If you want to know why Sherlock Gnomes exists, it's really simple. The first movie, Gnomeo & Juliet, which was excellent by the way, opened in 2011 and became a sleeper hit with $194M on a $36M budget. It had great music and terrific voicework from James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, and others. Plus it was a clever way to revisit Shakespeare's overused classic, in the form of little porcelain garden gnomes that *clink* when they touch something.
I'm excited, so sue me.
The sequel introduces Johnny Depp as the voice of detective Sherlock Gnomes (har har har), who is brought in to investigate the disappearance of other garden gnomes. This might be the best way to tolerate Depp at this point, not having to actually see him on screen. Although, what's up with him and playing detectives lately? Is he going through something we don't know about?
Anyway, the film features Michael Caine, Maggie Smith, Stephen Merchant, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Mary J. Blige with Elton John back again to provide original music. John Stevenson, who co-directed Kung Fu Panda, has what I think is an unenviable task of topping its predecessor. Here's the synopsis:
When Gnomeo and Juliet return home one day to find that everyone in their garden is missing – there’s only one gnome to call… Sherlock Gnomes. The famous detective and sworn protector of London’s garden gnomes arrives with his sidekick Watson to investigate the case. The mystery will lead our gnomes on a rollicking adventure where they will meet all new ornaments and explore an undiscovered side of the city.
Sherlock Gnomes opens March 23rd 2018.
