While some may consider his turn to be… Doctor Strange to be the pinnacle of his career, Benedict Cumberbatch has a unique equation for him Sherlock and Marvel Cinematic Universe successes. The two-time Oscar nominee rose to international fame with his role as the iconic Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series of the same name, which brought the detective character Sir Arthur Conan Doyle into the modern age alongside Martin Freeman’s John Watson. After trying his hand at the world of blockbuster movie making with Star Trek Into Darkness and the last two hobbit movies, Cumberbatch would be further credited with his work as Doctor Strange in the MCU, starring in the original movie of the same name and its sequel, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnesslike Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgameand Spider-Man: No Way Home.
In a recent interview with the conversationsCumberbatch was asked for his thoughts on exploring a larger scale with the MCU during his time as Sherlock Holmes on the BBC series. The Doctor Strange actor, in turn, offered a unique comparison for the two franchises, feeling that he is the “stink bombfrom his previous claim to fame, even with his superhero role. See what Cumberbatch shared below:
Well, as far as this is a bigger pond than Sherlock… I don’t think so. I think Sherlock has had a greater reach for me than something like Doctor Strange, because it’s television; it’s more democratic, more people have seen it. The reach that that program has had is extraordinary. It was kind of a stink bomb that I knew would go the second I said yes to doing the part. But I didn’t know how big it would be – it surprised all of us who made it.
Would Cumberbatch ever return to Sherlock?
Although the show’s final season received generally mixed reviews from critics, many remained hopeful of seeing Cumberbatch return to Sherlock sometime in the future. Co-creator Steven Moffat has previously confirmed plans for a potential Sherlock season 5, stating that he and co-creator Mark Gatiss had plotted what a future season would entail, although at the time of season 4’s release it was uncertain whether it would be produced. Moffat spoke earlier this year about the possibility of the show’s return, expressing doubts about its future due to both Cumberbatch and Freeman’s busy schedules and the lower pay they would receive for the series compared to their other work.
Interestingly enough, Cumberbatch wasn’t the only one brought to the MCU after their work on Sherlock as Freeman joined the comic book franchise the same year as his former co-star until 2016 Captain America: Civil War. The Everett K. Ross actor has since reprised the role in the first Black Panther film, for which he saw a bigger and well-received role, and is expected to return this month Black Panther: Wakanda Foreveras well as that of 2023 Secret Invasion series. Cumberbatch himself is expected to return as Doctor Strange at some point in the future, featuring Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ post-credits scene that teases the beginning of his relationship with Charlize Theron’s Clea, known in the comics as Strange’s eventual wife, as well as the nefarious Dormammu’s niece.
Given their ongoing busy schedule in the MCU with Doctor Strange and the political intrigues of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Secret Invasionthe chances for Cumberbatch and Freeman to return for Sherlock Season 5 unfortunately seems relatively low. However, both actors have often expressed an interest in coming back for more of the much-loved BBC show, with the latter feeling like a “one-time” Sherlock movie could be effective in shutting down the characters given their schedules and the amount of time that has passed since the last season was released. While the audience waits for a possible return, they can watch the first four seasons of Sherlock streaming now on Crackle.
Source: the conversations
