Enola Holmes (franchise)

Enola Holmes is an American mystery film franchise created by Harry Bradbeer and Philip Barantini that has been produced by PCMA Productions and Legendary Pictures in association with Netflix since 2020. The films in the franchise include Enola Holmes, Enola Holmes 2 and Enola Holmes 3.

The first two films are directed by Harry Bradbeer and the third film is directed by Philip Barantini all films are screenplayed by Jack Thorne and Millie Bobby Brown, the main protagonist appeared in all films.

A 2020 mystery film starring Millie Bobby Brown as the title character, the teenage sister of the already famous Victorian-era detective Sherlock Holmes. The film is directed by Harry Bradbeer from a screenplay by Jack Thorne that adapts the first novel in The Enola Holmes Mysteries series by Nancy Springer. In the film, Enola travels to London to find her missing mother but ends up on a thrilling adventure, pairing up with a runaway lord as they attempt to solve a mystery that threatens the entire country. In addition to Brown, the film also stars Sam Claflin, Henry Cavill, and Helena Bonham Carter.

In September 2020, co-producer and star Millie Bobby Brown and director Harry Bradbeer acknowledged their intentions to develop a sequel to Enola Holmes.^[1] The story is an original story based on the real 1888 matchgirls' strike and the life of labour activist Sarah Chapman. Bradbeer thought it was an inspiring feminist tale, and it showed the theme of working together — "Enola, to advance, has to work with others and not just be reliant on herself. It's a story that goes from 'I' to 'we', and that is a story of sisterhood."^[2]

In April 2021, Enola Holmes 2 was reportedly in development, with Brown and Cavill reprising their roles as Enola Holmes and Sherlock Holmes.^[3] Sam Claflin was unable to return as Mycroft Holmes due to scheduling conflicts, much to the sadness of Bradbeer and the crew, though Mycroft's absence allowed them to concentrate more on Sherlock.^[4] In May 2021, the project was officially confirmed by Netflix.^[5][6] Brown was reportedly paid $10 million for her role,^[7] making it the highest upfront salary for an actor under the age of 20 as of the release of the film.^[8]

Production and filming began in Autumn 2021.^[9] Scenes were filmed in Hull in October 2021,^[10][11] and Cavill wrapped filming that November.^[12] Filming concluded on January 7, 2022.^[13]

In November 2024, it was announced that a third Enola Holmes film was in development, with Philip Barantini attached to direct and Millie Bobby Brown reprising her role as Enola Holmes, as well as co-producing. The threequel was described to be darker and more mature than the previous films.^[14] In April 2025, Louis Partridge, Himesh Patel, Henry Cavill, Helena Bonham Carter, and Sharon Duncan-Brewster were confirmed to be reprising their roles from the previous films.^[15]

• Peter Debruge of Variety called the film an "entertaining franchise starter" and praised Brown's performance, stating that "[her] acting style recalls the effusive spontaneity Keira Knightley brought to Pride and Prejudice, shattering the straitlaced propriety of so many Jane Austen adaptations before it." Debruge found the film "more tasteful in its high-energy storytelling than Guy Ritchie's recent Sherlock Holmes movies, and considerably more fun than [2019]'s Nancy Drew reboot."^[21]
• John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review and wrote: "It successfully imagines a place for its heroine in Holmes' world, then convinces young viewers that Enola needn't be constrained by that world's borders."^[22]
• Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post wrote: "Enola Holmes offers brisk and exuberant escape from the heaviness of modern times, with its leading actress lending her own appealing touches to the journey. When the game is afoot, she's more than capable, not just of keeping up, but winning the day."^[23]
• Ella Kemp of Empire magazine wrote: "Well-intentioned if sometimes lacking in subtlety, Enola Holmes offers a fine, spirited reminder that a traditional story can always be retold – although it might need more refined teachings on feminism next time."^[24]
• Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave a mixed review, saying: "It all rattles along amiably enough. Enola Holmes is the kind of all-star production that might once have been made by the BBC" but had some criticism for the mystery elements of the story "there should have been more specifically ingenious deducting and solving from Enola – codebreaking isn't the same thing."^[25]

• Beandrea July of The New York Times wrote "One can't help but cheer on this Y.A. feminist tale as a welcome addition to the Sherlock Holmes universe."^[26]
• Lovia Gyarkye of The Hollywood Reporter called it "a serviceable sequel". Gyarkye praises the meticulous production and costume design but is critical of the narrative as "The 1888 match girl strike, which was a process of community building, a focused effort on we, gets repackaged as a lesson in one voice leading the masses."^[27]
• Benjamin Lee of The Guardian gave it 3 out of 5 and wrote: "An equally boisterous romp that's equally as hard to remember once it's over but one that should keep its many fans engaged enough to warrant further sequels."^[28]
• Robbie Collin of The Telegraph gave it 2 out of 5. He found the film less charming than its predecessor and was critical of "the overall aura of cheapness", from the dreary looking scenes to the basic fight scenes.^[29]

Awards and nominations received by Enola Holmes (2020).

Awards and nominations received by Enola Holmes 2 (2022).