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Sherlock is coming back... But not the one you're thinking of

It's the one with the bloke from Avengers in it, if that helps

Sherlock is coming back... But not the one you're thinking of
08 May 2018

Warner Bros has announced another Sherlock Holmes sequel. That’s Sherlock Holmes, not Sherlock. The film series, not the series of film-length TV episodes. Like, the one that started in 2009, not the one that started in 2010. 

The film one. Like, Sherlock Holmes. Not Sherlock.

It’s confusing, isn’t it? Both franchises started around the same time, feature massive stars and reinventing the classic stories. 

Like, the following descriptions apply to both:

  • Based on the Sherlock Holmes books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
  • Shot all over London
  • Starring the guy from Avengers: Infinity War as Sherlock Holmes
  • You know, the good-looking one with the stupid goatee
  • Co-starring one of the stars of Anthony Minghella’s 2006 film Breaking And Entering as Watson
  • No, nor have I
  • Oh hang on, the guy playing Watson is also in the Marvel Universe* and all, as of fairly recently
  • They’re all like really big movie stars, in really big movies
  • It also stars a British comedy icon, both a writer and performer, and an out gay man, as Mycroft
  • And does, like, goofy things to point out Holmes’ lightning-fast brain

What’s actually happening, though, is that a third installment in Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes series, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, has been announced for 2020. So that’s this one:

Not this one:

They don’t make it easy, do they? They’re pretty much dressed the same and all. So many shades of brown. But it’s the one where his lightning-quick brain manifests itself in MMA form rather than glancing at someone’s shoe, getting some on-screen captions and going “Your dad’s name is Alan and he likes fish paste”.

The director hasn’t been announced but it’ll probably be Guy Ritchie again. This follows 2009’s Sherlock Holmes and 2011’s Sherlock Holmes: A Book Of Shadows. The script is being written by Narcos’ Chris Brancato, and the film will open on Christmas Day. 

Also opening that day is Avatar 2, which is fun, as the first Avatar opened the same day as the first Sherlock Holmes. It’s blue-skinned aliens versus handsome sleuths in a dance as old as time.

BRB, off to watch Elementary to confuse everything further.

* Jude Law is going to be in Captain Marvel, which isn’t out until next year, so maybe this one is cheating slightly.

(Pics: Warner Bros, Pixabay, BBC)