SCENES
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Scene Map 60
# PG SLUGLINE
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INT EXT INT/EXT hover for full slug
Scene Map
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# PG SLUGLINE
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SHERLOCK HOLMES by Mike Johnson Story by Lionel Wigram
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EXT. THAMES EMBANKMENT - NIGHT Almost tipping over, the carriage turns onto the Thames Embankment, hurtles through the writhing fog along the icy river. We catch a GLIMPSE OF A FACE scanning the embankment from
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INT. SEWER TUNNEL - NIGHT Almost invisible in the gloom of the sewer we see the whip-like silhouette of SHERLOCK HOLMES. Holmes raises his hand until his pistol is pointing straight up and fires a single shot; the instant he does,
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INT. SEWER JUNCTION - NIGHT Catwalks meet above an island of stonework at the junction of several sewers. A good place for bad things. A YOUNG WOMAN lies on the stone island, a splash of white lit by flaming torches. She isn’t screaming any more.
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EXT. THAMES EMBANKMENT - NIGHT Holmes and Watson walk along the freezing embankment towards their carriage. WATSON We should charge Scotland Yard for
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INT. 221B BAKER STREET - DAY -- except in 221B Baker St., a big, messy two-bedroom apartment where Holmes languishes on a sofa, clothes a wrinkled mess. Holmes is unkempt, unshaven, dull-eyed. Evidence of a
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INT. THE ROYALE - NIGHT A romantic French restaurant in a fine hotel. Almost every table is occupied by happy couples, or groups. The kind of place you take the woman you want to marry to meet a difficult friend. Unless the difficult friend
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INT. BARE-KNUCKLE BOXING RING - NIGHT Holmes staggers back from the blow. He tastes his own blood from a split lip. It interests him. This isn’t just a fight for Holmes, it’s an exorcism. He is stripped to the waist, all sinew and gristle. His
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INT. TOWER OF LONDON - BLACKWOOD’S CELL - NIGHT Light from a candle. Blackwood sits like a yogi on the floor in the middle of the stone cell. His wrists are manacled. He is naked from the waist up. His HEAD IS SHAVED, his eyes are closed, his breath deep and steady.
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EXT. TOWER OF LONDON - DAWN The horizon around the Tower is changing forever as the HALF-CONSTRUCTED MASS OF TOWER BRIDGE explodes out of the Thames, its metal skeleton hacking jagged lines into the sky.
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INT. TOWER OF LONDON - CORRIDOR OUTSIDE BLACKWOOD’S CELL - DAWN A pale and nervous GUARD leads Holmes down the corridor, past a number of empty cells. HOLMES
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EXT. TOWER GREEN - TOWER OF LONDON - DAY The Green is packed with people -- many of them RICH AND ARISTOCRATIC. Excitement builds. NOTE the heavy security. IN PASSING, we catch a glimpse of a dark, stunningly
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EXT. 221 BAKER STREET - DAY The same turmoil in his eyes, Holmes stares out at the rain from their second-story window and plays his VIOLIN. WATSON (V.O.) Instead of gazing out the window --
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EXT. 221 BAKER STREET - DAY Holmes and Watson emerge from 221 Baker street together -- but Holmes gets into the police carriage, while Watson opens his umbrella and heads in the other direction. Is this the beginning of the end of a great partnership?
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INT. THE BLACKWOOD CRYPT - DAY Stairs lead UNDERGROUND, where the Blackwoods lie. Ornate and grotesque carvings suggest that Blackwood’s obsession with the occult was inherited. Light from police lamps show ranks of MARBLE SARCOPHAGI,
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EXT. THE BLACKWOOD CRYPT - DAY In a small clearing next to the crypt, five or six POLICEMEN circle something they can’t bear to look at ... ... the BODY OF A SMALL, RED-HEADED MAN, who has had his throat slit.
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EXT. LONDON STREET - EAST END - DAY Holmes and Watson stride briskly along a busy East End street, eating piping hot FISH AND CHIPS out of newspaper cones. WATSON
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EXT. BOW STREET - EAST END - DAY Holmes and Watson turn onto Bow Street. EVERY SECOND SHOP IS A PAWN SHOP. WATSON She’s even more untrustworthy than
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EXT. MADDISON & HAIG, PAWNBROKERS - DAY Seen through the dusty window, Holmes talks to the PROPRIETOR, while Watson looks over a tray of INEXPENSIVE DIAMOND ENGAGEMENT RINGS. CUT TO:
