‘Sherlock Holmes 3’ Reportedly Back in Development After Years of Delays With Fan-Favorite Actor Returning
Sherlock Holmes 3 is reportedly once again moving forward after years of stops and starts. The update comes from industry insider Daniel RPK, who reports that the long-awaited sequel is back in development. Robert Downey Jr. is also expected to return as the famous detective.
The third movie has been in the works for more than a decade. Warner Bros. first confirmed plans for a sequel in 2011, when a script was being written by Drew Pearce. Since then, several writers have worked on the project, and the script has gone through many changes.
‘SHERLOCK HOLMES 3’ is reportedly back in development.
— Cinema Wire 🎥🎞️ (@CinemaWireNews) January 31, 2026
Robert Downey Jr. will reprise his role.
(Source: @DanielRPK) pic.twitter.com/NfTKU7qTnW
Over the years, both the studio and the cast have spoken openly about the delays. In 2013, Jude Law said the project was still alive but moving slowly. He explained at the time, “We had a meeting earlier this year, the three of us, and I think it’s being written now. Warner Bros. have still got to agree to pay for it… I think they want to!” He also pointed out scheduling issues, saying, “It’s a slow process. We’re all busy.”
Susan Downey later confirmed in 2014 that the movie was still in development, though not ready to film. She stressed the need to get it right, saying, “There’s an idea, there’s an outline, there is not a script yet. Trust me, the studio would love there to be a script. But our feeling is, we gotta get it right.”
Producer Lionel Wigram also made it clear in 2015 that both Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law planned to return. Despite several hopeful updates, production never fully got off the ground. Release dates were announced and later pushed back, and directors and writers were changed along the way.
In 2021, director Dexter Fletcher explained that the COVID-19 pandemic caused major delays. He said, “We started going and then Covid hit, and they were like, ‘Look we’re going to stand it down and Robert has got something else he wants to do.’” He added that Downey was still committed to the film and would not walk away from it.
More recently, Fletcher shared in 2023 that he, Downey, and writer Joe Penhall had been working on the script together. Susan Downey and Team Downey partner Amanda Burrell later confirmed that the film remains a priority.
Beyond just one movie, the Sherlock Holmes world may grow even bigger. In 2020, Robert and Susan Downey revealed plans to expand the series into a full franchise. According to Team Downey, this includes more films and TV shows, with two series already in development for HBO Max. They have said the goal is to build a shared world, without copying the Marvel model, but using lessons learned from it.
For now, fans finally have fresh hope that Sherlock Holmes 3 may actually happen. With Downey set to return and development active again, the project appears closer than it has been in years.
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