Could Robert Downey Jr. Appear In Guy Ritchie's New Sherlock Holmes Series?

Summary Robert Downey Jr.'s involvement in Young Sherlock remains uncertain, but Guy Ritchie's return to the franchise is exciting news.

Young Sherlock has the potential for success if it is connected with Ritchie's previous Sherlock Holmes movies and unique storytelling.

Incorporating elements from Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes movies, like slow-motion voiceovers, could enhance Young Sherlock's appeal and cohesiveness.

Guy Ritchie is at it again with a new Sherlock Holmes adaptation, a TV show called Young Sherlock, but will Robert Downey Jr. be involved? The director was responsible for the Sherlock Holmes movies starring Downey Jr., so the news that he is returning to this franchise is undoubtedly exciting. Ritchie's involvement seems to imply that Young Sherlock will be connected to the popular movies, opening several doors for a more expansive franchise. However, it's still unclear precisely how Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes movies will come into play.

Sherlock Holmes adaptations have become a dime in a dozen, with only a select few being genuinely successful. Guy Ritchie's movies, Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), are among them, which is why the director's return with Young Sherlock makes the upcoming TV show more promising than others that have been announced. The planned Prime Video series will be based on the books of the same name by Andy Lane, which serve as unofficial prequels to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works—but how does this connect to Downey Jr.'s character?

Related Young Sherlock: Confirmation, Cast & Everything We Know Another Sherlock Holmes series is officially in the works from Guy Ritchie, and there's a ton of exciting news about Young Sherlock.

Guy Ritchie's Young Sherlock Prequel Will Star Hero Fiennes Tiffin In the Titular Role (But Robert Downey Jr. Could Cameo)

It's Always Possible That Robert Downey Jr. Could Step In For A Voiceover

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Downey Jr. plays Sherlock Holmes as he was in Doyle's written works, but Young Sherlock will follow a 19-year-old version of the character as he takes on his first mysteries. For this reason, it wouldn't be appropriate for Ritchie's original Sherlock casting to return for the prequel TV show since Downey Jr. is significantly older than the intended character. Instead, the part has gone to Hero Fiennes Tiffin, who recently worked with Ritchie on The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

Young Sherlock could take a leaf out of Young Sheldon's book, and Downey Jr. could serve as the TV show's narrator as an older Sherlock tells audiences about how he became the famed detective as he is known and loved.

It's always possible that Downey Jr. will appear in a cameo role instead, perhaps in flash-forwards to the future. Or, Young Sherlock could take a leaf out of Young Sheldon's book, and Downey Jr. could serve as the TV show's narrator as an older Sherlock tells audiences about how he became the famed detective as he is known and loved. This would create some cohesiveness with Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movies and increase the chance that Young Sherlock would be successful.

How Young Sherlock Can Incorporate The Style Of Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes

Young Sherlock Adopting The Sherlock Holmes Movies' Slow-Motion Voiceover Moments Would Bring Cohesiveness To The Series

Downey Jr. taking on a voiceover role in Young Sherlock would be perfect since his Sherlock Holmes movies already established a similar approach. One of the unique aspects of Ritchie's movies was how they approached combat and Sherlock's moments of deductive reasoning. The characters would shift into slow motion, and Downey Jr.'s voice would play out Sherlock's inner monologue as he planned his next moves of attack or took in the evidence of a scene. It was a unique way to draw attention to the character's higher-than-average intelligence, and it simply looked cool.

If Ritchie hopes to connect Young Sherlock with his films, something similar should be applied to the new TV series. As a prequel, the story could even see Sherlock discover this methodology for the first time as he learns to box or takes in the details of a crime scene. If Downey Jr. is already providing voiceover narration for Young Sherlock, then he could break this down for audiences as well. Once again, it would be a fun way to connect the prequel series with the movies audiences already know and love.

Related Guy Ritchie Just Killed My Hopes For Sherlock Homes 3 Ever Happening Guy Ritchie’s newest Sherlock project is not Sherlock Holmes 3, suggesting a third movie with Robert Downey Jr. isn’t happening anytime soon.

Guy Ritchie's Young Sherlock May Not Be A Direct Prequel To His Sherlock Holmes Movies

Young Sherlock May Stand Independently From Any Other Sherlock Holmes Adaptation

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Of course, it's possible, and even likely, that Young Sherlock will be entirely separate from Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movies. After all, there are few other links between the two aside from the director himself. The series will obviously follow the same protagonist, but it may be that Fiennes Tiffin's character is meant to be just a younger version of the general Sherlock Holmes rather than a young Downey Jr. However, this would take the wind out of the sails of Ritchie's prequel series.

Even without a cameo from Downey Jr., Young Sherlock would be far better received if it was implied that the series is directly related to Ritchie's movies.

Even without a cameo from Downey Jr., Young Sherlock would be far better received if it was implied that the series is directly related to Ritchie's movies. This could be achieved with those slow-motion scenes or even subtle references to some of the adventures that play out in either Sherlock Holmes or Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows. Without this, the upcoming Young Sherlock series would be just another of the many adaptations that are on the way, and it would struggle to stand out from the crowd.