Millie Bobby Brown was surprised by the success of Enola Holmes. The British actor’s breakthrough role came in Netflix’s Stranger Things as Eleven, and she soon rode that recognition into her feature film debut, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, which she followed up with Enola Holmes. Based on Nancy Springer’s book series, the mystery movie shifts the focus from the already-famous detective Sherlock Holmes to his equally brilliant younger sister, Enola, as she teams up with runaway lord Tewkesbury and embarks on an adventure to find her missing mother.

Enola Holmes glowing reviews from critics with much praise for Brown’s lead performance. Released in 2020, Enola Holmes also quickly became one of Netflix’s most-watched original films at the time, with an estimated 76 million household views in its first four weeks on the streaming service. Due to Enola Holmes’ critical success, massive popularity, and wealth of source material provided by Springer’s book series, it was a no-brainer for Netflix to begin developing a sequel.

During a recent interview with Total Film (via GamesRadar+), Brown revealed that the success of Enola Holmes surprised even her. Shortly after the film’s release, the Stranger Things star even received a text from Blake Lively signifying how much the mystery movie and the character of Enola Holmes was resonating with others. Read what Brown shared below:

I really didn’t think it would be as successful as it was. Of course, it resonated with me so much – that’s why I did it. I thought, “There’s so much potential here.” But I didn’t realise how much potential. People like Blake Lively messaged me, saying, “My daughter wants to be Enola Holmes.” It started to sink in how much it resonated with everyone else.

Will Enola Holmes 2’s Success Surpass The Original?

Considering the returning talent on board, Enola Holmes 2 is primed to potentially surpass the original’s success. Other than Brown returning to lead the Enola Holmes 2 cast as the titular sleuth, the sequel will also see the return of Henry Cavill as her older brother Sherlock Holmes, Helena Bonham Carter as her mother Eudoria Holmes, and Louis Partridge as her sidekick Tewkesbury. The first film’s creatives, writer Jack Thorne and director Harry Bradbeer, are also both back in their respective roles for the sequel.

While Enola Holmes 2 appears to maintain everything that made the first film so beloved, it will also need to bring something new to the table. Some intriguing new cast members include Harry Potter’s David Thewlis and Dune’s Sharon Duncan-Brewster, both in undisclosed roles. Enola Holmes 2 is also setting itself apart with its story, which will explore more of London’s “seedy industrial underbelly” while continuing to focus on the “galas of high society” and all themes of class and feminism that come with it. Only time will tell if Enola Holmes 2’s success eclipses the original when the sequel releases November 4 on Netflix.