Sherlock's Movie Couldn't Bring Back Moriarty

The show's greatest villain has already been brought back onceBringing Moriarty back would wreck Sherlock's credibility, but a movie without him is just as worrying a prospect.

Sherlock was never the same after Moriarty's death. Holmes' most famous nemesis on the page and on the screen was brought to life by Irish actor Andrew Scott, who has since gone on to star in Fleabag and Ripley. Sherlock and Moriarty's battle of wits created some of Sherlock's most memorable episodes, including The Great Game and The Reichenbach Fall, but his early death left a void that the show struggled to fill.

Subsequent villains were a mixed bag, but none turned out to be as formidable or as engaging as Moriarty.

A Sherlock movie would face the same problem that seasons 3 and 4 struggled to overcome. Bringing Moriarty back would wreck Sherlock's credibility, but a movie without him is just as worrying a prospect. Moriarty and Sherlock's dynamic was so captivating that any movie villain will undoubtedly be compared to Andrew Scott's Moriarty. Whoever the new villain is, they will need to either outdo Moriarty or provide a new angle.

Either option would pose significant challenges for a Sherlock movie. Bringing back Irene Adler might be one intriguing option.

6Each Episode Of Sherlock Is Already The Length Of A Movie

5Sherlock Holmes Already Has A Totally Different Movie Franchise

4Benedict Cumberbatch & Martin Freeman's Schedules Make A Sherlock Movie Difficult

3Transitioning From TV To A Movie Risks Losing What Makes The Show Popular

2Sherlock Season 4 Was Less Popular Than Previous Seasons

1A Movie Would Need To Find A Completely New Story

Sherlock finds most of its plot inspiration in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories