"Sherlock" fans have been waiting for what feels like forever for the show to return, and while season four will finally arrive next year, it may be the last we ever see of the modern day Sherlock and Watson.

That word comes courtesy of titular star Benedict Cumberbatch, who's been working steadily on the big screen in recent years, landing an Oscar nomination and nabbing what's said to be his big breakout role in the newest Marvel flick, "Doctor Strange," due out in November. In an interview with British GQ in promotion of that latter project, Cumberbatch admitted that the new "Sherlock" episodes awaiting fans "might be the end of an era."

"It feels like the end of an era, to be honest," the actor continued. "It goes to a place where it will be pretty hard to follow on immediately."

While Cumberbatch noted that "We never say never on the show," and that he'd "love to revisit" the series some day, he acknowledged that his and his fellow "Sherlock" cast and crew members' other commitments made it difficult to coordinate filming additional episodes. (Something fans are do doubt already familiar with, what with the notoriously-long wait between new seasons that has been the norm recently.)

" ... [W]e've made something very complete as it is," the actor explained to British GQ, "so I think we'll just wait and see. The idea of never playing him again is really galling."

Stay tuned. Season four of "Sherlock" is set to air in the U.S. sometime next year.

[via: British GQ]

Photo credit: Associated Press