Guy Ritchie’s ‘Young Sherlock’ Trailer Shatters Prime Video Viewership Records
“The Game is On”: Guy Ritchie’s ‘Young Sherlock’ Trailer Shatters Prime Video Viewership Records
LONDON — Guy Ritchie has officially reclaimed his title as the master of the modern detective. While fans have spent a decade clamoring for a third outing with Robert Downey Jr., Ritchie’s new foray into the Baker Street mythos, the prequel series Young Sherlock, is already making history before a single episode has even aired (trailer below).
According to data released by Wavemetrix, the debut trailer for the Prime Video original has shattered streaming records, amassing a staggering 223 million views in its first seven days. This feat officially makes it the most-watched trailer for a series in Prime Video’s history, comfortably unseating the previous record-holder, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (163.6 million views).
A Kinetic Origin Story
Directed and executive produced by Ritchie, Young Sherlock stars Hero Fiennes Tiffin as a 19-year-old version of the legendary sleuth. Set in 1870s Oxford, the 8-episode series follows a "raw and unfiltered" Holmes who finds himself wrongfully accused of murder, a predicament that pulls him into a globe-trotting conspiracy.
The record-breaking viewership is being attributed to Ritchie’s signature "hyper-kinetic" visual style, which famously redefined the character in his 2009 and 2011 feature films. Fans on social media have praised the trailer’s blend of Victorian grit and high-octane action, with many noting that Tiffin appears to have perfectly captured the "arrogant brilliance" associated with the role.
The "Stacked" Supporting Cast
While Tiffin’s Sherlock is the center of the storm, the series boasts an ensemble that suggests a massive investment from Amazon MGM Studios:
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Colin Firth as Sir Bucephalus Hodge.
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Joseph Fiennes (Tiffin’s real-life uncle) as Silas Holmes, Sherlock’s father.
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Natascha McElhone as Cordelia Holmes.
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Dónal Finn as a young James Moriarty, introducing a pre-nemesis dynamic that has fans theorizing about a "frenemy" arc.
What This Means for ‘Sherlock Holmes 3’
The astronomical success of the Young Sherlock marketing campaign is a bittersweet milestone for fans of the Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law franchise. While Warner Bros. and Team Downey have recently hinted that a third film remains in active development, industry analysts suggest that Ritchie’s pivot to the small screen may indicate a shift in priorities.
“Ritchie has found a way to honor the spirit of his movies while building a fresh sandbox,” says media analyst Dr. Elena Vance. “If the show’s ratings match its trailer views, Prime Video will likely look to turn this into a multi-season flagship, which could make scheduling a big-budget third movie even more difficult for Ritchie.”
The March Countdown
The record-breaking trailer has set an incredibly high bar for the series' debut. All eight episodes of Young Sherlock are scheduled to drop on 4th March 2026, in over 240 countries and territories.
As the industry watches to see if the "Ritchie-verse" can sustain this momentum, one thing is certain: the world is more than ready to step back into the shadows of 19th-century London.