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INT. ATTIC STAIRCASE - CONTINUOUS -- when a MASSIVE BLOW HITS the detective square in the face, throwing him back onto Watson. The daffodils go flying. They tumble backwards down the staircase -- INT. O’RIORDAN’S ROOM - CONTINUOUS
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EXT. ALLEYWAY BEHIND LODGING HOUSE - CONTINUOUS Dredger limps out of the yard, pulls himself onto the waiting carriage. DREDGER GO.
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EXT. STREET - CANNING TOWN - DAY Holmes sees Dredger run through the gates into the huge THAMES IRONWORKS SHIPYARDS. EXT. THAMES IRONWORKS - CONTINUOUS Sprinting, Holmes follows Dredger through the doors into
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EXT. FABRICATION SHED - DAY Watson runs round the end of the building and looks down into the FIRST SLIPWAY ... ... where he sees Holmes dart out from under the half- built hull. He looks across and sees Dredger weaving his
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EXT. CEREMONIAL PLATFORM - DAY A DIGNITARY’S WIFE -- A POUTER PIGEON OF A WOMAN -- RELEASES A MAGNUM OF CHAMPAGNE tied to a silken rope. EXT. BELOW CEREMONIAL PLATFORM - THAMES IRONWORKS - CONTINUOUS
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EXT. BELOW CEREMONIAL PLATFORM. THAMES IRONWORKS - DAY WATSON sees the dwarfed, struggling figures of HOLMES and DREDGER on the slipway, then the accelerating ship obliterates them from view. INT. SECOND SLIPWAY - CONTINUOUS
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EXT. NEXT STREET OVER - DAY Holmes, Watson and various bystanders clear wreckage from the smashed carriage, to reveal the DEAD BODY OF THE DRIVER. HOLMES
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EXT. CAB RANK, EUSTON ROAD - DAY A KNOT OF CAB DRIVERS react as Holmes strides up waving a pound note. They are all pleased to see him. CUT TO: EXT. BAKER STREET - DAY
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INT. FOYER OF IRENE’S HOTEL - DAY Holmes bribes a SHORT BELLHOP and heads for the stairs in the Victorian equivalent of a discrete, expensive, BOUTIQUE HOTEL. CUT TO:
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INT. IRENE’S ROOM - DAY -- and a two-shot Derringer held low behind her hip. Holmes pushes in past her. IRENE No package? I’m disappointed.
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INT. IRENE’S ROOM - EVENING Holmes and Irene lie semi-naked, sprawled across the bed. Close, intimate, tender. Holmes is as relaxed as we’ve ever seen him. Irene, too. IRENE
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INT. 221B BAKER STREET - NIGHT Holmes enters, to find Watson PACKING HIS MEDICAL BOOKS INTO CRATES. The sight brings him up short, for a moment. WATSON
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EXT. NINE ELMS - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT An industrial area on a torpid bend of the Thames. Work doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. We see a vast GASWORKS belching smoke, glowing with furnace fire. Pyramids of coal and sulfur crowd the
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EXT. LONDON - VARIOUS - NIGHT CLOCKS RING MIDNIGHT all over London. A glorious cacophony ... but also the beginning of the witching hour. EXT. NINE ELMS - NIGHT
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EXT. CHEMICAL WORKS - NIGHT Holmes’ carriage joins the back of the line into the chemical works, moving slowly. Once they are through, the gate rumbles closed behind them.
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INT. WAREHOUSE - CHEMICAL WORKS - NIGHT Torches gutter from the walls, casting unreal light. The air is THICK WITH PALE SMOKE, which adds to the eeriness. Music comes from a QUARTET OF BLINDFOLDED MUSICIANS. People mill, quietly. The tension in the air seems
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INT. CORRIDOR - CHEMICAL WORKS - NIGHT A HIDDEN DOOR pops open and Holmes slips through; but the top of the door hits a trip-switch as it opens, and the second "click" makes Holmes look up. He sees the wire of a SILENT ALARM running along the roof
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EXT. WHARF - CHEMICAL WORKS - NIGHT Dredger exits the chemical works, sprints across the wharf towards a black and red STEAM LAUNCH (a military prototype) where Blackwood and his core Followers wait. CUT TO:
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EXT. WHARF - CHEMICAL WORKS - NIGHT The crack of the shot is drowned by the almighty roar of the GAS TANK EXPLODING. The wharf is engulfed in flames. CUT TO: As the gaseous fireball rises into the night sky,
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INT. LAB ROOM - NIGHT Irene puts down a THICK-WALLED GLASS SPHERE about the size of a cannon ball. IRENE Hello, Sherlock.
