There is no official word for now on when “Sherlock” season 4 will air though a recent dish by star Benedict Cumberbatch may have sent mixed signals on the future of the franchise. In fact, it could be his last run portraying the fictional character.
Cumberbatch was speaking to Deadline recently where he called the coming season something like ‘an end to an era’. Going through the transcripts, it seems that Cumberbatch was ready to play out his role on “Sherlock”, something that may be tied up to his various commitments.
"Sherlock" Season 4 end dish is nothing new
As mentioned in a previous interview with GQ, the recent comments of Cumberbatch for “Sherlock” season 4 may hardly come as a surprise. For those following Cumberbatch, everyone knows that he is set to spend a lot of time over at Marvel Studios for “Doctor Strange” which debuts on Nov. 4.
Looking beyond that, Cumberbatch will likely be inserted in other Marvel films – especially the “Avengers” where “Civil War” is ongoing. Shooting alone is bound to eat up his time and such could hinder him from fulfilling commitments to “Sherlock” moving forward.
Who will replace Benedict Cumberbatch?
Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss may be left with a couple of options assuming that this will indeed be Cumberbatch’s last season on “Sherlock”. One is that they find a replacement and the other is ending the show altogether.
Finding a replacement for “Cumberbatch” on “Sherlock” will be risky. Other TV shows have tried and hardly coped up. As far as closing the series, this will likely be the last resort in the event that “Sherlock” loses its luster in the rating game.
For now, the dilemma on Cumberbatch has not risen to feverish levels though Moffat and Gratis are likely weighing their options. Regardless, watch out for “Sherlock” which is set to come out on New Year’s Day 2017.
