'Sherlock' season 4 spoilers news 2016: Benedict Cumberbatch hints 'myopically dark' storyline, Toby Jones' character dubbed as 'most evil villain'

"Sherlock" season 4 will introduce a new villain when it premieres next year, and his evilness is certainly nowhere near Sherlock's previous enemies.

During the recently concluded San Diego Comic-Con event, co-creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss along with lead star Benedict Cumberbatch shared interesting new details on the BBC mystery drama's much-hyped return.

Veteran actor Toby Jones has been confirmed as the new villain in town and according to Moffat, Jones' Culverton Smith is a "completely different" character. Compared to the "charming and engaging" Moriarty and Charles Augustus Magnussen's fascinating personality, Culverton is probably the worst villain Sherlock will meet.

"This guy is the purest evil," Moffat told Collider. "Sherlock is actually appalled by him. He's the most evil villain we've had. I don't think that when you see it, you will disagree. He's horrific." Gatiss also weighed in and he mentioned how Culverton's appearance relates to his persona, saying: "Toby is doing something very interesting He's an avuncular, funny seeming man with terrible teeth. We've given him terrible teeth, which are symbolic of the rot inside him. It's a great complex, shaded character. You're not quite sure what the relationship is with him."

In terms of the storyline, Cumberbatch describes it to be "myopically dark." Based on the photos and teaser clips surfacing online, the enigmatic sleuth appears to be in distress which is not usually the case in previous seasons. Sherlock is often in control but this time, the tables have turned. "You're talking about the end of the universe darkness," he explained. "You can't see in front of you and would walk into everything dark."

There are speculations that season 4 will mark the show's end, but no one from "Sherlock" can confirm as of now. The creators and actors all seem very optimistic of more years on air, but a lot of factors have to be considered first. "You don't want to compromise it by continually doing it, just because we could carry it on," Cumberbatch continued. "There's lots of stuff to weigh. It's not just about what we want to do. It's about what's right. We'll see. Really, we will have to see. No one has decided on it, so there's no yes or no to an end or a beginning."

"Sherlock" season 4 premieres next year on BBC One.