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EXT. LONDON - VARIOUS - DAWN Holmes hurries through the streets of his beloved city as it comes awake. He has changed out of evening wear. Unsuspecting Londoners launch themselves at yet another day, full of hope and energy.
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INT. SCOTLAND YARD - DAY Lestrade is at the center of a storm of bobby blue, as POLICE RUNNERS enter and leave at high speed, underlings carry out orders, markers are placed on a huge wall map of London.
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INT. LESTRADE’S OFFICE - DAY Once inside, Lestrade shows the desperation he couldn’t in front of his men. LESTRADE The Queen refuses to cancel the
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INT. SCOTLAND YARD - DAY OVER, we hear the SOUND OF THE VIOLIN BEING TUNED. Lestrade glares at Watson. Suddenly, a STARTLINGLY HORRIBLE CASCADE OF VIOLIN SOUND pours out from Lestrade’s office, bringing the whole
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INT. SCOTLAND YARD - DAY Scotland Yard is almost deserted. Watson stands painfully, in anticipation. Takes the cotton out of his ears. Lestrade’s door opens. Holmes emerges, drenched in
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EXT. POLICE LAUNCH - DAY As Holmes and Watson board, (the latter with a visible wince) the young policeman uncleats the bow line. LAUNCH CAPTAIN We’ll need to hurry to catch
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EXT. TOWER BRIDGE - DAY Establishing. Tower Bridge is a COMBINATION SUSPENSION AND LEAF BRIDGE, one of the marvels of Victorian engineering. TWO MASSIVE STEEL SKELETONS face each other across the
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EXT. POLICE LAUNCH - DAY Holmes hammers ON THE OTHER PILING, faster and faster, trying without success to find anything other than solid concrete. Desperation time.
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EXT. HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT - DAY Flanked by her mounted guards, THE QUEEN’S COACH approaches the Houses of Parliament. Magnificent ... and completely vulnerable. CUT TO:
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EXT. HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT - DAY Big Ben shows that it is ten minutes to noon. INT. HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT - DAY A JEWEL-ENCRUSTED MACE KNOCKS THREE TIMES on a huge door. The huge door is opened from inside.
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EXT. TOWER GREEN - DAY Blackwood’s Followers have their foreheads pressed to the grass. Dredger watches them, a hyper-alert slab of malevolence. Around the perimeter, several BOWLER-HATTED THUGS stand
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INT. WHITE TOWER - DAY The White Tower is a square tower, four stories high. TWO STAIRCASES in opposite corners lead to the top floor; one is made of STONE, one is made of WOOD. Neither staircase can be seen from the other.
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INT. WHITE TOWER - DAY AT THE TOP FLOOR OF WHITE TOWER, Holmes, Irene and Watson look at -- BARREL AFTER BARREL OF EXPLOSIVE, clustered together in a circle, each labelled:
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EXT. WHITE TOWER - DAY IN SLO MO, THE GLASS CYLINDER FALLS towards the ground. In mid-air -- BOOOOOOOOOOOM! The explosion hammers the White Tower --
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EXT. TOWER BRIDGE - DAY Irene sprints into the CONSTRUCTION SITE. She darts between piles of planks, steel, coils of rope, heads for the BRIDGE STANCHION, and a self-propelled CONSTRUCTION LIFT.
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EXT. TOP OF TOWER BRIDGE - DAY As the counterweight comes to a stop at the top, HOLMES pulls himself into the steelwork and climbs onto the TOP OF THE STANCHION. The light is sultry. Wind gusts strong. Weather coming
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EXT. THE THAMES RIVER - DAY After a long moment, the GLASS SPHERE BOBS UP and begins floating towards the sea. CUT TO: EXT. TOWER BRIDGE - DAY
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EXT. THE THAMES RIVER - DAY The GLASS SPHERE drifts down river, glinting in the sunlight. Beyond it, we see the bow wave of an APPROACHING LAUNCH. EXT. LAUNCH - DAY
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EXT. TOP OF TOWER BRIDGE - DAY Irene rattles the cuffs. IRENE (CONT’D) Sherlock, I saved your life. HOLMES
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EXT. HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT - DAY -- THE QUEEN’S COACH AND ESCORT head safely away from Parliament, back to Buckingham Palace. Crisis over. FADE TO:
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INT. 221 BAKER STREET - EVENING HOLMES Have you got the ring? WATSON Of course.
INT EXT INT/EXT tap to expand

