Robert Downey Jr. has shared that the future of his “Sherlock Holmes” role rests with his wife. The Iron Man star revealed that stepping back into the detective’s iconic coat hinges on Susan Downey. For the unversed, she is both his partner in life and producing.
Robert Downey Jr’s return as Sherlock Holmes depends on his wife
The fate of Robert Downey Jr.’s “Sherlock Holmes” lies not with studios or fan demand, but with his wife, Susan Downey.
The Downeys were honored at this year’s Lincoln Center Spring Gala on May 18, held at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, where Broadway’s Ragtime revival is playing. The guest list featured Daniel Radcliffe, Paul Bettany, Tessa Thompson, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Mark Strong, Stephen Flaherty, Oscar Isaac, and more.
“I don’t know,” Downey Jr. told the Associated Press at the 2026 Spring Gala when asked about a third Sherlock Holmes film following the 2009 original and its 2011 sequel. “People are talking about it, but she’s the producer,” he said, gesturing toward his wife.
When pressed on more adaptations of Conan Doyle’s fictional sleuth, the “Dolittle” actor deferred to Susan Downey with a grin. He joked that she would “have the last word,” wiggling his eyebrows for the camera.
Susan Downey matched his energy as she replied, “It’s the greatest mystery,” which left her husband laughing.
Guy Ritchie directed both the “Sherlock Holmes” films, with Jude Law playing Watson, the loyal sidekick, opposite Downey’s Holmes. The hit duology also featured Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Noomi Rapace, and Jared Harris.
In 2016, reports surfaced that Warner Bros. had a third “Sherlock Holmes” film in development. The studio announced in 2019 that it would arrive in 2021, but the project has since disappeared from its lineup.
Susan Downey is an Emmy Award-winning producer whose credits span dozens of Hollywood films and series, including several starring Robert Downey Jr. Their production company, Team Downey, has backed titles such as “Perry Mason”, “The Sympathizer”, and “Play Dirty”. Married since August 2005, the couple shares two sons and a daughter.
