Every Modern Sherlock Holmes Movie Series Including Enola Holmes, Ranked

Sherlock Holmes has long been a popular public domain character to adapt. Much like Robin Hood, King Arthur, and Dracula, he is a figure the industry has revisited and reimagined many times. Whenever a production house needs a mystery with the built-in weight of a franchise, Sherlock Holmes is often the go-to character for creatives to draw from.

This list will examine some prominent depictions of the character since the 1970s and rank them against each other. It will also consider adaptations that do not put Holmes front and center, such as Netflix’s Enola Holmes franchise, which ranks among the better adaptations of Sherlock Holmes’s world.

13 The Hound of Baskervilles (1978)

As a rule, with a few exceptions, Sherlock Holmes rarely works well in comedic films. The Hound of the Baskervilles consistently ranks among the worst Sherlock Holmes films, if not among the worst films ever made. Despite adapting one of the most well-known Sherlock Holmes stories and starring satire legend Peter Cook as Sherlock Holmes, the film received overwhelmingly negative reviews. Which explains its last-place ranking here. Watch it if you want an “it’s so bad it’s good” experience.

12 Holmes and Watson (2018)

Another failed comedy starring Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, this film could have been a version that fans and audiences enjoyed. Languishing in development hell since 2008, it was initially supposed to star Sacha Baron Cohen. However, over the ten years it spent in development, it was likely drained of all creative energy. Even with actors like John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell, the film could not be saved either commercially or critically.

11 Sherlock Gnomes (2018)

Perhaps the oddest entry on the list, Sherlock Gnomes was an animated fantasy film starring Johnny Depp in the lead role. With Depp’s last animated film being 2011’s Rango, the movie seemed to be aiming for a niche that simply did not work. Once again, the film tried to take Sherlock in a comedic direction, only to fall flat. As a sequel, it did manage to land a few genuine laughs, but beyond that, it was largely a critical and commercial dud.

10 The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother (1975)

As is the case with this entry and one other on the list, Sherlock Holmes comedies tend to work only when Sherlock himself is barely in them. The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother follows Sigerson Holmes, Sherlock Holmes’ younger brother, who receives little recognition despite doing work very similar to Sherlock’s. Played by Gene Wilder, the character was created specifically for the film. It became one of the better Sherlock Holmes–themed comedies and was praised by critics. The reason it only barely cracks the top 10, alongside weaker adaptations, is that it simply ranks as the weakest among the best.

9 Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)

Even if the film was not a landmark entry in Sherlock Holmes’s own cinematic history, it was an important film in cinema history overall. It tells a strong story and features an excellent cast, but it is weighed down by an overreliance on special effects. What it did accomplish, however, was to become the first film to feature a fully computer-generated character, laying the groundwork for films like Toy Story.

8 Without A Clue (1988)

Without a Clue is a Sherlock Holmes comedy, but it works brilliantly because it does not truly focus on Holmes. In this version of the story, Dr. Watson is the real brilliant detective, while Sherlock Holmes, played by Michael Caine, is merely an actor Watson hires to protect his reputation as a physician. This effective “absence” of the classic Holmes character serves the comedy especially well. The film stands on its own as a genuinely hilarious comedy. It may fall short as a mystery, but it succeeds as a highly original and entertaining comedic take.

7 Sherlock Holmes (2009-)

A fan favorite among modern Sherlock Holmes enthusiasts, the two films starring Robert Downey Jr. as the titular detective are among the most popular adaptations to leverage the character. Casting Jude Law as Dr. Watson certainly helped, giving the films an aesthetic and chemistry that audiences strongly embraced. The first movie was a major box office success, which led to a sequel. The sequel earned a similar amount, though its larger budget made that performance somewhat less impressive. A third film has remained in development for years, and as of 2026, it still appears to be stuck in development limbo.

6 The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976)

A bit dated by today’s standards, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution takes a radical approach to Sherlock Holmes. Still a brilliant private detective, Holmes is portrayed as struggling with cocaine addiction, and the film brings in Sigmund Freud to raise the narrative stakes. Less a mystery and more a deep dive into Sherlock’s fabricated backstory for the purposes of the film, the movie still manages to keep its audience engaged with a tale that is quite off the beaten path for the character.

5 Murder by Decree (1979)

Called by Variety the best Sherlock Holmes film since Basil Rathbone’s wartime run with the character, Murder by Decree blends Holmesian mythology with the real-life murders attributed to Jack the Ripper. Given the experiments that came before it, and the ones it stood alongside, what Murder by Decree manages to do is play the story straight, and that helps make it one of the best Sherlock Holmes adaptations, even nearly half a century later.

4 The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

Based on the Basil of Baker Street book series, which reimagines Sherlock Holmes in a world of mice, The Great Mouse Detective remains one of Disney’s most underrated gems. Basil of Baker Street is a wonderful pastiche of Sherlock Holmes and can easily stand in for the character. A straightforward mystery aimed at kids, the film is a classic Disney animated feature that still stands the test of time through both its animation and its characters.

3 Enola Holmes (2020-)

The most recent Sherlock Holmes adaptation, this film series focuses on another invented sibling of Sherlock’s. The comedy works because Sherlock remains mostly in the background. However, Millie Bobby Brown carries the series well, adapting the source material with a great deal of heart. It remains a refreshing take on the Sherlock Holmes canon, with Henry Cavill playing Holmes. The third movie in the franchise, released on July 1, 2026, received a positive review from FandomWire’s Alan French.

2 The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970)

While the film flirts with a parodic tone, it never fully gives in to it. Instead, it draws a subtle distinction between the “real” Sherlock Holmes and the version Watson creates in his writings for The Strand. In recent years, the movie has taken on a life of its own, especially in queer circles. It remains one of the most quintessential adaptations of the character and its mythos.

1 Mr. Holmes (2015)

Starring Ian McKellen as an aging Sherlock Holmes, the film offers a different kind of mystery. With his memory failing, Holmes tries to recall the last case he solved, the one that led to his retirement from detective work. The film also portrays him as finally learning to care for the people around him, rather than viewing relationships solely through a logical and critical lens. A masterclass in character work, it takes a familiar genre figure and gives him a depth unlike any other.

Film Series	Date Released
Mr. Holmes	2015
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes	1970
Enola Holmes	2020-Present
The Great Mouse Detective	1986
Murder by Decree	1979
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution	1976
Sherlock Holmes	2009-Present
Without A Clue	1988
Young Sherlock Holmes	1985
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother	1975
Sherlock Gnomes	2018
Holmes and Watson	2018
The Hound of Baskervilles	1978

Would you rank this list differently? Let us know in the comments!