Teased for years but never really coming to fruition, a third entry in Guy Ritchie’s “Sherlock Holmes” franchise now seems to be stumbling forward at Warner Bros. Pictures.
The Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law-led films were released in 2009 and 2011. Both were well-received and earned just over $520 million worldwide each. With Warner Bros. Discovery keen to get back to its 2000s franchise heyday, another one seems a good fit.
Certainly Warners came close with a third one announced in 2018 for a late 2020 release – but delays and then the pandemic seemed to squash any chance of it going into production. Or did it?
Susan Downey, Downey Jr.’s wife and producing partner, confirmed to The Wrap that while the sequel isn’t currently in development it is still ‘a priority’ for the actor:
“Here’s what I can tell you, and Amanda [Burrell, producing partner] can attest to this. Prior to this, we had lunch together with Robert, the three of us. And it was a very specific topic of conversation. So yes, it is in the hopper. We’re going to do it when it’s right, with the right people, but it is a priority for the company and a priority for Robert.”
She adds that the three of them are people who “really push, push, push” for projects to get made:
“I do know, like, there are times where just I’ve had more years of experience to know when to settle down and follow the process. Like, as much as we want to will that into existence, you have to let a couple of things happen before you do the big push, and maybe it gets there on its own.”
Downey Jr. has the HBO series “The Sympathizer” and Chris Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” on the way this year, along with his producing commitments to the “Perry Mason” and “Sweet Tooth” series.
Ritchie has the Jake Gyllenhaal-led thriller “The Covenant” which hits cinemas today, and recently has been shooting “The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare” with Henry Cavill. He indicated the other month that it’s up to Downey Jr. to determine when a third ‘Holmes’ might go forward.
