‘Outlander’ Star Sam Heughan Joining ‘Sherlock’ Season 4?

Sam Heughan and Benedict Cumberbatch might be joining forces in the near future. The Outlander star has been exchanging messages on social media with the creator of Sherlock, igniting rumors that he might join the series next season.

Will Heughan make a cameo in Season 4 of Sherlock? According to Enstarz, the rumors kicked into high gear after Heughan and Mark Gatiss started tweeting back and forth on social media. Gatiss has not confirmed Heughan’s part in the new season, although some fans are speculating that he might portray Sherlock’s third brother.

Casting for the part is currently underway, and Parent Herald reports that Tom Hiddleston was originally set to play the role. However, considering Heughan’s recent interactions with Gatiss, it now appears like the ball is in Heughan’s court.

Heughan got the ball rolling when he wished Gatiss happy birthday on Twitter.

“Happy big boy birthday when it comes!” Heughan wrote.

Gatiss then asked the Outlander star if they could meet each other soon.

“Thanks pet! When do I get to see you?” Gatiss wrote back.

In reply, Heughan told Gatiss that he would be available whenever his schedule frees up. Of course, this is not confirmation that Heughan is working with Gatiss on Sherlock, although it remains a strong possibility.

Heughan is widely known for his part on Outlander, and his addition to the show would certainly add a new level of charm to the series. As fans will recall, Outlander producer Jeff Davis was surprised when Heughan first auditioned for the show.

“Sam is naturally very charming and in some ways has a lot of Jamie there,” he stated.

Fans can only hope that Heughan brings that same level of charm to Sherlock.

Meanwhile, International Business Times reports that Heughan is currently working on the new season of Outlander, so it isn’t clear if he will have time for another show.

Season 3 of Outlander is adapted from Diana Gabaldon’s book, Voyager, and will feature Jamie and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) reuniting after twenty years apart.

Speaking of the time jump, Sam Heughan recently poked fun at what Jamie might look like twenty years down the road.

“It’s fine, we’re getting put out to pasture and we can just get fat. I’ve already started. Surely [Jamie’s] got a bit of a beer belly,” Heughan shared. “I’m going to take it upon myself to age ungracefully. I think Fat Jamie is what everyone wants to see.”

Heughan has done such a fine job in Outlander that Daily Record reports he was nominated for a Scottish BAFTA. The Outlander star will battle it out with two other prominent Scottish actors this year, including Douglas Henshall from Shetland and Peter Capaldi from Doctor Who.

“Thank you BAFTA Scotland,” Heughan shared after the nomination. “Well done to the wifey Caitriona Balfe, she totally deserves it, as do our hard working crew!”

Balfe is also up for an award for Best Television Actress while the series was nominated for Best Television Drama. Fans can watch Heughan during the award ceremony on Nov. 6.

Speaking of achievements, People reports that Heughan is also starting his very own fashion line. The actor is collaborating with Barbour to create a holiday campaign for 2017.

“I hope I’m not giving away too much, but Barbour is well-known for their jackets, so you’ll find that there’s a nice selection there,” Heughan revealed. “They’ve really taken on board the suggestions that I like, and yeah, it’s very quintessentially Barbour — they’re using all of their heritage and their history. They look great, they feel great and hopefully people like them as well.”

Heughan also shared a little bit about what fans can expect from the new season of Outlander.

“In this season, we span over 20 years — we go to Scotland, Jamaica, and England and also end up in North Carolina, so it’s a real adventure,” he explained. “I was like, ‘Oh my God. What are you doing?’ So there’s going to be some surprises and really dramatic, epic scenes.”

For those fans that are afraid that Jamie might lose his hair in the coming season, think again.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Heughan won’t be shedding his red locks anytime soon.

“[Caitriona and my] hair is very much a part of the show. It’s all about big hair. Claire’s hair is very unkempt. And same with Jamie. His hair is very much a part of who he is — the color and the look to him. It’s an honor playing this character for over three years now. It feels like a part of me. It’ll be a sad day when I’ll have to lose it [the hair].”

The new season of Sherlock is scheduled to premiere on January 1 on BBC.

Fans can also catch Sam Heughan in action when Season 3 of Outlander premieres in early 2017 on Starz.

[Featured Image by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images]