'The ball's in his court': RDJ takes charge, but where's Sherlock Holmes 3?

In the realm of filmic folklore, no tale has been quite as elusive as the ever-promised third installment of Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr. Once a box-office titan, "the ball's in his court," says Guy Ritchie, who helmed the franchise's earlier films. But despite the fervor, where's the film?

Guy Ritchie practically did the moonwalk out of the Sherlock Holmes 3 project, as reported by Collider. "I've moonwalked out of that until there's a time for me to get involved," the director stated candidly. Having steered the franchise with verve and vigor, his exit could only mean one thing: Ritchie's done what he can and the rest is up to Downey.

Director Dexter Fletcher, slated to take the helm for the third film, echoed a widespread sentiment in another Collider interview. "I do think it will get made," he proclaimed. "The appetite is huge for it." Fletcher remains optimistic despite the pandemic throwing plans into disarray.

Last year, Downey Jr. declared intentions to expand the Sherlock Holmes universe with multiple HBO Max spinoffs. Whether these spinoffs would include Downey’s iconic portrayal of the detective remains as mysterious as one of Holmes’ own cases. Nonetheless, it's clear that the actor has Sherlock-sized plans, even if Sherlock Holmes 3 remains in limbo.

So, what's the verdict? Time will tell whether this highly-anticipated sequel will ever emerge from development hell. As fans hold their breath and Robert Downey Jr. holds the reins, the destiny of Sherlock Holmes 3 remains, fittingly, an unsolved mystery.

Disclaimer: Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.