Whether he’s painfully bored in quarantine or just nostalgic for his career from two years ago, Robert Downey Jr. has found a new outlet for his creative energy: turning Sherlock Holmes into an MCU-style cinematic/maybe-also-TV universe. Speaking during a panel at the Fast Company Innovation Festival, Downey Jr. and his wife and producing partner Susan Downey revealed that they’re looking at ways to expand the Sherlock Holmes franchise based on what the former Iron Man learned while working in the MCU. “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,” said Downey Jr. “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. sounds like someone who’s just been in one type of relationship forever and doesn’t know any other way to be. Like “cinematic universe” has become his entire identity, and girl, you could honestly do so much better. Like, do you remember when you did Zodiac? You were so good! And it probably sounds unbelievable right now, but RDJ, you could totally be that way all the time.
Unfortunately, it seems that Robert Downey Jr. must be the center of a cinematic universe at all times. And since Dolittle was what it was, all that’s left is Sherlock, we guess. Although it seems like an absurd idea (Sherlock has maybe two other interesting characters?), the Downeys were responsible for HBO’s recent Perry Mason series, which was exceptionally good, and they seem to have learned a few valuable lessons from Marvel. “What I saw was very humble beginnings, very uncertain outcomes, a lot of creative risk-taking, but there was also an algorithm to the potential,” said Downey Jr., who added this crucial note: “It’s also having the right people.”