From 2010 to 2017, Benedict Cumberbatch played the famous detective Sherlock Holmes alongside Martin Freeman (Dr. John Watson). In a recent interview, he explained that he would only return to the BBC series if it became better than ever.
Which Sherlock are we talking about? The eponymous BBC crime series featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as the master detective and Martin Freeman as Watson aired starting in 2010. In Germany, the series is available on Netflix. After 4 seasons and 2 specials, it ended in 2017. In an interview, Cumberbatch revealed the conditions under which he would reprise his role.
Benedict Cumberbatch didn’t want to be Sherlock forever
What are his conditions? In a playful manner, Cumberbatch tells Variety what it would take to lure him back as Sherlock: “A ton of money.” More seriously, the actor continues:
“It would have to be better than it ever was. You leave them or yourself wanting more. You always itch to do more, but I think it would have to be the superlative of the version we’ve already achieved.”
However, fans who have been waiting for a revival for years shouldn’t get their hopes up too high, as Cumberbatch apparently never intended to commit permanently to any role. He recalls a moment in his conversation with Variety when Sherlock was breaking through the ceiling.
At that time, he had already warned fans that he wouldn’t always do the same thing: “I won’t always be the Benedict you expect. You might not like some of the things I do […] But I want to surpass myself and surprise myself and you.”
Besides the master detective, Cumberbatch is also known as Dr. Strange in the MCU, where he ironically acts alongside Robert Downey Jr., who has also portrayed Sherlock Holmes. Cumberbatch’s role here is also characterized by its intelligence, yet a good idea escaped him: Marvel: The Avengers could have easily defeated Thanos – But Dr. Strange wasn’t clever enough
