BBC Sherlock Holmes stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman have both signed to be the lead star of two separate stage plays in London which will run late this year, according to the Guardian.
This may sound like sad news to Sherlock fans as this will mean that Season 4 have to wait but we have to understand that both actors are sought after theater performers and that this is obviously a choice out of sheer passion.
Freeman, who stars as Sherlock's sidekick Watson on the BBC detective drama and is playing "Bilbo Baggins", the lead role in "The Hobbit" film trilogy, is casted as "Richard III" from July through September at Trafalgar Studios. Freeman last appearance on stage was in the 2010 play Clybourne Park.
Meanwhile, Cumberbatch will take on the Shakespeare masterpiece "Hamlet" in this year's stage run at the Barbican Theatre. Performances will begin in August 2015 and will run for three months.
During numerous interviews over the past year, series creator Mark Gatiss revealed that the future of the show lies on the availability of the lead characters as both "Star Trek: Into Darkness" star Benedict Cumberbatch and "The Hobbit" actor Martin Freeman are busy with other film projects.
"There was suddenly a kind of outraged response that it might not be back until 2016 but that's precisely how long it always is. It's always two years! But we'd like to return soon, of course," Mark Gatiss, who also plays Sherlock's old brother Mycroft Holmes, told Metro.
"The idea of growing older with it would be great. But it is hard to get everyone back together, because they have become extremely famous -- except for us," he added.
Not to mention, films are lining up for Cumberbatch as he is set to star in Gary Oldman's directorial debut, "Flying House" with Ralph Fiennes and Amanda Seyfried.
He also signed up to voice a character for Dreamwork's new animation film, "Penguins of Madagascar". The recently crowned "sexiest detective" will also be part of the upcoming historical drama film "The Imitation Game" as British cryptographer Alan Turing.
