The many stories of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle see Sherlock come up against a variety of villains, but none so synonymous and terrifying as James Moriarty. It’s clear from his first appearance in The Adventure of the Final Problem that Sherlock has met his match in Moriarty. Though the character would go on to be directly featured in only two stories, he’s mentioned by Sherlock several times. However, Moriarty has become synonymous with the tales of Sherlock Holmes and is brought to life in many screen iterations of the narratives.
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Every actor who takes on the role of Moriarty is grappling with the legacy of some of the greatest performers of all time and must strive to distinguish themselves amid the many versions of Moriarty out there. The new series Young Sherlock is confirmed and will bring a new take on the classic tale to audiences everywhere and will have its own spin on Sherlock’s great rival. Since how the actor plays Moriarty depends so much on the adaptation and how the character is written, each Moriarty has the opportunity to reinvent the villain.
10 Sharon Duncan-Brewster – Enola Holmes 2 (2022)
This Moriarty hits the mark for the youthful adaptation of Sherlock Holmes
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Millie Bobby Brown leads the Enola Holmes movies as the younger sister of Sherlock, played by Henry Cavill, and the sequel brings Sharon Duncan-Brewster into the fold as Moriarty. Similar to other adaptations of Sherlock Holmes, Duncan-Brewster’s Moriarty conceals her identity for as long as she can to fool Enola. She introduces herself as Mira Troy, a secretary to a Minister, and attempts to avoid suspicion while Enola and Sherlock piece together that Moriarty is behind part of the conspiracy.
Watching Enola and Moriarty go toe-to-toe in the next installment will push both Enola and her rival to their limits and make for a compelling story.
Enola Holmes 2 ends with Moriarty escaping the police and sets up an expanded arc for Enola Holmes 3, which is reportedly in development. Duncan-Brewster is the perfect blend of sinister and fun to watch, which strikes the perfect tone for the YA-targeted franchise. Watching Enola and Moriarty go toe-to-toe in the next installment will push both Enola and her rival to their limits and make for a compelling story. Though the Enola Holmes movies stray from the original source material, they’re a great modernization of the tale for all audiences.
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8/10 Enola Holmes 2 PG-13AdventureMysteryActionCrime
Acting as a sequel to Enola Holmes (2020), Enola Holmes 2 sees the titular detective and younger sister of Sherlock Holmes pulled into another mystery when a young factory worker asks Enola to help solve her sister’s disappearance. Unlike its predecessor, Enola Holmes 2 is not based on the novel series by Nancy Springer. The story instead takes inspiration from the 1888 matchgirls’ strike in London. Millie Bobbie Brown reprises her role as Enola, with Henry Cavill and Helena Bonham Carter also reprising their roles as Sherlock and Eudoria Holmes.
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*Availability in US Director Harry Bradbeer Release Date November 4, 2022 Studio(s) Netflix Writers Jack Thorne Cast Millie Bobby Brown , Henry Cavill , Louis Partridge , Adeel Akhtar , Susie Wokoma , Sharon Duncan-Brewster , David Thewlis , Helena Bonham Carter Franchise(s) Sherlock Holmes Expand
9 Vincent Price – The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
An animated rat with plenty of charisma and villainy
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The great Vincent Price lent his voice to the role of Ratigan, the evil rat professor in The Great Mouse Detective, which was inspired by the tales of Sherlock Holmes. Professor Ratigan is a terrifying villain, especially for a children’s animated film, but this makes him a worthy adversary for Basil, the mouse who’s based on Sherlock Holmes. Though the audience is rooting for Basil, Ratigan lives up to the fearsome reputation of Moriarty and gives a stellar performance during the musical numbers.
Related 10 Best Animated Movie Villains Of The 1980s
The 1980s was an exciting and innovative time for animation, and many movies increased the complexity & nuance of their central villains.
The success of The Great Mouse Detective was a turning point for Disney, as it came on the heels of a string of box office and critical failures like The Black Cauldron. However, The Great Mouse Detective was a hit because it utilized such famous IP and used great classical actors like Price to voice the characters. Throughout his career, Price frequently portrayed villains because of his distinctive and booming voice, which made him the perfect choice for Ratigan. While Ratigan isn’t an exact copy of Moriarty, he’s the ideal Disney version.
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5/10 The Great Mouse Detective GAnimationAdventureComedyFamilyMusicalMystery
The Great Mouse Detective is an animated adventure film directed by Ron Clements and Burny Mattinson. Released in 1986, the film follows the ingenious mouse detective Basil of Baker Street, who is on a mission to thwart the schemes of the villainous Ratigan. Set in Victorian London, the story includes iconic supporting characters such as Basil’s companion Dr. Dawson and the kidnapped toy maker Hiram Flaversham’s daughter Olivia.
