‘Sherlock Holmes 3’ Release Date, Spoilers: ‘Old West’ Setting, Major Time Jump Await in 3rd Film

The production of “Sherlock Holmes 3” has already been confirmed as well as its release date. Other details regarding its plot are still under wraps, but it was recently reported that the third movie might be set in America's Old West. This might also be hinting at a major time jump.

The movie franchise is one of the successful adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle starring Robert Downey Jr. as the titular protagonist and Jude Law as Dr. John Watson. Both actors will reprise their roles in “Sherlock Holmes 3” and HN Entertainment recently reported that the upcoming movie is set in San Francisco, California during the Old West era.

This tiny plot detail alone offers many possibilities for the plot of “Sherlock Holmes 3.” For one, this obviously means that Sherlock and Watson are leaving their usual locations around Europe for a new set of adventures. The same report suggests that the third film might draw plot ideas from Doyle's real-life American inspirations.

The announcement of “Sherlock Holmes 3” was undoubtedly a welcomed surprise among fans as it has been a while since a definitive update was provided. The franchise debuted in 2009 with the first title and was immediately followed by the second film “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” in 2011.

The 2021 release date for “Sherlock Holmes 3” means the third installment follows the second film after a decade. There are speculations that this might also mean the plot will feature a major time jump. /FILM took note of Law's earlier comments about the upcoming movie, “We hope to propel the story forward. As always, the essence of the story is their codependency. We’re going to examine — since it’s been several years since we’ve seen them — we’re going to play up the fact that they haven’t seen each other for a long time either.”

“Sherlock Holmes 3” was supposed to premiere in December 2020. However, Warner Bros. decided to reserve that slot for another movie pushing Downey and Law's flick's release date to Dec. 21, 2021.