A new animated adults-only series, working under the title Animated Sherlock, is in development with Harry King Television and Shrek producer David Lipman. The show will be aimed at mature audiences, use season-long arcs, and adapt material from Sercombe’s The
For most of television history, Sherlock Holmes has been a figure you can spot from a mile away: the silhouette, the deductions, the cool confidence. But now, a different version of the character is moving toward the screen—one that’s explicitly built for adults and doesn’t plan to tiptoe.
The new animated series is currently operating under the working title Animated Sherlock. developed by Harry King Television and produced with Shrek producer David Lipman. The plan is to bring fresh-to-screen adventures to a character that’s already been reinvented in nearly every imaginable form over the years since the figure first emerged.
Animated Sherlock is being shaped with a specific literary springboard: Sercombe’s The Unexpurgated Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. That choice is central to the pitch behind the project. because it’s meant to deliver a Sherlock that viewers “haven’t ever seen before.” Sercombe framed the leap to animation as a way to stretch the character’s limits. saying. “Taking the animation route allows us to reimagine Sherlock Holmes on a grander. more imaginative and risqué scale than before.”.
He added that the creative team behind the series combines established animation experience with a classic intellectual property, saying, “Having David, Michael, and Tim steering the series with us combines their legacy in animation with the well-loved classic IP.”
The series is aimed at mature audiences and will feature season-long arcs. It will also explore original Sherlock Holmes cases from Doyle’s work in individual episodes. Arthur Conan Doyle’s original stories were first published between 1887 and 1927. spanning decades in which the character’s world became one of the era’s defining mysteries.
The project is tied to a broader roster of people stepping into the Holmes universe. David Lipman is listed among those involved. along with Tim John. known for A Street Cat Named Bob. and Michael Ryan. known for Planet 51 and Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank. The series is also described as being steered by “David, Michael, and Tim,” in line with Sercombe’s comments.
There’s also a clear sense of what viewers could expect beyond the basic case-of-the-week structure. The show is planned to give the storytelling space to spend more time with other characters, including Dr. Watson, Baker Street landlady Mrs. Hudson, and the criminal mastermind Professor Moriarty. Sercombe described the goal in a written statement: “Together we are creating our very own Sherlock Holmes universe that feels both timeless and completely fresh – rich in character. humor. and adventure.”.
That emphasis on an expanding universe lands in a moment when audiences are already streaming a different Holmes hit. For those who want Sherlock Holmes in the meantime, Young Sherlock is streaming on Prime Video.
Animated Sherlock is being positioned for release on a platform that will be familiar to some viewers, since Prime Video is already part of the Holmes conversation for now. The series’ release date is listed as March 4, 2026, with Prime Video as the network, and Matthew Parkhill named as showrunner.
Sherlock Holmes Animated Sherlock Harry King Television David Lipman Sercombe The Unexpurgated Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Prime Video animated series mature audiences Dr. Watson Mrs. Hudson Professor Moriarty Matthew Parkhill