Take heart, Sherlock fans, the game is officially afoot again.
The BBC has announced that filming for the fourth season of Sherlock has begun, with stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman returning for yet another series of adventures as the titular detective and his partner, Dr. John Watson, respectively. Although details regarding the plot of the fourth season are scarce, the announcement was accompanied by a hint at what to expect when the hit series returns to television.
According to the BBC, the fourth season will bring Sherlock back to 221B Baker Street for another round of mysteries while Watson faces what may be his greatest challenge so far: parenthood.
The upcoming season will be composed of three feature-length episodes broadcast on BBC One, with show creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss returning as head writers on the series. The first, still-untitled episode will be directed by Rachel Talalay, who previously directed episodes of Doctor Who, The Flash, and The Wind In The Willows.
“Sherlock series four — here we go again!” said Gatiss in a statement accompanying the announcement. “Whatever else we do, wherever we all go, all roads lead back to Baker Street — and it always feels like coming home. Ghosts of the past are rising in the lives of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson bringing adventure, romance and terror in their wake. This is the story we’ve been telling from the beginning. A story about to reach its climax …”
Cumberbatch, who will star in the upcoming Marvel Studios movie Doctor Strange, offered his own perspective on returning to the role of Sherlock Holmes. Along with saying he’s “genuinely thrilled to be back filming Sherlock with all the cast and crew,” Cumberbatch teased that he “can’t wait for everyone to see season four. But you will have to wait … though not for long … And it will be worth it.”
There’s no word yet on when the fourth season of Sherlock will premiere.
