Now that Sherlock has finished showing its second series on PBS (welcome to the Reichenfeels, America), co-creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have spoken about plans for series 3 – including the new villain! This post contains potential spoilers.

Steven Moffat first took part in a live chat with fans on the Masterpiece website, and was then joined by Gatiss in a second over on the Guardian. While both were up to their usual tricks of teasing, trolling and outright lying, the duo hinted at several snippets for the upcoming third series – confirmed by Moffat to start shooting Jan 2013.

You can read the full transcripts at the links above, but Hypable has an abridged version with the most noteworthy exchanges below.

How many series of Sherlock would you like to do?
Steven Moffat: 167. Oh, who knows. Mark and I are probably up for doing it forever, but we’re not the main deal. But it’s occasional, short-run status will probably extend its life. For myself and Mark, we could never be tired of Sherlock Holmes.

….would you ever consider doing an entirely original case–or one based off the Rathbone films?
Steven Moffat: Certainly, we’d consider anything. And we consider everything canon, and we LOVE Rathbone.

Were Sherlock’s tears in Reichenbach real?
Steven Moffat: He’s Sherlock Holmes, he knew exactly what he was doing. Sentimentalise him at your peril.

Mr Moffat, will there be Col. Sebastian Moran in the 3rd season of ‘Sherlock’? So many fans want to see this character and the relationships between Moran and Moriarty (as flashback maybe). What actor could play him? What do you think about the fan version – Michael Fassbender as Sebastian Moran?
Steven Moffat: Not telling you.

Will Molly show up more? Her character growth has been wonderful.
Steven Moffat: Oh we love Molly. Molly will be back

What’s your favourite Sherlock Holmes story?
Mark Gatiss: I’ve always loved ‘The Red Headed League’ and ‘The Bruce-Partington Plans’ the most. I think. Today.
Steven Moffat: Favourite story: The Speckled Band.

Which antagonist in the SH canon is your favourite?
Which antagonist? Dr Roylott is a good ‘un. So many! Time for a Spider Woman, I think!

Your tumblr fans want to know if we’ll get to meet Sebastian Moran next season?
We’ll see. Obviously. ‘The Empty House’ is a good starting point…

Interesting! Of course, the most potentially revealing answer came from Gatiss. While he has already hinted that “The Empty House” will be the source material for episode one, this is the first time that the suggestion has been made in relation to Colonel Sebastian Moran. As always, there is every possibility that the writer/actor is being entirely dishonest – but the Sherlock fandom has always found itself clutching at straws!

Would you like to see Colonel Moran as the new Sherlock villain? Who would you like to play him?