'Sherlock' season 4 rumors, updates: Tom Hiddleston as Sherrinford Holmes? Moriarty back next season?

The much talked about third Holmes brother, Sherrinford, which reportedly will be played by Tom Hiddleston, will not be making it to join Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock and Mark Gatiss' Mycroft in the upcoming "Sherlock" season 4.

A discussion by co-writers Gatiss and Steven Moffat regarding the Holmes brothers did not yield any reference to a third one. Neither does a listing of "Sherlock" season 4 episodes allude to Sherrinford.

While the siblings will not be reunited this season, the show will be thick with villains when it returns, with Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott) finally confirmed to be coming back to plague the Baker Street detective. This comes as some consolation to the show's fans after undoubtedly being disappointed with the reported Sherrinford no-show in the eagerly awaited season of "Sherlock."

A report came out about the Moriarty flag flying full mast on St. Catherine's Island as filming for the next installment was ongoing, signaling that the elusive nemesis of the series' hero will indeed be back.

Another villain will provide more challenge to the superior intellect of Sherlock Holmes as the fourth season begins. As previously reported, Culverton Smith, who will be portrayed by Toby Jones, shall be another bad guy to outwit for the beloved duo Sherlock and Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman).

There is said to be some connection between Smith and Moriarty, though details are lacking to support this speculation. Another ghost from the past will also be coming back to haunt Sherlock. Nothing has been confirmed as yet, but Irene Adler (Lara Pulver), who was supposedly killed in the episode "A Scandal in Belgravia," will also be joining this season. Her appearance is said to be fitting the allusion in an earlier BBC report, which stated, "Ghosts of the past are rising in the lives of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson bringing adventure, romance and terror in their wake."

Sherlock will have his hands full this season with these two great villains on his tab. Besides that though, he and Watson will be dished some tragedy and calamity as the future episodes unfold.

"Sherlock" season 4 returns in January 2017.