This article will be discussing the recent interview by Fast Company’s Stephanie Mehta of Team Down (Robert Downey Jr and Susan Downey). You can find the interview here or the Fast Company article here with the highlights.
A quick summary of the conversation is Team Downey has its sites on expanding their company to a major production studio. They have successfully created HBO’s Perry Mason, which already is renewed for a second season, and are now working on a third Sherlock Holmes film expected late 2021. Their next step is an MCU like Cinematic Universe around Sherlock Holmes.
“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. 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?”
Robert Downey Jr in Fast Company Interview
This immediately brings into question, who would get their own movie? We have some of the immediate Sherlock-family and some of the era that could carry their own film.
Irene Adler
Adler has a romantic past with Sherlock and can often match him in wit. She is often portrayed as a globe-trotting agent of unseen powers. She could be a Victorian-era James Bond. Saving the British Empire from enemy after enemy.
Jim Moriarty
Moriarty is one of the most notorious villains in fiction. He is the only true challenge to Sherlock’s intelligence and has bested him time and time again. We could follow a young Jim as he evolves into a shadow puppet master. This rise to power would be similar to Scarface or Breaking Bad.
Dr. John Watson
Watson is more than a sidekick, especially in recent adaptations. Early on he was simply the person in the room that Sherlock would talk “at” but recently he has been flushed out as a war hero and excellent doctor that lived a life of adventure before arriving at 221B Baker Street. Let’s explore the life of John Watson as a brave soldier of the Britsh military.
Jack the Ripper
The first not in the Sherlock family, Jack the Ripper is an infamous serial killer of the late 19th Century. His identity is still unknown so outside of his name and crimes, the rest is wide open. We could have an American Psycho type story that leads to him coming face to face with Holmes and Watson.
Nikola Tesla
Tesla has a fandom that is stronger now than ever before. He is seen as the genius that was squashed by the money-hungry Thomas Edison. There is a bit of fact and fiction in that story but we could see a version of Tesla that thrives in this world. Perhaps he’s an inventor that creates tools for the others or maybe someone that Sherlock needs assistance from. Using Nikola Tesla in a film is guaranteed to spark interest from many fans around the world.
We will have to see where Team Downey wants to take their Sherlock Holmes Universe. It’s too early to make any certain calls. But there are many opportunities to bring smaller characters to the limelight.
Geek Freaks Network 
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