Fans are expected to have a long wait to get a fifth season of Sherlock, which has been variously discussed since the fourth run of the show ended in 2017. The BBC and star Benedict Cumberbatch have been pretty cautious in the past about committing to any definite plans, and this still seems to be the case, at least according to a new interview with the actor. However, there does appear to be some hope for a return, if everything needed comes together at the right moment.
Speaking to Collider as part of the press junket for The Courier, Cumberbatch had this to say about Sherlock‘s future:
“I’m the worst person to ask on this because I never say never, obviously. But I don’t know. And I’m the worst person to ask because my slate’s pretty, pretty full at the moment, as is Martin [Freeman, Watson] and all the other key players involved. So, who knows? Maybe one day, if the script’s right. And I say ‘the script,’ maybe it could be a film rather than the series. Who knows? But anyway, not for now.”
While the comment on a potential movie is intriguing, the references to his busy schedule, which includes Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, emphasize just how difficult it is to carve out a slot for shooting. As well as the MCU, for which he’s also guesting in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the 44-year-old is currently in working on The Electrical Life of Louis Wain and The Power of the Dog.
Indeed, scheduling has traditionally been a complicating factor in getting Sherlock in front of the cameras, with it taking around seven years to make thirteen episodes. In addition to Cumberbatch, co-star Martin Freeman is regularly booked up for roles, while creators Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat are usually occupied with other projects. Still, given some of the mixed reception for Sherlock‘s last outing, “The Final Problem,” it would be good to see the series aim for the heights it often reached in earlier runs.
For now, though, we’ll keep tracking the occasional comments from the producers and the cast, who have also floated the idea of another one-off special, which is likely the most reasonable option considering the commitment of a full season or the cost of a feature-length picture. In any case, with Cumberbatch never completely ruling out the prospect of new Sherlock, we’ll just have to be patient until he and Freeman can both find a way of getting to a set at the same time.