The last time we saw Robert Downey Jr. as iconic detective Sherlock Holmes was in 2011. That year saw the release of the sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and soon after we were supposed to get a third installment. Whether it was a matter of development troubles or RDJ's commitment to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sherlock Holmes 3 didn't happen right away.
Now, maybe coincidentally, Downey is making his exit from the MCU and his decade-plus role as Iron Man, and Sherlock Holmes 3 is back on track. The sequel will finally hit theaters on Christmas Day 2020. That pits the next installment against the first Avatar sequel, which is perfect, because the original Sherlock Holmes opened opposite the original Avatar back in 2009.
Presumably, this one is still aimed "to be the best of the series," as Downey stated four years ago.
Find out everything else we know about Sherlock Holmes 3 below.
Are all the main stars returning?
Both Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law will reprise their respective roles as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. Hopefully we'll also see Eddie Marsan's Inspector Lestrade, Kelly Reilly as Watson's wife Mary and Stephen Fry as Holmes's brother Mycroft. Maybe even Jared Harris will be back as Holmes archnemesis Moriarty?
Is Guy Ritchie directing again?
Ritchie, who helmed the first two movies, is busy finishing up Disney's live-action Aladdin remake and then is returning to his British crime film roots, so he doesn't appear to be returning for a third outing.
Who wrote the script for Sherlock Holmes 3?
Chris Brancato, who co-created the Netflix series Narcos and has written for the series Hannibal, handled the script this time around. His movie credits include the 1997 feature Hoodlum, which proves he can write period crime stories.
Interestingly enough, Brancato was not a member of the writers' room set up for the sequel in late 2016. So how did he get the job? According to the writer himself, Downey is a fan of Narcos and so requested a meeting with Brancato about penning the next Sherlock Holmes.
When does the sequel hit theaters?
Sherlock Holmes 3 opens on December 25, 2020.
