After years of waiting, "Sherlock" season 4 finally has a release date. And it looks like fans will be welcoming in the new year with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.

According to TVLine, the highly anticipated fourth season of the popular detective series will premiere on Jan. 1, 2017, with its first episode, titled "The Six Thatchers." No word yet on when the other two episodes will air.

It's been a long way coming for fans of the series. "Sherlock" is widely known for having long gaps in between seasons, with the wait between season 3 and 4 lasting three years. It should be noted, however, that the "Sherlock" special, titled "The Abominable Bride," aired last year.

Rumors have been circulating as of late that "Sherlock" season 4 may be its final one. This stems from an interview Cumberbatch gave GQ. However, as previously reported, co-creator Steven Moffat clarified the incident without guaranteeing a fifth season.

"If you just look at what (Benedict) actually says, he says nothing of the kind. He actually says he's very keen to carry on playing Sherlock Holmes," Moffat said. "We haven't talked to the BBC about another run. It's the clickbait era turning something that was nothing at all into a story."

Surely, with all the moving parts and busy schedules, it will be difficult to make another season, especially with Cumberbatch's commitments with Marvel Studios. However, fans need not worry as nothing has been officially said about the show's future.

The upcoming season will see Toby Jones as the new big bad. Previous seasons dealt with the likes of Moriarty (Andrew Scott) and Magnussen (Lars Mikkelsen). This time around, though, Sherlock and John will have to deal with "the purest evil." The season 4 trailer featured Jones' character, as well as a lot of action sequences unlike "Sherlock" has ever done before.

"Sherlock" will return in 2017.