'Sherlock' Season Four may be seeing production start sometime this coming fall, according to Mark Gatiss, the series co-creator, co-producer and supporting cast member.
Gatiss told RadioTimes that he and co-creator Steven Moffat have "moved significantly closer to getting a date in the diary for Series 4." Although Gatiss has not given specifics, it is likely that production will go ahead of schedule. Fans will welcome this change, as Moffat had earlier predicted Season Four production to begin in 2016. With production pushed forward, 'Sherlock' Season Four may be ready as early as 2015. Naturally, we will have to wait and see if Gatiss and Moffat will follow up on the promise.
The BBC One hit- series has already been delayed by ongoing scheduling conflicts involving the major cast and producers. Moffat is still playing an active role in the Doctor WHO franchise. Gatiss is recently putting the final touches on the new Frankenstein movie. Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the titular character Sherlock Holmes, is committed to quite a number of film projects at this time. Martin Freeman, who plays Dr. Watson in 'Sherlock', has a role in FX's Fargo TV series. Both Freeman and Cumberbatch are part of the lineup for the final installment of 'The Hobbit' trilogy -- with Freeman starring as Bilbo Baggins. Indeed, everyone is busy.
Complicating the situation, 'Sherlock' has been produced with the emphasis on quality versus quantity. Each season is made of up three episodes, with each episodes runing three hours. Consequently, every 'Sherlock' episode has the feel of a low-budget film, albeit well-made and winning awards. Although this approach is economical, it still requires a relatively higher budget than for most TV series. Production is further complicated by the need for more diverse shoot-locations.
Even though there has not been a confirmed premiere date for Season Four, fans can take comfort in knowing that 'Sherlock' creators have more or less figured out the story for not just Season Four, but also Season Five as well. So, rest assured. 'Sherlock' is not going away any time soon.
