"Sherlock" stars Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch
"Sherlock" stars Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch Facebook/Sherlock.BBCW

“Sherlock” season 4 is looking even more real with leaked on-set photos of star Benedict Cumberbatch. The British TV series will return for three episodes in 2017 with new baddie, played by Toby Jones.

It’s been more than two years since season 3 ended, and six months after the special, “The Abominable Bride,” aired. “Sherlock” fans are more than ready for another season. And just like the first three, the upcoming one will also have only three episodes.

Jones, whose acting repertoire includes memorable stints in “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Doctor Who” and “Agent Carter,” recently spoke to RadioTimes.com to reveal snippets of the show’s next season. He didn’t reveal much, but he assured fans that his character is a villain.

“About the only thing I’m allowed to reveal is that I’m indeed a baddie,” he said. “I think that even, I’d say, I’m really bad.”

Series co-creator Steven Moffat said Jones’ character is “one of [Sir Arthur Conan] Doyle’s finest villains.” He didn’t specify which of the villains that appeared in Doyle’s four novels and over 56 “Sherlock Holmes” stories he was referring to, though.

RadioTimes.com speculated that Jones could be playing Jephro Rucastle, the villain from “The Adventure of the Copper Beeches,” or perhaps John Clay, the bank robber from “The Adventure of the Red-Headed League.” The website noted that Moffat, who had previously said he would love to adapt “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” was likely referring to Grimesby Roylofft, an evil stepfather from the story. The antagonist kills people with the aid of his venomous snake.

“If you haven’t read ‘The Speckled Band,’ go read ‘The Speckled Band,” Moffat told the audience at the San Diego Comic Con in 2013. “It makes no sense at all, but there’s something exciting on every page. I read it when I was very young, and I thought, ‘It doesn’t get better than that.’”

Meanwhile, on-set photos from season 4 production have been leaked online. The images, published on Entertainment.ie, show Cumberbatch sporting sparse facial hair and looking a bit worse for wear.

“Sherlock” season 4 will see “ghosts of the pasts.” Sherlock will be back on British soil after his very brief banishment, while John Watson (Martin Freeman) and wife Mary (Amanda Abbington) are preparing to become parents for the first time. Rachel Talalay will direct the first episode.

Also read:
‘Sherlock’: The problem with Tom Hiddleston playing a third Holmes brother
‘Sherlock’ series 4 starts filming; Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman to face ghosts and fatherhood [VIDEO]

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