The filmmaker reveals why Enola Holmes 2 star Sam Claflin will not appear in the sequel. The Sherlock Holmes series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is a well-known literary classic that has produced numerous on-screen adaptations and spin-offs. Nancy Springer’s young adult novel series Enola Holmes is one such spin-off, offering Sherlock a younger sister with unique skills and aspirations to become detective. The Netflix picture, which starred Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, and Helena Bonham Carter, released in 2020 and provided a lovely new cinema experience to those stranded at home during the COVID-19 pandemic via streaming.
Enola Holmes received critical praise as well as commercial success, which, when paired with the multiple novels of source material, practically ensured a sequel from Netflix. The streaming service made it official in May 2021, bringing Brown back as a star and producer alongside writer Jack Thorne and director Harry Bradbeer. While Cavill, Carter, and even Louis Partridge may return for the sequel, Claflin is noticeably gone. Though his character, Mycroft Holmes, was Enola’s guardian in the first film, the title character became Sherlock’s ward by the finale. Mycroft, on the other hand, is a crucial element of their group dynamic, which leads fans to question why the character will not feature in the sequel.
Bradbeer explained to Collider that Claflin’s absence in Enola Holmes 2 was only due to schedule issues. Those hoping to see Claflin in a future Enola Holmes film should take heart from his statement that “[we] truly love him, and we would love to have him again,” implying that Mycroft isn’t completely written out of the film. Read what he had to say about it below:
“Well, it was Sam’s schedule that became very clear, so Sam was not going to be in it…We were very sorry that Sam couldn’t be in this one. If there was a future one we would love to have him back. But that was just the practicalities of life. That then meant though that we had to then concentrate on Sherlock, which has some advantages in the sense and that it becomes a sharp pencil if you like. You’re just having to work with that particular relationship. It had to be about Sherlock and Enola and coming together. So I guess there is some blessings in having less pieces because you can do more with what you have.”
Why Claflin’s absence from Enola Holmes 2 is for the best
Based on Bradbeer’s statements, the trailers and promotion for Enola Holmes 2 have focused on the chemistry between Enola and Sherlock, which appears to have been entirely borne from Claflin’s absence. This shift of focus from the trio of siblings arguing in the first movie to Enola and Sherlock working together is entirely natural progression following the events of Enola Holmes, in which Sherlock assumed custody of Enola so she could pursue her own cases. After solving her maiden mystery in Enola Holmes, the titular character will tackle her first case as a detective in Enola Holmes 2, hoping to build her own agency and leave her mark on Victorian London.
Though, based on the tension between Enola and her siblings in the first film, neither sibling will be delighted that their cases are linked, she and Sherlock managed to get along by the conclusion of the film, and it will be a pleasure to see the two bond further in the sequel. Early reviews appear to agree, with critics citing the chemistry among Brown and Cavill as well as the endearing evolution of Enola and Sherlock’s friendship as the film’s highlights. When Enola Holmes 2 arrives on Netflix on November 4, audiences will be able to see the duo interact for themselves.
Source: Collider