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*Availability in US Director Ron Clements , Burny Mattinson , David Michener , John Musker Release Date July 2, 1986 Writers Peter Young , Vance Gerry , Steve Hulett , Ron Clements , John Musker , Bruce Morris Cast Vincent Price , Barrie Ingham , Val Bettin , Susanne Pollatschek , Candy Candido , Diana Chesney Runtime 74 minutes
8 Anthony Higgins – Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
Moritary’s roots as a professor are explored in this prequel
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Young Sherlock Holmes wasn’t the hit prequel that the studio was hoping for, but it’s a fun, underrated addition to the Sherlock Holmes canon. The movie follows teenage Sherlock and Watson solving a new mystery and also creates a new origin story for Moriarty. Anthony Higgins plays Professor Rathe, AKA Eh-Tar, the film’s villain, who’s only revealed to be Moriarty in the story’s final moments. This could have set up a potential sequel, but the middling reviews and poor box-office performance prevented this.
This doesn’t prevent Higgins from portraying a nuanced and complex antagonist who helps set Sherlock on his path to becoming a master sleuth.
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In the tradition of many great films of the 1980s, Young Sherlock Holmes is a youthful adventure full of twists and turns rather than a dark and serious mystery. However, this doesn’t prevent Higgins from portraying a nuanced and complex antagonist who helps set Sherlock on his path to becoming a master sleuth. The dynamic between Sherlock and the man who will become Moriarty is interesting to see played out so differently from other adaptations. Regardless, Higgins is a standout in the film and anchors the story as a thoughtful iteration of Sherlock Holmes.
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Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) PG-13AdventureFantasyMystery
Young Sherlock Holmes, directed by Barry Levinson, follows the adventures of a young Sherlock Holmes and John Watson as they meet for the first time at a boarding school, bonding over a shared interest in solving mysteries. Their skills are tested when they investigate a series of mysterious deaths connected to an ancient cult, sharpening their developing detective abilities.
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*Availability in US Director Barry Levinson Release Date December 4, 1985 Writers Arthur Conan Doyle , Chris Columbus Cast Nicholas Rowe , Alan Cox , Sophie Ward , Anthony Higgins , Susan Fleetwood , Freddie Jones , Nigel Stock , Roger Ashton-Griffiths Runtime 109 Minutes
7 Daniel Davis – Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)
Despite being a hologram, TNG’s Moriarty is very much alive
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Star Trek: The Next Generation isn’t a Sherlock Holmes TV show, but it does provide one of the best adaptations of Moriarty seen on television. It would be remiss not to mention Daniel Davis’ work as Moriarty, as not only does he explore who the character is within the canon of Sherlock Holmes, but he also expands on the theme of what it means to be human. Much of Moriarty’s storyline is intertwined with Data, as Moriarty is created from a computer program, but then insists that he’s become much more than that when he’s brought to life.
His character arc is a fascinating interrogation of morality and how much a person is defined by their nature, as he wants to be released from the holodeck and leave the Enterprise. Though Moriarty is characterized as Data’s nemesis, as Data is framed as Sherlock, Moriarty is less concerned with power and deception than he is with gaining his freedom. It takes a skilled actor to capture the conflicting feelings and identities inside Moriarty in Star Trek: The Next Generation, but Davis does so easily.
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35 9.4/10 Star Trek: The Next Generation Sci-FiSuperheroDramaAction
Star Trek: The Next Generation is the third installment in the sci-fi franchise and follows the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew members of the USS Enterprise. Set around one hundred years after the original series, Picard and his crew travel through the galaxy in largely self-contained episodes exploring the crew dynamics and their own political discourse. The series also had several overarching plots that would develop over the course of the isolated episodes, with four films released in tandem with the series to further some of these story elements.
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*Availability in US Cast Patrick Stewart , Marina Sirtis , Brent Spiner , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Wil Wheaton Release Date September 28, 1987 Seasons 7 Network CBS Streaming Service(s) Amazon Prime Video Franchise(s) Star Trek Writers Gene Roddenberry Directors David Carson Showrunner Gene Roddenberry Expand
6 Eric Porter – The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes (1984–1994)
Also titled Sherlock Holmes, this series followed Conan Doyle’s work to the letter
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Prior to the BBC’s iteration in 2010, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was largely considered the definitive television adaptation of Conan Doyle’s works. A large part of this is thanks to the work of Jeremy Brett, who portrayed Sherlock faithfully across the series’ many seasons and episodes. The majority of Conan Doyle’s works were brought to life in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, including some of the most famous that feature Moriarty.
