Robert Downey Jr. & Jude Law's Sherlock Holmes 3 Can Do A Much Better Version Of The Story That Ruined BBC's Sherlock
As rumors about Sherlock Holmes 3 continue, so do talks about the potential stories it could cover, and if it does happen, Robert Downey Jr’s Holmes can do a much better version of the story that ruined the BBC’s Sherlock. The Great Detective’s stories and accompanying characters have been adapted to all types of media for over a century, and on the big screen, one of the most successful and popular adaptations was Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies, starring Robert Downey Jr. as the famous detective.
Released in 2009, Sherlock Holmes follows Downey Jr’s Holmes and Jude Law’s John Watson as they go after serial killer Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong). Sherlock Holmes was a critical and commercial success, making way for a sequel also directed by Ritchie, titled Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. The sequel sees Holmes facing his archenemy, Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris), leading to one of the biggest moments from the books: Holmes’ “death.” Now, with Sherlock Holmes 3 potentially happening, it can make a much better version of Holmes’ return, which is what ruined the BBC’s Sherlock.
Sherlock Holmes 3 Can Handle Sherlock's Return From The Dead Better Than The BBC Show Did
Sherlock Holmes 3 Can Do Justice To One Of Holmes’ Most Important Moments
At the end of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Holmes meets Moriarty on a balcony in Switzerland, where they reveal their plans to each other. Both know they will end up in a fight, and they also know Moriarty has the upper hand due to Holmes’ injured shoulder. However, as Moriarty threatens to kill Watson and his wife, Mary (Kelly Reilly), Holmes grabs Moriarty and drags him over the balcony, with the two falling to their deaths into the Reichenbach Falls as Watson witnesses the scene.
However, and just like in the books, it’s revealed in the final scene of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows that Holmes survived and just faked his death, as he appears after concealing himself in Watson’s office. Sherlock Holmes 3, then, would have to cover the proper return of Holmes in both his professional and personal lives, and it can do so a lot better than the BBC’s Sherlock did. In the show, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Holmes was forced by Andrew Scott’s Moriarty to kill himself by jumping off the roof of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in front of Martin Freeman’s Watson.
The return itself wasn’t bad – the problem was that it was never explained how Holmes faked his death.
Holmes made his return in the first episode of Sherlock’s season 3, and though the return itself wasn’t bad, the problem was that it was never explained how Holmes faked his death. Even worse, Sherlock made fun of fan theories and the fanbase itself, and never addressed the mystery of Holmes’ fake death again. Sherlock Holmes 3 can learn from this and provide a proper answer to how Holmes survived and what he has been up to, without using its fanbase for laughs.
Sherlock’s Return Was The Beginning Of The BBC Show’s Downfall After Two Fantastic Seasons
Sherlock Wasn’t The Same After The Reichenbach Fall
The BBC’s Sherlock was a modern version of Holmes, his cases, and the many characters accompanying him, and its first two seasons were a big success. The blend of classic Holmes elements and traits with the modern setting and technology made an engaging adaptation, but the show didn’t really know what to do after Holmes’ fake death. It’s not just that Sherlock completely ignored the biggest question left by “The Reichenbach Fall” (which is how he faked his death), but also the show’s tone became uneven, and the cases were hard to follow and believe.
Sherlock season 4 was even messier with the introduction of Holmes’ sister, Eurus, a criminal mastermind even more dangerous than Moriarty and with the most convoluted plan in the whole series. Holmes’ return could have been interesting and fun had Sherlock known how to handle it, but Sherlock Holmes 3 can learn from this and make a much better, engaging, and believable return for the Great Detective.
While plot details are unknown, Sherlock Holmes 3 will be the third installment in the Sherlock Holmes franchise, starring Roberty Downey Jr. and Jude Law as the titular detective and his sidekick Dr. Watson. Although the first two films were directed by Guy Ritchie, Dexter Fletcher is set to replace Ritchie in the role of director for the third. The film may pick up where the events of the second film left off, finally answering the question of how Holmes survived his fall from the Reichenbach Falls with Professor Moriarty, as teased at the end of the previous film.
