Thanks to a series of reboots and innovations, the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, created by Arthur Conan Doyle, remains as relevant as ever. This trend is set to continue with planned Sherlock Holmes spin-offs starring Robert Downey Jr. and a second Enola Holmes movie. But what is it exactly that keeps this literary classic in the spotlight?
Sherlock Holmes innovations
There have been countless movies and TV series about the London sleuth, such as Sherlock, which appeared on PBS and starred Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Dr. Watson.
In addition, we have also seen innovative products in other areas of the entertainment industry. For example, Sherlock Holmes Chapter One, an action-adventure video game, gives players the opportunity to go on a crime investigation adventure as a 21-year-old Holmes. The crime-solving sleuth has also inspired the iGaming industry, with slots like Holmes & the Stolen Stones. The major appeal of Holmes-themed slots is not only the association with the popular fictional detective, but also the fact that players can try out the games with free spins. In a more niche area of the gaming industry, there are even several Holmes-themed board games, the most popular being Sherlock Holmes Consultant Detective.
Clearly, the popularity of Sherlock Holmes has played a significant role in the success of these innovations. These innovations have introduced Holmes to new audiences and keep fans coming back for more. Sherlock Holmes first appeared in the novel A Study in Scarlet in 1887 and over 135 years later, there are no signs of interest in Sherlock Holmes abating with rumors of HBO Max spinoffs created by Robert Downey Jr. HBO Max is also behind the Japanese series Miss Sherlock, which features Holmes and Watson being played by women.
Female leads bring Holmes storylines into the 21st century
And it is these innovations featuring female crime fighters in prominent roles that are driving the popularity of Sherlock Holmes in the 21st century. The American drama series Elementary was a contemporary reboot of the original, featuring Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson alongside Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock. She was the first female Watson and the concept was a commercial and critical success.
Rob Doherty, the creator of the series, revealed that when he was researching the original characters, he discovered that various experts had written psychological reports of Holmes, and one revealed the fictional detective had a strong dislike of women: “I thought to myself, ‘What would make Holmes crazier than taking the figurative rock he has in Watson and making him a woman?’ I scribbled it down and then went back to my research. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to try it.”
The Sherlock Holmes innovations have continued with Enola Holmes, a 2020 Netflix movie based on The Enola Holmes Mysteries: The Case of the Missing Marquess by the American author Nancy Springer. Enola, played by the English actress Millie Bobby Brown, is the sister of Sherlock, who is portrayed by Henry Cavill. The budding detective outsmarts her older brother, subverting the traditional storyline of Sherlock Holmes solving the mystery. The movie was such a success that Enola Holmes 2 will be released on Netflix in 2022.
Stories involving Sherlock Holmes continue to thrill audiences and modern reboots featuring female leads have given a new lease of life to the detective stories. Interest in the sleuth remains unabated as the fascinating adventures are rediscovered by new fans.