Sherlock Holmes 3 at one point had a release date of December 22, 2021. However, COVID prevented the movie from going into production on that date.
In the past months, there have been rumors that Downey wants Johnny Depp to star in the third Sherlock Holmes film.
Upon closer examination, this rumor appears to be false. The story is based on an old one, and it has since become less likely to be true based on subsequent developments. Here are the reasons why the claim is not true – and the source of it.
Reasons Why Johnny Depp is Unlikely to Appear in Sherlock Holmes 3
There are many publications reporting on the rumor. In August 2020, a story in the National Enquirer led to the Sherlock Holmes 3 Johnny Depp feature rumor.
According to the article, an unnamed source stated, “Johnny and Robert have a very special 30-year relationship that dates back to both of their days as eccentric Hollywood hell-raisers…Robert thinks Johnny deserves the same chance to redeem himself that he had.”
It would be extremely difficult for any other publication to verify this quote as it comes from an anonymous source, as the Enquirer is not always the most trustworthy publication.
An article in the New Yorker stated: “The Enquirer‘s covers invariably include statements about celebrities that are deeply misleading, if libel-law-compliant, as well as claims about politicians that are outright lies.”
No Sherlock Holmes 3 Production Currently
According to the series director, no work is currently being done on the film.
Production has been suspended indefinitely since fall 2020. Dexter Fletcher in a Celebrity Catch Up interview said Sherlock Holmes 3 is “sitting on the back burner at the moment.”
There is no way to cast Depp in a film that is at an uncertain point. Meanwhile, Depp is unlikely to star in Sherlock Holmes 3 even if Warner Bros. decides to make it. Depp was removed from the Fantastic Beasts franchise after all by Warner Bros. And if they deem him too problematic for that franchise, then they likely won’t consider him for another unless something drastic changes.
Should things change, Depp may appear in his friend’s movie at some point in the future. However, it does not appear that Depp is planning to return to Hollywood anytime soon. Depp’s only upcoming credit on IMDB sees him appear as King Louis XV in a French historical drama.
