After Comic-Con International announced its panel schedule, it was widely assumed that neither Benedict Cumberbatch nor Martin Freeman would be able to attend due to their heavy filming schedule. But that didn’t stop the duo from taping two video messages for the Comic-Con crowd.
In Freeman’s video, the actor was still in his Frodo Baggins makeup and costume from the set of the third movie in The Hobbit series. Freeman teased “Sherlock” co-creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss by telling the crowd to “be sure you really scream and shout and ask them lots of belligerent, badgering questions. They like that. They like it as well when you try and tear their clothes and their hair as they’re trying to leave the auditorium. So don’t let me down on that.”
Freeman then added that “I leave [New Zealand] and then go and do the third episode of the third season of ‘Sherlock;’ which I love maybe even more than you do.”
Cumberbatch’s video was longer and more elaborate than Freeman’s clip. At the beginning of the video, Cumberbatch feigned confusion about what he was supposed to be talking about while plugging his roles in Star Trek Into Darkness, The Hobbit and the Wikileaks movie.
When Cumberbatch finally got around to “Sherlock,” he said “I can guarantee it’s more fun doing it than it is watching. And apparently you have quite a lot of fun watching it. So there’s how much fun I have doing it.”
“We’re back [filming] at the end of July with episode three,” continued Cumberbatch. “It’s been so much fun. The scripts are just a delight and I can’t wait for you to see it.”
Cumberbatch followed that up with a hilarious explanation about how Sherlock survived falling off a building in the season 2 cliffhanger using stuffed animals. Just as Cumberbatch began explaining, the audio and picture became comically garbled.
As for the panel itself, Moffat, Gatiss and producer Sue Vertue kept away from spoilers… for the most part. But they did show a clip from the third season in which Sherlock gives a Best Man’s toast to Dr. John Watson on his wedding day.
Moffat seemed intrigued by the idea of a “Sherlock” feature film, but added that he would be reluctant to do anything that affected the quality of the show that they’re already making. Moffat also teased that another cliffhanger ending may occur at the end of season 3.
“You’ll watch it and say ‘they wouldn’t stop it there, would they?’” laughed Moffat. However, the panelists all agreed that “Sherlock” Season 4 will happen.
“Sherlock” Season 3 is expected to premiere later this year on BBC One before making its US premiere on PBS in early 2014.
More Comic-Con Coverage!
-
SURVIVAL GUIDE: Your 10 Tips for Conquering Comic-Con!
-
TICKETS: What to Do If You Don’t Already Have a Badge
-
EXCLUSIVES: Check Out Some of the One of a Kind Items You Can Score at SDCC
-
MUST-SEES: What Massive Movie Panels Do You HAVE to Attend?
-
PREDICTIONS: 20 Dream Announcements We’d Love to Hear!
