If Robert Downey Jr. & Jude Law’s Sherlock Holmes 3 Doesn’t Happen, At Least We’re Getting The Next Best Thing

Even if Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law’s Sherlock Holmes 3 movie does not happen, Guy Ritchie’s new Young Sherlockseries could be the next best thing. Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies, featuring Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock and Jude Law as Watson, were both commercially successful and received mostly positive critical responses. However, 14 years after the second film's release in 2011, Sherlock Holmes 3remains in development hell, and it currently looks unlikely that Guy Ritchie will complete his Sherlock Holmes trilogy.

That being said, there are plenty of upcoming movies and shows about Sherlock Holmes, and they all offer something new and interesting about the world-famous detective's story. Netflix’s Enola Holmes 3 movie starring Millie Bobby Brown, The CW’s Sherlock & Daughter series, and CBS’ Watson series will mean that fans of the prolific Arthur Conan Doyle detective will not be left wanting. Also anticipated is Guy Ritchie’s new Sherlock-related project, the Amazon Prime series called Young Sherlock, as it is an ideal replacement for Richie's Sherlock Holmes 3.

Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock Is The Perfect Replacement For Sherlock Holmes 3

Sherlock Holmes 3’s Delays Leaves Ample Room For Guy Ritchie’s Replacement

Guy Ritchie’s Young Sherlock will be an eight-episode series released on Amazon Prime Video, based on Andrew Lane’s books of the same name, and will follow a younger version of the consulting detective. Guy Ritchie's TV show is the perfect replacement for a third Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes movie. With Guy Ritchie no longer attached as director for Sherlock Holmes 3, even if it does get made, Young Sherlock will be Ritchie’s opportunity to continue his Sherlock adaptations outside of the films.

Furthermore, the 14-year delay for Sherlock Holmes 3 has meant many have given up hope of the trilogy being completed. Jude Law did issue an encouraging script update for Sherlock Holmes 3in late 2024, showing that there’s still interest in the project. However, with Robert Downey Jr. rejoining the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it looks like the actor’s schedule will be full, which was the main reason why the Sherlock Holmes trilogy was put on hold in the first place. With such an unsure future for the SherlockHolmes movie franchise, it makes sense Guy Ritchie has moved on to other projects.

No, Young Sherlock Is Not A Prequel To Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Homes Duology

Young Sherlock Will Follow A Different Version Of The Detective

Young Sherlock isn't a prequel to Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies, despite having the same director and a similar inspiration. A basic synopsis reveals that Young Sherlock will follow a 19-year-old Sherlock at Oxford University, where he finds himself involved in a life-changing murder mystery. The series has aged up the 14-year-old Sherlock from Andrew Lane’s novels, showing slight deviations from the story, but further story details are scarce. The premise seems closest to Lane’s seventh novel, Stone Cold, which was released in 2014, but it may not be a direct adaptation. Read the full synopsis below:

At age 19, Sherlock Holmes is disgraced, raw, unfiltered, and unformed, when he finds himself caught up in a murder mystery at Oxford University which threatens his freedom. Diving into his first-ever case with a wild lack of discipline, Sherlock manages to unravel a globe-trotting conspiracy that will change his life forever.

Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies followed the detective in 1890, which is a similar timeline to Andrew Lane’s novels. Despite this, the two Guy Ritchie projects will apparently not be connected. While Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law’s movies were originally inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes book series, Young Sherlock will focus on the noncanonical, Sherlock-inspired series written by Lane. However, it remains to be seen just how faithful an adaptation of the novels Young Sherlock will be.

Young Sherlock Can Be A Spiritual Successor To Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes Movies

Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes Adaptations Will Live On

Despite not being an official prequel to the Sherlock Holmes movies, as they are set in completely different universes and stem from separate origin material, Young Sherlock can still be a spiritual successor to Guy Ritchie’s films. Under the same director, both Sherlock Holmes projects can encompass a similar feel and tone, which makes Young Sherlock the next best thing to another Sherlock Holmes movie by Guy Ritchie, especially as he’s left the project. This will only be made more apparent if Guy Ritchie applies the same action from the Robert Downey Jr. movies to the Young Sherlock show.

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Best known for his gangster movies, it’s surprising that Sherlock Holmes is one of Guy Ritchie’s best movies. At the time, he had rarely stepped outside the gangster comedy genre, yet the decision to hire Ritchie to direct the big-budget adaptation of Sherlock Holmes was a great one, as he turned an existing IP into a box office success. Therefore, it’s a shame that we won’t see the director return for Sherlock Holmes 3, but if Young Sherlockis as good as his other projects and his previous Sherlock adaptation, then the Amazon show will be the next best thing.