In only a few months’ time, British thesp Benedict Cumberbatch will be stepping into the shoes of a visionary genius capable of achieving extraordinary feats deemed impossible by the Average Joe – and no, we’re not talking about Doctor Strange.
We are, of course, referring to Sherlock Holmes, the famed sleuth who is being readied for a return in early 2017. “The Abominable Bride” notwithstanding, season 4 will mark the first reunion of Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman (John Watson) in over two years and given the nail-biting conclusion of season 3, it’s little wonder why excitement is beginning to reach a fever-pitch.
Yes, the Sherlock format may be defined by its gripping trifecta of 90-minute episodes, but few series arrest attention so brilliantly, and in such a short period of time. But time marches on, and while chatting to Variety, Benedict Cumberbatch fuelled speculation that the show’s fourth season will be its last, even comparing it to the “end of an era.”
“It might be the end of an era. It feels like the end of an era, to be honest. It goes to a place where it will be pretty hard to follow on immediately. We never say never on the show. I’d love to revisit it, I’d love to keep revisiting it, I stand by that, but in the immediate future we all have things that we want to crack on with and we’ve made something very complete as it is, so I think we’ll just wait and see.”
It’s by no means the first time that those involved in BBC’s stealth opus have contemplated the seemingly oncoming conclusion. Due to the stacked schedules of both Freeman and Cumberbatch, series co-creator Steven Moffat conceded that season 4 could well herald Sherlock‘s curtain call. All will be revealed in time, of course, but expect further details to emerge closer to the show’s return.
Sherlock season 4 will open with the premiere of “The Six Thatchers” and “The Dying Detective” in early 2017. If you’re pining for more Cumberbatch, look no further than Doctor Strange. It’ll open Stateside on November 4.