Enola Holmes is set for release later this month. Huh, what is this about? Clicking over to the description on IMDb, I see the following introduction:
When Enola Holmes-Sherlock's teen sister-discovers her mother missing, she sets off to find her, becoming a super-sleuth in her own right as she outwits her famous brother and unravels a dangerous conspiracy around a mysterious young Lord.
His younger sister 'outwits' him. The most famous sleuth in fiction is outwitted by a teenaged girl. Gee, yet another movie that elevates a female character by diminishing an established male character (e.g. Rey and Luke Skywalker). That sounds like a great way to turn away fans of the established character.
It happens that this is based on a novel series by author Nancy Springer who has written half a dozen such mysteries. Are they good? I don't know and I'm unlikely to find out. Go create an original character without borrowing the fame of an established one. I don't want to read about Hercule Poirot's smarter younger sister, Philip Marlowe's wittier sister, or Sam Spade's more intelligent sister. How about creating a unique, new female sleuth like Veronica Mars, Miss Marple, or Nancy Drew. Eidos didn't create Indiana Jones more adventurous younger sister, Florida Jones. No, they made Lara Croft! That is how it's done. This is akin to fan fiction that rides on the shoulders of established characters while simultaneously belittling them. However, it is clearly a successful strategy. I somehow doubt that there would have been a book six for Enola Smith and her less intelligent brother Walter Smith.
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