Warner Bros. and HBO are hard at work creating a narrative universe that revolves around Sherlock Holmesthe famous detective invented by writer Arthur Conan Doyle: two different TV series are currently in development, designed to be streamed on HBO Max. Robert Downey Jr.who portrayed Holmes on the big screen, is present as an executive producer on the two shows.
The narrative universe of Sherlock Holmes
Details are scarce at the moment and it is unclear how the new TV series are interconnected. Analysts agree, however, in saying that they will have to be in some way: for years the large production companies have been aiming to field shared narrative universes, which are capable of containing different products, television as well as film. The model, it goes without saying, is the well-established one of the Marvel superheroes.
It is reasonable to assume that Warner and HBO are aiming for the same thing. Also because they are already doing it in other cases: see the television spin-off of ‘Suicide Squad’ (‘Peacemaker’), the one dedicated to Colin Farrell’s Penguin, born from the recent ‘The Batman’, and also see the prequels of the ‘ Game of Thrones’. In short, if once the big studios aimed at film trilogies, today ambitious projects include films and TV series, in potentially unlimited numbers and with various interconnections.
Will Robert Downey Jr. also be an actor?
To start off on the right foot, these macro projects need a nice initial push: for its part, Sherlock Holmes brings with it an indestructible charm and the fact of being the literary character who has been repeatedly brought to small and large screens. There are over 75 actors who have played him in the story. A further element of strength, in view of a shared narrative universe, would be represented by Robert Downey Jr. present as an actor and not just as a television producer. For this reason there are those who hypothesize his involvement even in front of the camera: however, confirmations are lacking, because all those directly involved keep their mouths sewn together.