Netflix’s most reliable young detective is back on the case. On July 1, “Enola Holmes 3” dropped on the streamer, reuniting audiences with Sherlock’s spirited, fourth-wall-breaking little sister for another Victorian mystery — and this time the stakes are deeply personal. The film opens with Enola about to walk down the aisle, only to have her happily-ever-after shattered by the worst possible news: Sherlock has been kidnapped. Suddenly the wedding is off and the hunt is on.
Millie Bobby Brown returns as Enola Holmes, the role she’s quietly turned into one of her signature franchises alongside her “Stranger Things” fame. The Enola films have been a low-key success story for Netflix — charming, breezy period mysteries that let Brown flash her comedic timing and direct-address charisma while solving crimes her famous brother overlooks. The first two movies built a devoted audience, and a third installment confirms the franchise has real legs. In an era where Netflix cancels shows at the drop of a hat, an ongoing film series is a genuine vote of confidence. Warning: beyond this point there are spoilers for “Enola Holmes 3” and the new characters it introduces.
The film opens with Enola about to walk down the aisle, only to have her happily-ever-after shattered by the worst possible news: Sherlock has been kidnapped. Suddenly the wedding is off and the hunt is on.”
This time, the mystery gets a romantic and emotional twist right out of the gate. Enola is set to marry Lord Tewkesbury, played once again by Louis Partridge, whose slow-burn chemistry with Brown has been one of the series’ most beloved elements. The two have been dancing around each other for two films, so putting a wedding front and center is a savvy move — and then immediately blowing it up with Sherlock’s abduction is exactly the kind of propulsive hook these movies do well. Love and danger collide, and Enola has to choose the case over the ceremony.
The investigation takes Enola far from foggy London this time, to the sun-drenched island nation of Malta, giving the franchise a fresh and gorgeous new backdrop. Henry Cavill returns as Sherlock Holmes, though in this outing the great detective spends a good chunk of the film as the damsel in distress, flipping the usual dynamic and forcing Enola to rescue the sibling who’s always loomed so large over her. It’s a clever inversion — the little sister who spent two films stepping out of Sherlock’s shadow now has to save him, proving she’s every bit the detective he is.
The most exciting development for Holmes fans, though, is who else shows up. The film introduces Dr. John Watson, played by Himesh Patel — yes, Sherlock’s most famous partner finally enters the Enola universe — as well as, crucially, Moriarty, portrayed by Sharon Duncan-Brewster. Bringing in Sherlock’s legendary nemesis and his iconic sidekick signals that the franchise is deliberately deepening its connection to the broader Holmes mythology. Enola is no longer just adjacent to her brother’s world; she’s stepping fully into it, complete with the arch-villain who has haunted Sherlock stories for over a century.
Behind the camera, there’s a genuinely intriguing choice. “Enola Holmes 3” is directed by Philip Barantini, the filmmaker who earned enormous acclaim for his tense, technically dazzling one-take work on the hit crime drama “Adolescence.” That’s a serious talent to bring to a family-friendly mystery franchise, and it suggests Netflix wanted to elevate the craft of this third entry. Returning screenwriter Jack Thorne, adapting Nancy Springer’s source novels, keeps continuity on the page while Barantini brings a fresh eye to the visuals. It’s the kind of pairing that can push a comfortable franchise somewhere more ambitious.
What makes the Enola films work, and why a third one is welcome, is their specific tone. They’re smart without being self-serious, adventurous without being grim, and anchored by Brown’s winking, charismatic lead performance that invites the audience to solve the puzzle alongside her. In a streaming landscape often dominated by bleakness and prestige misery, there’s real value in a witty, warm-hearted detective romp the whole family can enjoy. Add a wedding, an exotic locale, a kidnapped Sherlock, and the debut of Moriarty and Watson, and you have the franchise’s most eventful outing yet.
So Enola Holmes trades her wedding dress for her detective’s instincts one more time, and the game is afoot on an island far from home. With Sherlock in peril, Watson and Moriarty entering the fold, and an acclaimed director at the helm, “Enola Holmes 3” is clearly aiming to be more than a comfortable third chapter — it wants to expand the world and raise the stakes. Whether it becomes the best in the series or simply another delightful mystery, Netflix’s young sleuth remains one of the streamer’s most dependable pleasures. Elementary, perhaps, but never boring.
What Do You Think? Does flipping the script and making Sherlock the one who needs rescuing finally cement Enola as his equal? Are you excited or nervous about Watson and Moriarty entering the Enola Holmes universe, and how much should the franchise lean into the classic Sherlock mythology? And with an acclaimed director like Philip Barantini on board, should the series get more ambitious, or is its breezy charm the whole point?
See you on the next binge!