Porter and Brett have amazing onscreen chemistry and are quite believable as the arch-rivals the show makes them out to be.
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The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes follows Conan Doyle’s stories faithfully, so Eric Porter’s Moriarty doesn’t have the most screentime, but Porter gives his all to every moment. Porter and Brett have amazing onscreen chemistry and are quite believable as the arch-rivals the show makes them out to be. As with many Sherlock series, it’s easy to want more of Porter as Moriarty, but part of the reason The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is so well-remembered is because it is so in tune with Conan Doyle’s work.
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes TV-PGCrimeDramaMystery
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a 1984 television adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories, starring Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes and David Burke as Dr. Watson. The series remains faithful to the original text, capturing the essence of Victorian London and the deductive genius of Holmes as they solve complex mysteries.
Cast Jeremy Brett , David Burke , Rosalie Williams , Eric Porter , Gayle Hunnicutt , Jeremy Kemp , Rosalind Knight , David Gwillim Character(s) Sherlock Holmes , Dr. John Watson , Mrs. Hudson , Professor Moriarty , Irene Adler , Dr. Grimesby Roylott , Countess of Morcar , Percy Phelps Release Date March 14, 1985 Seasons 2 Creator(s) John Hawkesworth
5 Laurence Olivier – The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976)
One of the greatest actors of all time takes on one of the greatest villains
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It would be impossible not to mention Laurence Olivier’s turn as Moriarty in The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, a film based on the 1974 novel of the same name. Though The Seven-Per-Cent Solution is a spinoff of the Sherlock Holmes stories and incorporates colorful real-life figures like Sigmund Freud into the story, it’s surprisingly faithful to the spirit of Conan Doyle’s work. The film is a lighter, more humorous take on the tales of Sherlock Holmes, painting Olivier’s Moriarty as a meek professor whom Sherlock is wrongfully accusing.
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Olivier is far from the only big name in the cast, as he’s joined by Nicol Williamson, Robert Duvall, and Alan Arkin. All of these stellar actors come together to make a worthy successor to the Sherlock Holmes canon, demonstrating that the iconic characters can be translated into new forms and molded to fit the modern day. Though the film is a bit off-beat and incorporates some surrealist elements, it’s the performances, like Olivier’s, that ground the movie and make it so watchable today.
4 Natalie Dormer – Elementary (2012–2019)
Dormer continues her streak of playing highly intelligent and compelling characters
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The show Elementary is one of the most underrated Sherlock Holmes adaptations, and Natalie Dormer’s performance as Moriarty is one of the best parts. Dormer has made her name playing well-written and ambitious female characters, like Margaery Tyrell in Game of Thrones, and she’s no less formidable in Elementary. Adding the romantic tension between her and Sherlock to the typical game that the rivals play with each other makes it even more watchable.
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Her importance in the series and connection to Sherlock make her one of the best recurring characters in
Elementary
, as every episode she’s featured in is immediately elevated.
Dormer taking on the dual role of Moriarty and Irene Adler was a clever way for Elementary to increase her screen time and have her stick around longer than both of the characters on their own. Her importance in the series and connection to Sherlock make her one of the best recurring characters in Elementary, as every episode she’s featured in is immediately elevated. The complex dynamic between her and Sherlock, as they love and respect each other, but Moriarty is driven by her criminal tendencies, is one of the series’ best overarching plot lines.
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10 9.9/10 Elementary TV-14MysteryDramaCrime
A modern retelling of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, Elementary is set in New York City and details the adventures of Dr. Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) who becomes partner to the consulting detective Sherlock Holmes (Johnny Lee Miller) after first being assigned as his sober companion. Set up a procedural crime drama, the series includes multiple references to the original Holmes stories, often with surprising twists. Aidan Quinn and John Micahel Hill also star as Thomas Gregson and Marcus Bell, with John Noble as a notable guest star.
