The Perfect Prime Video Replacement For RDJ’s Sherlock Holmes 3

While the wait for Robert Downey Jr.’s Sherlock Holmes 3 continues, Prime Video now has its official replacement. Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes is one of the most popular literary characters ever, and he and his stories have been adapted to all types of media for decades.

On the big screen, one of the most successful and popular Sherlock Holmes adaptations are Guy Ritchie’s movies: Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Starring Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as Dr. Watson, Ritchie’s movies are a perfect blend of action, mystery, and black domedy.

A third Sherlock Holmes movie has been in development for years, but there’s now a perfect replacement for it on Prime Video: Young Sherlock. Based on Andrew Lane’s book series of the same name, and with Ritchie among its executive producers, Young Sherlock is very fitting with the world of his Sherlock Holmes movies.

Is Young Sherlock A Prequel To Robert Downey Jr’s Sherlock Holmes Movies?

As the title says, Young Sherlock goes back in time to explore the younger years of the famous detective. That said, Young Sherlock focuses on a 19-year-old Sherlock Holmes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) at Oxford University, where he meets brilliant student James Moriarty (Dónal Finn), with whom he quickly bonds, and Chinese Princess Shou’An (Zine Tseng).

When Sherlock is framed for the murder of an Oxford professor, and with his freedom at risk, he and James set out to clear his name and find out who is behind the murder. However, their investigation leads to other, connected mysteries that take them on a journey beyond Oxford to uncover a deadly conspiracy and dark family secrets.

Young Sherlock is set in the Victorian era, which fits Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original stories and could easily make it a prequel to Robert Downey Jr.’s Sherlock Holmes movies. However, Young Sherlock and Ritchie’s movies, despite their similarities, are different worlds and versions of Sherlock Holmes, and so far, there’s no actual confirmation of them being part of the same universe.

Young Sherlock Is The Perfect Replacement For RDJ’s Sherlock Holmes 3

Despite not being set in the same universe, Young Sherlock now serves as the perfect replacement for Robert Downey Jr.’s third Sherlock Holmes movie. Ritchie’s take on the Great Detective stood out for infusing a good dose of action into Holmes’ cases – while Conan Doyle’s stories do have some action here and there, Ritchie gave the detective exciting action scenes.

Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies stood out for his signature visual style, with fast-paced, stylish editing, occasional (and justified) freeze frames, a gritty atmosphere, dark comedy, and complex mysteries that lead to others and the uncovering of bigger secrets. All these elements are present in Young Sherlock, with an honorable mention to the way the show portrays Sherlock’s thought process.

Young Sherlock has great, perfectly choreographed action scenes that fit where the character is in his life. This Sherlock isn’t a skilled fighter yet, like Downey Jr.’s version, and he learns a lot from James, while James learns a lot from Sherlock in terms of deduction. These rough edges are present throughout Young Sherlock season 1, but there’s also character development in both its protagonists.

Young Sherlock doesn’t forget about drama and emotional charge, as there’s a lot to unpack with the Holmes family, with Sherlock’s mother in a mental institution and his father being mostly absent since the death of Sherlock’s younger sister. Perhaps Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies weren’t that heavy on drama, but Young Sherlock finds a perfect balance between action, drama, and comedy.

While many would expect a third Sherlock Holmes movie with Downey Jr. and Law in the lead, Young Sherlock is a perfect replacement that shows the beginnings of Sherlock as a detective, his friendship with Moriarty, the beginning of the latter’s villainous turn, and the events that shaped their future, opposing careers.

What’s Going On With Sherlock Holmes 3?

In 2009, Guy Ritchie brought Sherlock Holmes, taking the audience to 1890 London to meet the title detective and his best friend and partner, Dr. John Watson. Holmes is already a well-known detective, who stands out for his incredible deduction skills and wide knowledge of several different topics – but he’s also known for not being very socially skilled.

Sherlock Holmes sees the Great Detective and Watson investigating the crimes and death of Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), a serial killer who claims to have supernatural powers and practices dark magic. Also part of the story is Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), Holmes’ former adversary and with whom he’s secretly fascinated.

Of course, Moriarty is also part of the story, but he doesn’t make his official appearance until the sequel. Two years later, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows was released, and it had a bigger and more complex mystery waiting to be solved. A Game of Shadows sees Holmes and Watson uncovering a bigger plan designed by Moriarty (Jared Harris), with the help of fortune-teller Madame Simza (Noomi Rapace).

A Game of Shadows ends with the famous Moriarty vs Holmes confrontation at Reichenbach Falls, with Holmes seemingly falling to his death, only to be revealed to be alive and watching Watson very closely. Despite the critical and commercial success of Sherlock Holmes and A Game of Shadows, and the cliffhanger ending of the latter, Sherlock Holmes 3 has taken too long to happen.

Sherlock Holmes 3 was announced in 2011, and though Ritchie was originally set to return as director, he was replaced by Dexter Fletcher in 2021. Since 2011, Sherlock Holmes 3 has gone through many rewrites and delays, though the project is said to still be a priority. At the time of writing, there have been no substantial updates on the development of Sherlock Holmes 3.

Young Sherlock Will Hopefully Have A Better Fate Than RDJ’s Sherlock

While I don’t lose hope in Sherlock Holmes 3 happening someday, as everyone involved has shown interest in making it happen, at the moment it’s a lot more likely that Young Sherlock will have a much better fate. Young Sherlock got great reviews before its release, and though it hasn’t been renewed for a second season yet, its future is already looking bright.

Young Sherlock perfectly sets up a second season, and with the early praise it got from critics, the show is on its way to also being a hit with general audiences and climbing to the top of Prime Video’s chart. It’s unlikely Young Sherlock won’t get renewed for a second season, so an official renewal could come before the summer of 2026.

What’s a bit harder to predict right now is when Young Sherlock season 2 could be released, but it will surely arrive before Sherlock Holmes 3 enters production. The future of Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies is unclear, but that of Young Sherlock is a lot brighter.