Sherlock Holmes isn't just the most famous fictional detective; he's one of the most famous fictional characters, period. Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this eccentric but brilliant English sleuth made his literary debut in the 1887 novel, A Study in Scarlet. Since then, he's appeared in dozens of TV series and film adaptations, turning Holmes and his partner in crime, Dr. John Watson, into timeless icons.
To this day, an impressive 137 years later, Holmes and Watson continue to appear on our screens. The famous sleuth holds the record for being the most-portrayed fictional character in screen history, and it doesn't look like he'll stop looking for clues any time soon. Here is every Sherlock Holmes movie and TV currently in production, including those trapped in production hell.
'Sherlock Holmes 3' Close
One of Sherlock's most notable recent appearances was in Guy Ritchie's film duology: 2009's Sherlock Holmes and its 2011 sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Set in Victorian London, these films follow Sherlock and Watson, as they tackle new cases and mysteries. Sherlock was played by Robert Downey Jr., who scored a Golden Globe for his performance, while Watson was portrayed by Jude Law.
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Sherlock Holmes 3 Not Yet Rated MysteryCrimeAction
Release Date December 22, 2021 Cast Robert Downey Jr. , Jude Law
Plans for a third film, known only as Sherlock Holmes 3, were announced as early as 2011. Downey and Law are supposedly reprising their roles, while Dexter Fletcher is slated to replace Ritchie as director. But the project has been stuck in developmental hell for the last 13 years. Last we heard, the team is still working on this project and have not yet to confirm its cancelation.
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Posts Two Sherlock Holmes TV Show Spin-Offs Close
In addition to Sherlock Holmes 3, Team Downey (Robert Downey Jr.'s production studio) is also working on not one but two television series for HBO and Max. Details for these shows are tightly under wraps. But according to rumors, they'll be set in the same universe as the films and may feature neither Holmes nor Watson.
It's more likely that each series will follow a new character who will be introduced in Sherlock Holmes 3, whenever that's released. It seems like all those years with the MCU really rubbed off on Downey, giving him the idea to expand his Sherlock movies into a multimedia franchise.
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In the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes has only one sibling, an older brother named Mycroft. Years later, he gained a non-canonical younger sister named Enola, who starred in her own young adult book series, The Enola Holmes Mysteries. The novels were adapted into two Netflix original films: 2020's Enola Holmes and 2022's Enola Holmes 2. L
ike the source material, the films are set in Victorian London. Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown plays the titular character, who's just as intelligent and rebellious as her older brother, while Sherlock himself is played by Henry Cavill. Both films scored high viewership, so naturally, Netflix is now working on a third movie, known only as Enola Holmes 3. Millie Bobby Brown will reprise her role as Enola, though it's unclear if Cavill will return as Sherlock, given his falling out with Netflix over The Witcher.
'Watson' Close
Doctor Watson has been portrayed by almost as many actors as the great detective himself. While some incarnations of Holmes may not outright admit it, he would be lost without Watson by his side. In recent memory, portrayals by the likes of Jude Law, Martin Freeman, and Lucy Liu have all received acclaim.
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Watson DramaMystery
Release Date January 26, 2025 Cast Morris Chestnut
Interestingly, this upcoming series will omit Sherlock Holmes entirely, putting the full spotlight on Watson (Morris Chestnut) in modern-day Pittsburgh, as he resumes his medical practice after Sherlock's death at the hands of his archenemy, Moriarty. Described as a "medical drama with detective elements," Watson is scheduled to premiere on January 26, 2025, on CBS.
'Sherlock & Daughter'
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Sherlock & Daughter MysteryThriller Cast David Thewlis , Blu Hunt , Dougray Scott Seasons 1
Watson not satisfying that Sherlock Holmes itch? Looking for a TV show that will actually include the iconic sleuth? Then have no fear, you'll find the private detectve lurking in the upcoming TV series, Sherlock & Daughter. Here, Sherlock (Harry Potter's David Thewlis) teams up with Amelia Rojas (Blu Hunt), a young American woman, to tackle a conspiracy involving his archenemy, Professor Moriarty.
As the title suggests, Amelia eventually comes to suspect that her new partner might just be her long-lost father. Consisting of eight hour-long episodes, Sherlock & Daughter will hit our screens on The CW and Discovery+ on January 1, 2025.
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Posts 1 'Young Sherlock' Close
Of all these forthcoming Sherlock Holmes productions, the one that shows perhaps the most promise is this one. Young Sherlock follows the iconic detective before he becomes an iconic detective. Set in Victorian London, Sherlock (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) is a 19-year-old student at Oxford University, where he sets out to solve his first murder mystery.
Similar to Enola Holmes, Young Sherlock is based on the young adult book series of the same name. Interestingly, one of its producers is Guy Ritchie, who directed the Sherlock Holmes films starring Robert Downey Jr. Young Sherlock eight-episode season will be released on Amazon Prime Video, presumably some time in 2025. Hero Fiennes Tiffin, nephew of beloved thespian Ralph Fiennes, will portray the young detective.
This will not be the first time a younger version of Sherlock Holmes has made it to the screen. 1985's oft-forgotten Young Sherlock Holmes, from director Barry Levinson of Good Morning Vietman fame, featured the college-aged budding sleuth in yet another climactic showdown with his persistent nemesis, Moriarty.