'Sherlock' Season 4 Rumors: Actor Benedict Cumberbatch Says He's Not Leaving The Series Any Time Soon

Rest easy “Sherlock” fans. Benedict Cumberbatch has no plans to exit the role any time soon. Although the popular British actor has a lot on his plate these days, he recently told Vogue he’s content to play Sherlock as long as the quality of the show stays the way it is (or presumably gets better).

“If we keep the quality up,” he said. “I can’t imagine that I will ever get tired of being Sherlock. I’d love to play him as an old man.”

Admittedly, that’s easy for Cumberbatch to say now, in 2014, when the fourth season of the BBC crime drama won’t arrive until 2016. Still with his latest movie “The Imitation Game” now in theaters, his voice signed on for roles in “Penguins of Madagascar” and “The Hobbit” films, he’s an incredibly busy performer. In addition, Cumberbatch is rumored to be the top choice to play Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the recently announced film.

As far as the show’s quality goes. It’s clearly only getting better. Steven Moffat, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman took home Emmy awards in 2014 for their work on the Season 3 episode “His Last Vow,” the Washington Post noted.

It’s worth mentioning “Sherlock” fans will get some relief between now and the Season 4 premiere. The BBC has announced a Christmas Special set to air in 2015, the Guardian reported. With nearly a year separating fans from seeing Sherlock and Watson tackle a new case, series creators Moffat and Mark Gatiss are already teasing fans with vague details.

"A special, plus a new series of three episodes -- it's a record-breaking run!” Moffat said in a statement announcing Season 4. “Of course, it's far too early to say what's coming, but we're reasonably confident that the very next thing to happen to Sherlock and John, is the very last thing you'd expect."

In response to fans seeking potential spoilers from the original works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Gatiss told Radio Times: “It should be clear by now that while, of course, Doyle is our absolute god, we have gone quite a long way away as well. We’ve introduced Sherlock and Mycroft’s parents [for instance]. I don’t think they’ve ever been seen in any adaptation -- so there are lots of surprises to come.”

Sherlock Seasons 1-3 are currently available on Netflix. The Christmas special is due in 2015 and Season 4 is due in 2016.