Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s hero, Sherlock Holmes, is one of the greatest icons in modern popular culture, having even inspired comic book heroes, and his stories have been adapted countless times into films and TV shows. One of the most original approaches – alongside Guy Ritchie’s movies – was the BBC’s Sherlock, which placed the legendary tales in a 21st-century setting. This wouldn’t have worked as well without Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, the stars in the lead roles. And it wouldn’t work now either, so fans are eager for their return. However, Cumberbatch would only participate if the script for a sequel surpasses the previous seasons, and if he gets the script on time, meaning there won't be a chaotic production. Of course, he also mentioned the importance of that pesky paycheck!
In an interview with Variety (also available in video format), Cumberbatch discussed Sherlock, which he admittedly feels less enthusiastic about these days, given that he achieved even greater fame as Doctor Strange. However, he said he would love to work with Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss, and Freeman again. But there are conditions:
"A lot of money. Seriously, it has to be better than ever. We expect that from the audience or ourselves, to finish something in a way that leaves us wanting more. There's always something that keeps us up at night, but I believe any continuation should exceed what we’ve already accomplished with the series. And we’ll need a script that I can really sink my teeth into. Because, fundamentally, that’s not how it worked when we made the series. Of course, Steven and Mark are both reliable 'entities,' and I was just very excited when I received a script from them. But I think if we all dive back into this, we should do it a little differently – let’s read the script first!"
Cumberbatch also recalled a fan event in Australia from the time Sherlock first launched, where he saw how passionate the fans were, but also knew that he didn’t want to be forever boxed into the master detective role because of that enthusiasm. By bringing up this story, he sent a renewed message to viewers, reaffirming his stance:
"I know you love Sherlock, but if you can follow me, listen up now: I’m not always going to play the same role. I won’t always be the Benedict you expect. You might not like some of my performances in the future. Maybe one day you’ll find me sweet, even adorable – other times, I might be repulsive and untouchable. But I want to push my boundaries and surprise both myself and you."
Sherlock had four seasons, and its final episode had relatively weak viewership. Despite that, the creators are still open to continuing the show. Last year, Moffat even came up with an idea for how to bring the modern-day master detective’s story back to life after all these years.
