"Sherlock" to run for 4th season, Benedict Cumberbatch confirms

PanARMENIAN.Net - The mystery of the future of "Sherlock" seems to have been solved. Series star Benedict Cumberbatch -- who plays the titular sleuth in the modern-day retelling of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories -- has confirmed that the BBC 1 series will run for at least four seasons, TheWrap said.

Cumberbatch said at the South Bank Awards Show that he and his co-star, Martin Freeman (who portrays Holmes sidekick Dr. John Watson), have re-upped for a fourth season of the detective drama, according to Radio Times.

The third season is scheduled to begin filming this month.

"We've agreed to two more series but I could get into trouble for saying that," revealed Cumberbatch at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards show in London."All I know at the moment is I'm doing these three [episodes of the upcoming series] and another three."

Cumberbatch added that he would be open to a fifth season of the drama, depending on the availability of Freeman, co-creator Steven Moffat and himself. That could be a sticking point, given that all three have other irons in the fire. Cumberbatch and Freeman both have ongoing big-screen careers, with Cumberbatch playing the villain in "Star Trek Into Darkness," and Moffat also has his hands full as executive producer of "Doctor Who."

"It just depends on Martin and I's availability, how long we can keep it going," Cumberbatch said. "It depends on Steven's ability. I'd love to keep it going."