Summary

  • Sicario 3's development is still ongoing, with no official word on a specific release date.
  • Following the conclusion of the strikes in Hollywood, production on Sicario 3 has officially resumed, with the final script nearing its completion.
  • Though the script is nearly complete, no director has been officially tied to the film's production, nor have any returning cast members.

Denis Villeneuve's hit drama Sicario seemed to come out of nowhere, and it surprisingly launched a franchise. The original film from 2015 follows an idealistic FBI agent (Emily Blunt) enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border between the U.S. and Mexico. The film's hard-hitting 2018 sequel, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, continues to follow the drug war on the border, which has escalated as the cartels have begun trafficking terrorists across the U.S. border. To fight the war, federal agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) teams up once more with the secretive Alejandro (Benicio del Toro). Will they reunite again for the third installment?

The first film enjoyed both favorable reviews and success at the box office while landing three Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, and Best Sound Editing. The second installment, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, was generally less favored among critics. However, it certainly wasn't a commercial flop, making nearly $76 million at the global box office. The third project, which would complete what producers have called an "anthology trilogy," is still a go. There has been speculation about who will return for Sicario 3 -- alternatively referred to as Sicario: Capos, per Looper -- both behind and in front of the camera. Here's a closer look at everything we know so far.

Updated December 8th, 2023: This article has been updated following recent developments behind the scenes of Sicario 3, along with brand-new content.

Sicario 3 Plot

sicario
Lionsgate

Ahead of the release of Day Of The Soldado, producer Trent Luckinbill confirmed Sicario 3 was definitely in the works. While Sicario 3's story remains unconfirmed, it would likely pick up from the ending of Sicario 2, which saw Alejandro survive a gunshot from a young gang member named Miguel (Elijah Rodriguez), who was forced to shoot him. The final scene takes place a year later, where the recovered Alejandro seemingly recruits Miguel, setting up a potential apprentice relationship in the next movie.

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A sequel would also have to deal with Matt facing serious repercussions in his career, as a rare display of emotion caused him to disobey the strict orders of his superiors in Sicario 2. The working title of Sicario 3, Sicario: Capos, is roughly translated in English as "bosses," meaning that Matt and Alejandro might face the toughest drug kingpins they've dealt with yet.

Sicario 3 Cast

At this time, no definitive casting for Sicario 3 has been revealed. Still, producers Molly Smith and Trent Luckbill have confirmed with Collider that they intend to get del Toro back into the cast. Brolin and Blunt are also both expected to return for a third film, but again, nothing has been finalized.

It feels like Emily Blunt's potential return to Sicario is a must-have for a trilogy capper. It's essential that we explore how she evolved after the traumatic events of the original film. While Day of the Soldado received its fair share of positive feedback, the absence of Blunt was felt heavily, and the film is generally seen as less narratively interesting than the original. Reports say that the series' producers are interested in bringing Blunt back to the world of Sicario, but it's hard to say, given her busy schedule.

There has still been no official confirmation on which cast members audiences can expect to see in the film, despite the knowledge of a nearly-completed script. Additionally, if the production is interested in bringing back Isabela Merced, who played Isabel Reyes in Sicario: Day of the Soldado, they may have to work around her schedule as well. Since performing in the second Sicario film, the young actress has been very busy, snagging roles in Sony's Madame Web, the Fede Álvarez film Alien: Romulus, and Hawkgirl in Superman: Legacy.

Recent Updates on the Status of Sicario 3

Sicario
Lionsgate

Josh Brolin initially casted doubt on Sicario 3's future, given the number of financial and production obstacles in place. The No Country for Old Men star had this to say in an interview with Variety:

"Sicario 3, we've been trying to get that right and get that going, but why hasn't it happened? How long can you wait? A tough movie to get made even though the two made money, and people are asking about it all the time."

Since Brolin’s interview that seemed to cast uncertainty over the future of Sicario 3, there was a very promising update from producers Erica Lee and Basil Iwanyk, who have revealed that Sicario 3 is very much in the works and was due to start production once the writers’ strikes had concluded. In a brief status update with The Messenger, the two assured that Sicario 3 is still happening, with the project set to continue following the conclusion of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.

With the strikes now out of the way, it’s now been confirmed that original Sicario writer Taylor Sheridan and Mission: Impossible’s Christopher McQuarrie have been putting the finishing touches on their script for the movie. While both have the capacity to direct and write, with Sheridan being the critically acclaimed creator behind the popular Yellowstone series, and McQuarrie being the director of the Mission: Impossible franchise, it remains undisclosed who will be in the director’s chair.

Villeneuve's return to the Sicario series seems unlikely, as he's currently waist-deep in the Dune franchise. While Dune: Part Two was completed a while ago and was delayed to March 2024 due to the SAG-AFTRA Strike, if that film is a hit, it is likely Warner Bros. will want to keep him on board for a third film. It stands to reason then that it would prevent him from returning for Sicario 3.

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Predicted Release Date

Sicario 2
Lionsgate

Sicario 3 is produced by Black Label Media and, while there is yet to be a date confirmed for the start of production, it can be assumed that with the script in its final stages of development, Sicario 3 will be ready for filming at some point in 2024. Therefore, it's possible we won't see a finished product until the end of 2025 at the earliest. Knowing the mixed reception to Sicario: Day of the Soldado, the studio may be taking extra caution in assembling the next installment.