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*Availability in US Cast Lucy Liu , Jon Michael Hill , Aidan Quinn , Jonny Lee Miller Release Date November 27, 2012 Seasons 7 Network CBS Streaming Service(s) Hulu , Paramount+ Writers Bob Goodman Directors Jonny Lee Miller Showrunner Jonny Lee Miller Expand
3 George Zucco – The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes (1939)
This classic iteration of the story sees Zucco team up with Basil Rathbone
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It would be impossible to discuss the major performances of Moriarty and iterations of Sherlock Holmes without bringing up one of the iconic films featuring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock. His performance was the definitive version for many years, and George Zucco’s turn as Moriarty in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was a brilliant casting choice. Though other actors would take up the mantle of Moriarty in the successive films in Rathbone’s series, Zucco was the first and the best.
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It’s clear that Zucco and Rathbone are having fun playing the game of Moriarty and Sherlock together, and their characters, and the film in general, served as inspiration for many later iterations of the story. In the story, Moriarty is trying to steal the Crown Jewels, a caper that’s been adapted for the screen many times, and it’s up to Sherlock to stop him. While the dynamic between Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson is often singled out, the project wouldn’t be the same without Zucco.
2 Jared Harris – Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows (2011)
Harris balances the fury and intellect of the dangerous professor
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In the years since their release, the Robert Downey Jr.-led Sherlock Holmes movies have grown in critical and audience estimation, cementing them as the best modern film iterations of the franchise. While Downey Jr.’s Sherlock is a more chaotic and action-oriented detective than previous iterations, he’s an engaging update for the 21st century. Moriarty also got this exciting revamp through Jared Harris’ portrayal in the sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.
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Both Downey Jr.’s Sherlock Holmes 3 and Sherlock season 5 have been in limbo for a while, but one of them would be far more exciting than the other.
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Moriarty’s identity is hinted at and successfully set up in the first film, and the payoff of finding out that it’s Harris and seeing how well he matches wits with Sherlock is thrilling. One piece of the narrative that A Game of Shadows does well is demonstrating to the audience how close Moriarty comes to beating Sherlock and increasing the tension slowly throughout the story. While the audience knows that Moriarty is the villain behind the criminal acts and murders throughout the film, it’s still just as compelling to see Sherlock untangle the mystery and confront him.
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Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows PG-13ActionAdventureMystery
The second installment in the Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes movie series, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows stars Robert Downey Jr. as the titular detective, this time battling against his classic nemesis, Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris). In the film, Holmes drags a reluctantly Dr. Watson (Jude Law) on a hair-rasing adventure across Europe in hopes of preventing Moriarty’s plans to bring about a world-war-level conflict.
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*Availability in US Director Guy Ritchie Release Date December 16, 2011 Studio(s) Village Roadshow Writers Kieran Mulroney , Michele Mulroney Cast Robert Downey Jr. , Jude Law , Stephen Fry , Noomi Rapace , Jared Harris , Eddie Marsan , Rachel McAdams , Kelly Reilly Runtime 129 Minutes Franchise(s) Sherlock Holmes Expand
1 Andrew Scott – Sherlock (2010–2017)
Scott is often singled out as the definitive Moriarty
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Andrew Scott as Moriarty in Sherlock was unlike anything viewers had seen in the villain up to that point and will likely heavily inspire up-and-coming actors who take on the role. Both younger and more vibrant than the usual actors cast as Moriarty, Scott was the perfect foil to the calm and collected Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock. The BBC Sherlock made them two sides of the same coin, allowing Scott to be explosive and dynamic onscreen while Cumberbatch kept his cool.
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Scott’s performance revolutionized the concept of Moriarty as a character and is one of the roles that the actor is best known for. Had more seasons revolved around the game of cat-and-mouse between Sherlock and Moriarty, Sherlock might have maintained its gushing reviews into the later seasons. However, even if the contemporary Sherlock Holmes adaptation isn’t to everyone’s taste, Scott’s ability to make Moriarty both the scariest and most magnetic he’s ever been onscreen is reason enough to watch the series.
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9.9/10 Sherlock
In this incarnation of Sherlock from creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman assume the roles of Sherlock and Watson as they establish their partnership and begin solving strange mysteries throughout the U.K. and beyond. Set in a more 2010’s modern setting, Sherlock’s eccentric and complex nature is accentuated as he solves seemingly supernatural crimes with unparalleled intellect while struggling to connect with others on a human level. Meanwhile, Watson blogs the stories summarizing their cases while building a strained but caring friendship with his new partner.
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*Availability in US Cast Martin Freeman , Benedict Cumberbatch , Rupert Graves Release Date August 8, 2010 Seasons 4 Network BBC Streaming Service(s) Disney+ , Netflix Franchise(s) Sherlock Holmes Writers Steven Moffat , Steve Thompson , Mark Gatiss Directors Steven Moffat Showrunner Steven Moffat Expand
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