‘Sherlock’ Star Martin Freeman Lands New TV Show; Details On ‘Start Up’

Martin Freeman is still a regular on “Sherlock,” but he’s going to film another TV series before he heads back to the PBS drama. The John Watson actor booked a gig on Crackle’s “Start Up,” and it sounds like Freeman will continue playing crime solvers, but this time, he won’t have Holmes’ (Benedict Cumberbatch) help.

“Start Up” shows Freeman as FBI agent Phil Rask. He specializes in financial crimes and wants to take down Mr. Talman, a corrupt businessman. Of course, that plan doesn’t go smoothly. Mr. Talman’s begrudging son Nick (Adam Brody) hides his father’s money by investing in Izzy Morales’ (Otmara Marrero) new tech company. Unfortunately, when gang leader Ronald Dacey (Edi Gathegi) finds out the money he gave to Mr. Talman is missing, he targets Nick. That leads to a weird alliance between Nick, Izzy and Ronald that makes Rask go after them. Rask “plans to take a journey to the very pit of darkness to take down the unsuspecting trio,” according to a press release.

“We are working with a top-notch team to produce a project that explores the motivations and complexities of creating a new venture, while walking a fine line between crime and legitimacy,” Eric Berger, GM of Crackle and EVP of Sony Pictures Television Digital Networks, said of the drama. “Start Up” begins filming its 10-episode season in San Juan, Puerto Rico, this week.

Freeman’s role is just the latest in a line of highly anticipated jobs. The 44-year-old actor is also set to appear in “Captain America: Civil War,” once again as a government employee, as well as the Tina Fey-led comedy “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” this year. He’ll film “Sherlock” Season 4 in spring, but as previously reported, it likely won’t air until 2017.

Filming two TV shows with leading roles within a single year is unusual for many actors, but Freeman previously explained at the Edinbugh Film Festival that he likes jumping from role to role. “I’m not in charge of the show,” Freeman said of “Sherlock” in August 2015 (via Radio Times). “But I am kind of glad we don’t do it all of the time because I have a very low boredom threshold. I really do. I want to do other things.”

“Start Up” will air on Crackle, Sony’s free streaming service. A release date hasn’t been announced.