Sherlock Holmes

When Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson investigate the mysterious resurrections of a dangerous occultist, they must navigate a web of intrigue, betrayal, and the supernatural to save London from a deadly new weapon. Other loglines ›

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Overview

Poster
Unique Selling Point

This screenplay stands out in the detective genre by blending traditional elements of Sherlock Holmes with modern action and character dynamics. The unique portrayal of Holmes as both a brilliant detective and a flawed human being adds depth to the character, making him relatable to contemporary audiences. The incorporation of supernatural elements, while grounded in science, provides a fresh twist that keeps viewers engaged.

AI Verdict

How to read these: in industry coverage, Pass is the default outcome for the majority of professional scripts, and Consider means the reader stayed in the room. Industry-wide, the median professional evaluation sits at a 6 — scores of 8+ are rare everywhere, on purpose.

Synthesis Where readers agree and split
7.2

A propulsive Victorian action-mystery anchored by a distinctive Holmes-Watson partnership, awaiting structural clarification of its threat logic and mid-act causal chain before it can be championed.

Readers read as Mainstream commercial2 Elevated commercial3 majority
Genres Action4 Mystery4 Historical3 Adventure2 Thriller2 Crime1 Fantasy1

An elevated commercial Victorian action-mystery aiming for propulsive set-piece pleasure and a charismatic detective duo, with the primary craft bet resting on staging and partnership rather than on fair-play mystery logic.

Readers split on the contract: three read this as elevated commercial, two as mainstream commercial. The split traces to tonal register and mystery depth — the elevated read expects fair-play deduction, while the mainstream read prioritizes kinetic momentum and clear hero-villain conflict.

Why not lower

The set-piece construction, partnership rhythm, and consistent visual staging keep the read from collapsing into generic action.

Why not higher

The unresolved threat logic and mid-act causal thinning prevent the script from delivering the fair-play detective payoff its own contract implies.

Rewrite map

A propulsive Victorian action-mystery anchored by a distinctive Holmes-Watson partnership that needs mid-act causal tightening and earlier planting of its threat logic to match the strength of its character dynamics.

Readers read as Mainstream commercial2 Elevated commercial3 majority

Start here

Planting the antidote and execution-switch mechanics in the middle act addresses both the retroactive exposition problem and the mid-act agency thinning, restoring Holmes's proactive deduction while making the climax's payoff feel earned rather than explained.

