- Primary Subject: The long-delayed development of Sherlock Holmes 3, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.
- Key Update: Screenwriter Christ Brancato officially confirmed that a brand-new script draft for Sherlock Holmes 3 is fully completed, though production remains stalled due to Robert Downey Jr.'s busy Marvel schedule.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: July 8, 2026
- Quick Answer: Sherlock Holmes 3 has a completed script draft by Chris Brancato, but filming is delayed due to Robert Downey Jr.'s current Marvel commitments.
The game is afoot once more, or at least the paperwork for it is. After nearly 15 years of trapped development, false starts, and scheduling conflicts, the highly anticipated third installment of Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes franchise has finally taken a major step forward.
Sherlock Holmes 3 Writer Casts Latest Update on RDJ's Long-Awaited Sequel
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In March 2019, the studio first confirmed that the sequel's release date would be pushed to December 22, 2021, which would have marked a full decade since the release of its predecessor, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. However, plans didn't go through. The franchise has remained stuck in development limbo since.
Now, in a recent interview with The Direct, Brancato confirmed two things: the screenwriter (Narcos) has breathed new life into the stagnant franchise by confirming a completed draft of the Sherlock Holmes 3 script is locked and ready, and that the only thing stopping them from filming is Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom comeback in the MCU.
Brancato said, "Robert has a very, very busy schedule, so I'm hopeful that it will get made. But you know, we have to wait and see how things shake out. You just never know with movies."
What Sherlock Holmes 3 Could Be About After A Game of Shadows
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The ending of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows famously concluded with Holmes faking his death during a fatal plunge over the Reichenbach Falls alongside Professor Moriarty.
The final scene teased his survival, showing a camouflaged Holmes sneaking into Dr. John Watson's office to leave a subtle clue on Watson's typewriter.
With Brancato's script officially under wraps, the narrative for Sherlock Holmes 3 is expected to leap forward in time to account for the real-life aging of its lead actors.
Rather than picking up immediately after the falls, the threequel could focus on an older, more cerebral Holmes and Watson reuniting after years of separation.
Without heavily relying on the fast-paced action sequences that defined Guy Ritchie's original films, the new script reportedly moves toward a tighter, more traditional mystery. Stay tuned!
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