What if Sherlock Holmes… was young? This is the starting point for Young Sherlock, which Prime Video just greenlit to series, with Guy Ritchie directing and producing.
Playing Young Sherlock’s titular detective (who’s young this time) is Hero Fiennes Tiffin, known for supporting roles in The Woman King and Ritchie’s newest film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. (If you’re a woman under the age of 25, you might also be familiar with him as the star of the After series.)
While the character of Sherlock Holmes first originated in the writing of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and a young Sherlock Holmes was featured in the 1985 film Young Sherlock Homes, this iteration of a Sherlock who is not old is specifically inspired by the book series Young Sherlock Holmes, written by Andy Lane. (Lane’s first book was published in 2010.)
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Here’s the official description of Young Sherlock, provided by Amazon:
“At age 19, Sherlock Holmes is disgraced, raw, unfiltered, and unformed, when he finds himself caught up in a murder mystery at Oxford University which threatens his freedom. Diving into his first-ever case with a wild lack of discipline, Sherlock manages to unravel a globe-trotting conspiracy that will change his life forever.”
Ritchie has plenty of experience with the famous Victorian sleuth (at an older age), having directed both the 2009 Sherlock Holmes as well as sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.
The press release promises that the new series will feature “all the wit and charm of Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes features.” In a statement, Ritchie added, “In Young Sherlock we’re going to see an exhilarating new version of the detective everyone thinks they know in a way they’ve never imagined before. We’re going to crack open this enigmatic character, find out what makes him tick, and learn how he becomes the genius we all love.”
Young Sherlock will debut on Prime Video with eight episodes. For more, look back on Robert Downey Jr.’s best roles, including his Sherlock Holmes performance.
