'Sherlock' season 4 air date, spoilers & updates: 'Hiddlebatch' happening in latest installment?

"Sherlock" season 4 is set to drop in January 2017 on BBC. However, while very little is being shared regarding the upcoming installment's storyline, its creators and stars are not shying away from saying season 4 will be the darkest one for the series to date.

The purported darkness may come in the form of season 4's villain, Culverton Smith (Toby Jones), who is described as the show's creepiest villain ever. In fact, he's probably more cunning and nefarious than Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott). end of an era

Just recently, BBC released the titles for the first and second episodes of season 4. As per Inquisitr, episode 1, which is written by Mark Gatiss and directed by Rachel Talalay is titled "The Six Thatchers" while episode 2, which Steven Moffat wrote and Nick Hurran directed is titled "The Lying Detective."

Judging from Sherlock's (Benedict Cumberbatch) pensive look on the most recent promo photo released for "Sherlock" season 4, it looks like this installment of the show will be as dark as fans expect it to be. Moffat hinted that the first two episodes combined will offer viewers an hour's worth of plot and half an hour's worth of drama, which speaks a lot about how the entire season will be.

Incidentally, there are rumors that the upcoming season will be the last one for the series after Cumberbatch granted an interview with British GQ in which he said "Sherlock" season 4 feels like the "end of an era." He didn't elaborate on it, but many fans took it to mean either one of two things; that he is done playing the well-loved detective or season 4 really is the last one for the show.

Meanwhile, talks are getting louder that Taylor Swift's ex, none other than Tom Hiddleston, is set to play Sherlock's new sidekick.

The rumor mill started spewing the talks when Gatiss posted a picture of him with Amanda Abbington, who plays Mary Watson, and Hiddleston during July's San Diego Comic-Con. Gatiss plays Mycroft Holmes, one of Sherlock's brothers, and according to Digital Spy, the writer/actor hinted of a third sibling that might come out in the future.

Those who watched the third season will remember Mycroft saying, "I'm not given to outbursts of brotherly compassion. You know what happened to the other one."

So, will Hiddleston trade his Loki costume to be Sherlock's new sidekick? That remains to be seen when "Sherlock" season 4 drops in on January 2017 at BBC.