Robert Downey Jr. is teaming up with Lionel Wigram once again to produce a new Sherlock Holmes story, this time as a TV series for HBO Max.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed today that HBO Max currently has two scripted interpretations of Sherlock Holmes in the works, both produced by Robery Downey Jr. and his wife Susan Downey under their production company banner, Team Downey. Lionel Wigram, who also produced 2009's Sherlock Holmes and 2011's Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, featuring Downey Jr.'s Holmes, will co-produce alongside Team Downey.
The report revealed no details on the premise of either series or their interconnectedness, nor is it clear if these series replace the long-awaited Sherlock Holmes 3 or if we've seen the last of Downey Jr.'s interpretation of the legendary sleuth. Both series are in the early stages of development, with no casting, writing or other attachments revealed. Warner Bros. Television-backed HBO Max is the natural streaming service to air the series on, as Warner Bros. Studios produced the Downey Jr. led films, and Team Downey has a deal with HBO and produces its network show, Perry Mason.
News of two series doesn't come entirely as a surprise. A couple of years ago, Downey Jr. expressed interest in creating a Sherlock Holmes Cinematic Universe à la the Marvel Cinematic Universe. "At this point, we really feel that there is not a mystery-verse built out anywhere, and Conan Doyle is the definitive voice in that arena, I think, to this day," Downey Jr said Fast Company's Innovation Festival in 2020. "So to me, why do a third movie if you're not going to be able to spin off into some real gems of diversity and other times and elements?"
Susan Downey continued that thread and expressed interest already in the possibility of a television series through HBO MAX. "We think there's an opportunity to build it out more," she said. "Spinoff characters from a third movie, to see what's going on in the television landscape, to see what WarnerMedia is starting to build out, things with HBO and HBO Max."
Talk of a third film began as early as October 2011, when Warner Bros. announced Drew Pearce would be writing the script, though a few years later, it was announced James Coyne would now pen Sherlock Holmes 3. Over the next few years, Sherlock Holmes 3 continued to get delayed and its actual development status remained uncertain.
No potential release date has been announced for either series.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter