'Sherlock' Season 4 Spoilers, Plot News: Takes Darker Turn; Major Character to Die

Fans are eagerly awaiting the return of "Sherlock," the series about the detective from Baker Street, on its fourth season. Although the season will not air until early next year 2016, fans have been waiting for updates and news about what the fourth season has in store for viewers.

To ease the anxiety of fans, series creator Steven Moffat recently shared some details on the upcoming season. He confirmed that the series will take on a "darker turn," a development that had previously been teased.

Moffat hinted that a major character would die. Fans are speculating this might be Mary Watson, the character who dies in the books. However, nothing is certain in the series.

The BBC is planning an even bigger season for "Sherlock" next year. "I do think our plan is devastating. We practically reduced our cast to tears by telling them the plan... We're certainly going to put them [the fans] through the mill. It's going to be more of an emotional upheaval," Moffat said.

There will also be a major surprise, Moffat said, adding that something the fans might have missed during the past seasons will come to light in the upcoming season.

There will be answers to questions nobody has asked, according to Moffat. "We're very exultant about a little thing we've set up that no one has talked about," he said.

In other news, Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Sherlock Holmes, has sparked rumors that Holmes is gay following a recent interview with Nerdist where he compared Holmes to Dr. Who.

"One uses a sonic screwdriver and time travel and the other uses his brain and isn't 900 years old and isn't reincarnated. Sherlock talks fast and is clever, that's literally the only bracket they share. They've got different dress senses, different tastes in the sex of their partners," Cumberbatch said.

The intent of the statement "...different tastes in the sex of their partners" was more in the line of their "partner in crime," but of course other people thought differently.

Moffat said at its core, the series is about the friendship and partnership between Holmes and Watson, and these themes have evolved through the first three seasons. In season 4, however, something might change, Moffat hinted. "Of course, it's far too early to say what's coming, but we're reasonably confident that the very next thing to happen to Sherlock and John, is the very last thing you'd expect," he said.

Season 4 is reportedly going to air in early 2016, but there will be a special stand-alone episode airing around Christmas time.