Now that Robert Downey Jr’s time as Iron Man has come to an end in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it seems like the actor wants to turn his version of Sherlock Holmes from the two Guy Ritchie-directed films – Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows – into the next cinematic universe.
During a keynote chat at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival, Robert Downey Jr and his producing partner and wife, Susan Downey, discussed the possible future of the Sherlock Holmes franchise past the planned third movie instalment featuring spin-off characters.
“At this point, we really feel that there is not a mystery-verse built out anywhere, and Conan Doyle is the definitive voice in that arena, I think, to this day,” he said. “So to me, why do a third movie if you’re not going to be able to spin off into some real gems of diversity and other times and elements?”
“We think there’s an opportunity to build it out more,” Susan added. “Spin-off characters from a third movie, to see what’s going on in the television landscape, to see what Warner Media is starting to build out, things with HBO and HBO Max.”
Susan Downey continued to explain that the inspiration to possibly go down this path was from their time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe working alongside Kevin Feige, however, they don’t want to simply copy what Marvel has already done.
“I do think that the decade of tutelage and observation, what we were both able to have with Marvel, watching them build out and see all the opportunities, was invaluable. It was like a master class. We’re not repeaters, we don’t want to just do what’s been done somewhere else. But I think the model itself has become much more dimensionalized than it was before… It’s also having the right people. Different sensibilities will get you to different places downfield.”
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