Protect while fixing 2
Holmes-Watson banter and partnership rhythm

Tightening the mid-act causal chain risks trimming the conversational beats that currently carry the emotional weight of the investigation.

When restructuring the middle act, preserve the back-and-forth deduction scenes as self-contained units rather than compressing them to serve plot mechanics.

Industrial Victorian set-piece specificity

Clarifying the climax's device mechanics could tempt a rewrite toward generic bomb-countdown staging that loses the period engineering texture.

Keep the Victorian materials and machinery legible during the disarmament sequence so the physical environment remains a source of both danger and deduction.

Fix first 3
Threat logic relies on retroactive exposition

The reader loses the ability to track the mystery's rules, making the climax's stakes feel uncertain rather than tense.

Root cause

The script withholds the mechanism of the antagonist's power to preserve supernatural ambiguity, but delivers the explanation as a late monologue rather than planting observable clues earlier.

One direction

Seed the antidote and execution-switch mechanics in the middle act so the final confrontation confirms a clue the reader has already tracked.

Mid-act causal pressure and protagonist agency thin out Medium confidence

The reader senses the investigation stalling as the protagonist shifts from active deduction to reactive survival, flattening the emotional payoff of the partnership.

Root cause

The script uses capture and rescue beats to maintain external threat, but the cumulative effect displaces Holmes's defining trait of superior deduction with physical endurance.

One direction

Convert one capture sequence into a deliberate strategic choice or give Holmes a proactive deduction that materially changes the terms of the hunt before the climax.

Climax geography and device mechanics blur Medium confidence

The reader must reconstruct the location and purpose of each character during the ticking-clock sequence, which dilutes the physical tension.

Root cause

The climax stacks multiple locations and a multi-stage device handoff while cutting rapidly, so spatial and motivational information arrives after it is needed.

One direction

Clarify the device's component separation visually during the disarmament and give the female lead a stated reason for her bridge approach before she moves.

Your decisions 1
Tonal register: elevated commercial mystery vs mainstream commercial action Consequential
Side A

Committing to the elevated commercial lane means preserving the deductive puzzle and thematic ambiguity, requiring tighter clue-planting to satisfy the mystery contract.

Side B

Committing to the mainstream commercial lane means prioritizing kinetic momentum and clear hero-villain conflict, allowing the mystery to serve as a backdrop for set-piece escalation.

Quick credibility wins 1
Overwritten action emphasis and caps

Strip the all-caps sound effects and stacked typographic emphasis from action lines, letting the precise physical staging carry the intensity.

Ask AI about this read
Would readers champion it · Rewrite depth · Voice · Score stability
What's working 3 of 5 readers agree

The Holmes-Watson partnership rhythm is the script's clearest championable asset, providing consistent emotional and tonal grounding that survives skeptical scrutiny of the plot mechanics.

What's blocking 3 of 5 readers agree

The opaque rules of the antagonist's scheme and the reliance on retroactive exposition for the climax's resolution weaken reader trust in the mystery's payoff.

Would readers champion it?
Not yetNot yetReaders wouldn’t actively push for it.
Early interestEarly interestMentioned, but no real push behind it.
ModeratelyModeratelyMentioned favorably to the right buyer.
StronglyStronglyActively championed across their network.
ClaudeModeratelyDeepSeekModeratelyGPT5ModeratelyGrokModeratelyGeminiStrongly
How much rewrite does it need?
Start from scratchStart from scratchPremise or core engine isn’t working. Page-one rebuild.
Structural rewriteStructural rewriteSpecific acts or zones need rebuilding — not starting over, but significant revision work on those sections.
Targeted rewriteTargeted rewriteSpecific scenes or threads need rework. ~1 month.
Just polishJust polishLines and pacing tweaks. A few weeks.
ClaudeStructural rewriteDeepSeekTargeted rewriteGPT5Targeted rewriteGeminiTargeted rewriteGrokTargeted rewrite
How distinctive is the voice?
GenericGenericReads like other scripts in the genre.
EmergingEmergingHints of a distinctive voice, not yet locked in.
DistinctiveDistinctiveA clear, recognizable authorial voice.
One-of-a-kindOne-of-a-kindA voice that couldn’t be anyone else’s.
ClaudeDistinctiveGPT5DistinctiveGeminiDistinctiveDeepSeekEmergingGrokEmerging

On the score: The score sits between two verdicts — small changes in either direction could flip it.

