Sherlock Holmes 3: Susan Downey Finally Reveals Where the Sequel Stands
Sherlock Holmes 3 is still in play, with producer Susan Downey saying a concept is on the table but the team has been waiting for Jude Law — keeping Guy Ritchie's threequel poised to spring to life once schedules align.
Robert Downey Jr. had one of those rare comeback runs that felt like a victory lap and a fresh start at the same time: Iron Man in 2008 (instant icon), a wild swing as method actor Kirk Lazarus in Tropic Thunder that same year (Oscar nomination, deserved), and then Guy Ritchie’s slick, punchy Sherlock Holmes in 2009. The sequel hit in 2011. And then... nothing. No trilogy closer. So what happened?
Collider caught up with Susan Downey — yes, RDJ’s wife and producing partner — at a screening of Play Dirty and asked the question everyone’s been sitting on: is Sherlock Holmes 3 a thing or just Hollywood folklore?
"I would love to bring a third Sherlock to the world."
That’s the headline. The rest is the messy part that actually explains why we haven’t seen it yet.
According to Susan, they came very close to making a version of Sherlock Holmes 3 a while back. Close enough that she’s now glad it didn’t happen. Not because of drama, but because the timing was a mess. They couldn’t get cameras rolling before Jude Law became unavailable, and rather than force it, everyone backed off. Then, like a lot of projects living in development limbo, the pandemic slammed the brakes even harder.
Since then, they’ve kept tinkering with ideas. One concept on the board would take Holmes in a slightly different direction — and by different, Susan means America. Yes, an American-set Sherlock. She’s into it; she also knows that could be a spicy choice. And she’s clear about the bar here: it’s been a long time, expectations are high, and Robert set the standard with the first two films.
- Where it stands: not dead, not greenlit
- They nearly made a version years ago; it fell apart over scheduling (Jude Law) and then COVID happened
- They’ve been workshopping a new angle, potentially set in America
- Susan wants to make it; she’s just not promising it
Inside baseball angle: moving Holmes to the U.S. is bold. Risky? Sure. But if you’re doing a third movie more than a decade later, maybe you swing a little.
Bottom line: the team still wants Sherlock Holmes 3. They just need the timing, the script, and the cast to click at the same moment. Easier said than done, but not impossible. Would you actually want a stateside Holmes? Or has the window closed?