Those who have been waiting for Sherlock Holmes 3 can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The installment is now on its way. But a different director will be bringing it to us. Dexter Fletcher, the director who brought Elton John’s fascinating story to life in Rocketman, just signed on to direct Sherlocks Holmes 3. Variety broke the news this morning that Fletcher is taking over directing duties from Guy Ritchie.
Ritchie previously directed both installments in the series: 2009’s Sherlock Holmes and 2011’s Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Both films were big hits, making more than $500 million each. While the Variety post doesn’t state why Ritchie won’t be returning, there is an interesting link between the two filmmakers. Dexter Fletcher starred in Ritchie’s 1998 directorial debut, Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels.
Fletcher has had hits other than Rocketman. He also took over the reins of Bohemian Rhapsody after Bryan Singer was let go from the project. And he previously directed Rocketman star Taron Egerton in 2015’s Eddie the Eagle.
As far as casting goes, Robert Downey, Jr. will return in the starring role. He’s been talking about Sherlock Holmes 3 since 2016, though his role as Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, has kept him rather busy. But now that the actor has exited the MCU, it frees up more time for this project. Jude Law will also return as Watson, though no other actors have yet been announced. Chris Brancato, who’s written for shows such as Hannibal and Narcos, will be handling the script. Whether this will be based on an existing story from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or an original idea is unclear. But the movie will release on December 21st, 2021.
Rocketman has been critically praised for many things. But Fletcher’s eye for visual flair is one of the most prominent. So any fans lamenting the fact that Ritchie is out should rest easy knowing the franchise is in good hands.
