There are few fictional characters as legendary as Sherlock Holmes, which is why this literary character has enjoyed so many adaptations throughout history. However, not all of these adaptations are made equal. As such, we’ll be taking a deeper look at the popularity of this character in modern times, along with the most iconic adaptations in cinematographic history.
The Popularity of Sherlock Holmes in Different Mediums
Sherlock Holmes was created all the way back in 1887 by author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, with his first movie appearance being in Sherlock Holmes Baffled in 1900. Holmes is renowned for his somewhat unorthodox approach to his investigations, where he primarily relied on his powers of deduction and observation. Thus, it’s unsurprising that this one-of-a-kind detective is currently the most depicted human literary character in movie and TV history.
However, the popularity of this character has gone past literary and cinematographic, reaching other entertainment sectors such as iGaming. Nowadays, players can even locate online casino wowpots like Sherlock & Moriarty, which feature the persona in question along with his enemy. For those who haven’t heard of such games before, these are progressive jackpots that have four different levels, each starting at a different seed amount.
Even the world of music was inspired by the detective, with a concept album released by Clive Nolan and Oliver Wakeman. It has the same name as the book it’s influenced by, The Hound of the Baskervilles. Apart from the above, Holmes has been adapted for the radio, stage, and TV shows. All of the above showcases how beloved the character is, warranting adaptations to practically every medium imaginable.
Key Adaptations of Sherlock Holmes Throughout Film History
We’ll start this off with the 2009 Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. This is currently the best-rated IMDb movie on our list, and deservedly so. Downey does a great job at portraying the eccentric detective, and his chemistry with Law, who plays Dr. Watson, paired with the direction of Guy Ritchie is impeccable. And those who want to continue enjoying this depiction of Holmes will certainly enjoy the sequel, along with the upcoming third movie, which is still in the works.
Next up we have The Hound Of The Baskervilles, released in 1939. It is based on the book of the same name, which is typically considered to be one of the best and most popular ones in the series. And this was beautifully translated onto the silver screen, making it a very popular adaptation. Fun fact about the movie, it’s the first known era-appropriate movie set in the Victorian period, as the rest were updated according to the release date of the movies.
We’ll round this list up with Mr. Holmes, with Sir Ian McKellen playing the titular character in the 2015 movie. And let’s be honest, anything he touches tends to turn to gold. While we won’t spoil the plot, just like with the aforementioned options, the unique twist comes not only from the stellar casting but from the fact that it follows an aged-up Holmes, who’s struggling with declining cognitive abilities. This is a unique adaptation that makes it a must-watch for any fan.
With so many fictional detectives out there, it’s quite a feat to be considered the crème de la crème. So, while our list may be subjective, the fact that he is a timeless character is not. Regardless of which option you pick to watch, we’re sure they’ll all hit the spot.
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