Story Facts
Genres:
Action 25% Crime 40% Drama 30% Thriller 40% Comedy 10% Romance 10% Fantasy 15%

Setting: 1891, London, primarily in the streets, the Thames Embankment, the Tower of London, and various industrial sites.

Themes: The Nature of Good vs. Evil, The Importance of Reason and Logic vs. Superstition and the Occult, The Changing Landscape of Victorian London, The Dynamics of Friendship and Partnership, The Complexity of Human Nature, The Power of Deception and Manipulation

Conflict & Stakes: The primary conflict revolves around Holmes and Watson's efforts to stop Lord Blackwood from executing a sinister plan that threatens the Queen and the stability of London, with personal stakes involving Watson's safety and Holmes's moral dilemmas.

Mood: Tense and suspenseful, with moments of dark humor and romance.

Standout Features:

  • Unique Hook: The incorporation of supernatural elements and occult themes into the traditional detective narrative.
  • Plot Twist: The revelation of Blackwood's escape from execution and his sinister plans involving a secret society.
  • Distinctive Setting: The atmospheric depiction of Victorian London, with its dark streets, industrial sites, and iconic landmarks.
  • Character Dynamics: The complex relationship between Holmes and Irene Adler, blending romance with tension.

Comparable Scripts: Sherlock Holmes (2009), The Prestige (2006), From Hell (2001), Penny Dreadful (TV Series), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), The Woman in Black (2012), The Secret of Sherlock Holmes (1987), Sleepy Hollow (1999), The Illusionist (2006)

Script Level Analysis

Writer Exec

This section delivers a top-level assessment of the screenplay’s strengths and weaknesses — covering overall quality (P/C/R/HR), character development, emotional impact, thematic depth, narrative inconsistencies, and the story’s core philosophical conflict. It helps identify what’s resonating, what needs refinement, and how the script aligns with professional standards.

Screenplay Insights

Breaks down your script along various categories.

Overall Score: 7.64
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Story Critique
Big-picture feedback on the story’s clarity, stakes, cohesion, and engagement.
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Characters
Explores the depth, clarity, and arc of the main and supporting characters.
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Emotional Analysis

Breaks down the emotional journey of the audience across the script.

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Goals and Philosophical Conflict
Evaluates character motivations, obstacles, and sources of tension throughout the plot.
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Themes
Analysis of the themes of the screenplay and how well they’re expressed.
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Logic & Inconsistencies
Highlights any contradictions, plot holes, or logic gaps that may confuse viewers.
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Scene Analysis

All of your scenes analyzed individually and compared, so you can zero in on what to improve.

Scene-Level Percentile Chart
Hover over the graph to see more details about each score.
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Other Analyses

Writer Exec

This section looks at the extra spark — your story’s voice, style, world, and the moments that really stick. These insights might not change the bones of the script, but they can make it more original, more immersive, and way more memorable. It’s where things get fun, weird, and wonderfully you.

Unique Voice
Assesses the distinctiveness and personality of the writer's voice.
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Writer's Craft
Analyzes the writing to help the writer be aware of their skill and improve.
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Memorable Lines
Spotlights standout dialogue lines with emotional or thematic power.
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Tropes
Highlights common or genre-specific tropes found in the script.
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World Building
Evaluates the depth, consistency, and immersion of the story's world.
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Correlations
Identifies patterns in scene scores.
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Loglines
Presents logline variations based on theme, genre, and hook.
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Script•o•Scope