared. Of course,A Game of Shadowsnever saw Watson discover that his friend was alive himself—but the wait just might be worth it.
The Longer The Wait, The Stronger The Tension
WhileSherlock Holmes 3isn’t yet confirmed, recent updates suggest that a renewed script is in the works. By the time the movie is actually on the big screen,there would be about a 15-year gap between it andA Game of Shadows. While this wouldn’t work with just any story, it’s actually an advantage forSherlock Holmes. The longer Sherlock takes to reveal to his loved ones that he is still alive, the more impactful this big moment will be. This is especially meaningful since the existing ending of the secondSherlock Holmesmovie didn’t make Sherlock’s supposed death and return nearly as impactful as it could have been.
Sherlock Holmes 2’s Ending Could Be Retroactively Improved
Not much time passed between Sherlock’s fall, his funeral, and his sudden secret appearance in Watson’s office inSherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.The ending was meant, predominantly, to set up a threequel with a fun, cliffhanger twist. Of course,the fact that this threequel didn’t immediately happen meant that this ending really just fell flat. It might have been more impactful as a definitive ending to the franchise ifDowney Jr’s Sherlockhadn’t actually been seen on screen in the end. Instead, a shadowy figure could have added the question mark to the words “the end” on the typewriter.
Robert Downey Jr’sSherlock Holmesmovies are available to stream on Max and Hulu.
HadA Game of Shadowtaken that route, the story’s ending would have felt more mysterious. On the other hand, a threequel coming five or six years later might have felt anticlimactic. With a far more sizeable wait, the dull impact ofA Game of Shadow’s ending could be renewed with the idea that Watson had spent the past 15 years obsessively checking over his shoulderand giving everyone he meets a once over to see if they are Sherlock in disguise. With a great script,Sherlock Holmes 3could retroactively makeA Game of Shadow’s ending stronger.
This Long Wait Is Actually More Fitting With Canon
There is an additional, even more meaningful reasonwhySherlock Holmes 3taking so longwould make for a better story.Sherlock’s sacrifice at Reichenbach Falls was how Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had initially meant for hisSherlock Holmesseries to end. The titular detective was really meant to be dead, but readers continued to pester the author for more stories for years. So, over a decade later, Doyle finally gave everyone what they wanted and published a newSherlock Holmesnovel, which revealed that his iconic character had only faked his death.
Over a decade later, Doyle finally gave everyone what they wanted and published a new Sherlock Holmes novel, which revealed that his iconic character had only faked his death.
The ending ofA Game of Shadowsproves thatmatching Doyle’sdecade-long gap was never the intention of theSherlock Holmesmovie franchise. Still, since these films are already in this boat, it might as well lean all in. It’s neat that the story will continue after so long since this is closer to canon than a quicker threequel might have been. There is a lot of opportunity here for a meaningful homage to Doyle’s work, with some references to the time gap that could draw to mind the events of the books. Of course, for this to happen,Sherlock Holmes 3must become an actual reality. Only time will tell.
Sherlock Holmes 3
Cast
While plot details are unknown, Sherlock Holmes 3 will be the third installment in the Sherlock Holmes franchise, starring Roberty Downey Jr. and Jude Law as the titular detective and his sidekick Dr. Watson. Although the first two films were directed by Guy Ritchie, Dexter Fletcher is set to replace Ritchie in the role of director for the third. The film may pick up where the events of the second film left off, finally answering the question of how Holmes survived his fall from the Reichenbach Falls with Professor Moriarty, as teased at the end of the previous film.
