You’ve got to hand it to Warner Brothers…they clearly know their market. Before Sherlock Holmes was released at the back end of last year, the naysayers were predicting a box office bomb, what with cinemagoers feeling the pinch and the Avatar juggernaut having only been released one week previously. However, the $90 million-budgeted actioner outdid all predictions, racking up a staggering worldwide gross of more than $523 million, more than enough to convince Warner that a second helping was called for…

Indeed, so impressed were the studio with Holmes’ performance, they decided that not only was a sequel in order but work should begin on it right away. However, with director Guy Richie already slated to commence work on DC adaptation Lobo, and Joel Silver also set to produce, surely Warner would have to wait?

Apparently not, according to Silver, who explains that Lobo was shelved pretty much as soon as Warner dropped them a line. “I don’t think (we’re) going to do it now,” said the producer to the LA Times. “The studio wants us to focus on making another Sherlock Holmes, so I think we’re going to be doing that.”

“Sherlock is sitting at just about $400 million in worldwide gross,” he continued, “and showing itself to be pretty effective and pretty strong. So we’re trying to see if we can do something quickly with another Sherlock Holmes movie. We have some ideas and some good story points.”

“Quickly” is the operative word here, as Warner were keen to have a second film knocked together in time for a Christmas release in 2011. Fortunately, they had set the wheels in motion for a potential sequel long before the first film had even hit our screens…