Philip Barantini and Sharon Duncan-Brewster on Taking ‘Enola Holmes 3’ Into A Bigger, Darker Territory (EXCLUSIVE)

With “Enola Holmes 3,” Netflix’s premier detective franchise returns with higher stakes than ever before. This time, the game is fiercely personal: Sherlock Holmes has been kidnapped, forcing his sister Enola to spearhead a high-stakes rescue mission while navigating her own impending marriage. The film seamlessly transitions the franchise into a more mature era.

In an exclusive interview with Variety India, director Philip Barantini and Sharon Duncan-Brewster (who plays the villainous Moriarty, under the alias Mira Troy) opens up about taking the reins of this beloved universe, upping the physical stakes, and redefining a legacy intellectual battle.

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A Seasoned New Vision and Fire-Fueled Stunts

Stepping into the director's chair for the third installment, Philip Barantini knew he was boarding a moving train. "I came into this third movie as a newbie, the new kid on the block," Barantini laughs. "I didn't want to change the whole style. We still have to keep that aesthetic of the ‘Enola Holmes’ franchise. But it was important for me to be able to put my style on it. I wanted it to feel slightly more grown-up, slightly older because Enola is getting married. It just needed to feel that little bit more grown-up in the tone, the colors and how we shot it."

By moving the production to Malta, Barantini aimed to strike a balance between a battle of wits and high-octane physicality, a move that proved to be a massive challenge for the filmmaker. "The script was written by Jack Thorne. I knew it was going to be jam-packed. It was the first time I'd really done anything like that action-wise."

Central to executing that vision was his leading lady, Millie Bobby Brown. "She is a powerhouse. She embraced it all," Barantini shares.

Barantini also relished navigating the franchise's signature device: Enola breaking the fourth wall. "It is strange, but I actually really loved it. There were moments when I'd be like, 'Well, maybe just look at the camera at this little moment, just have a little cheeky look,' asking the audience, 'What do you think?'"

Moriarty: The Ultimate Spider in the Web

While Enola brings the firepower, it is Sharon Duncan-Brewster’s Moriarty who orchestrates the chaos from the shadows, proving to be far more than an equal match for the Holmes siblings.

"I think that's the wonderful thing about Moriarty. For once, Sherlock has met his match," says Duncan-Brewster. "They are two different sorts of minds. Sherlock has always had his way of maneuvering. Moriarty takes a darker route, as she likes to break the rules and use trickery. It's almost a beautiful thing. It's almost like a bad romance."

Duncan-Brewster commands the screen with a weaponized intellect, staying three steps ahead of the heroes at every turn. Slipping into that calculating headspace was a collaborative joy. "It's all there in the script. It's the playfulness of Moriarty. It's almost like a spider sort of just drawing people into the web," she explains. "The playfulness, the darkness, the sort of slightly sultry energy does add to the essence of that."

The actor notes that this chapter brings a startling amount of intensity to the franchise. "It's remarkable to see how much physicality that has brought into it as well. So it's not just a match of minds."

Redefining Legacy Roles in 2026

By portraying a traditionally male literary villain, Duncan-Brewster continues her brilliant knack for reinventing legacy roles. "I honestly believe that you can take labels out of it and you can place any person in there, and they will tell the story equally as well. In 2026, we should open up platforms to everyone because we're all here. If you've got a role that's written for a male character, consider a woman. Why not? It's just as interesting."

So, what does she hope the audience takes away from Moriarty’s calculation this time around?

"I want people to realize that you've seen two women on screen fighting, scrapping, and there was no mercy. I want them to be asking, 'Well, what would happen next? How can we stop her? Can she be stopped?'"