The new Netflix film Enola Holmes is the talk of the internet at the moment. And while the story centers around Sherlock Holmes’ younger sister, people can’t help but notice how Henry Cavill’s version of the private detective is so different from what we’ve seen in other incarnations.
There was a time when Jeremy Brett was unrivalled as the best version of the character. Then came Benedict Cumberbatch’s modern and quirky Sherlock, and alongside it the witty Robert Downey Jr. in the film series. Now, the genius crime fighting investigator has once again graced the screens with his mad deductions skills. Only this time, Henry Cavill, the actor known for playing the Man of Steel in the DCEU and Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher, has taken up the mantle. Or more precisely, the deerstalker and the overcoat.
What’s more, this particular version is merely a supporting character to his sister Enola, played by Millie Bobby Brown. Even so, it looks as though fans have fallen head over heels in love with Cavill’s portrayal, a Sherlock Holmes who’s ironically not the primary focus of the narrative.
Cavill himself apparently worked hard to make the role his own, though, and give us a unique take on one of the world’s greatest fictional detectives, with the actor explaining:
“Harry Bradbeer (director) and I spent a lot of time talking about me, talking about my experiences, talking about my relationships with my family,” he revealed in a recent interview. “My brothers and sisters, my hopes and my dreams. And then he found certain key characteristics in me that he wanted to really apply for the character of Sherlock [based on] the relationships with various people I’ve had in my life.”
In the same interview, conducted by Hollywood Access, Cavill noted that he perfected this version of Sherlock Holmes through trial and error on set, saying:
“Initially, there was a lot more in the way of emotional stuff coming out because it was digging deep into my own personal stuff. And we pared it back. What we were left with behind was an emotionally connected Sherlock, but only emotionally connected with one person. And that was Enola. And I loved building that part of the character. He’s still this eccentric, odd, weird, aloof genius detective, as far as the outside world – as far as anyone else—is concerned, but his relationship with Enola is very specific and very unique.”
These efforts certainly seem to have paid off, as Enola Holmes is currently the #1 movie on Netflix in 78 countries and continues to break records worldwide.