MOVIE PREVIEW – Denis Villeneuve’s groundbreaking 2015 film starring Emily Blunt has already spawned a sequel, and Sicario 3 is on its way to completing the “anthology trilogy”. Here’s a closer look at the future of the franchise starring Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin. Release date, cast, plot and everything else we know.

Denis Villeneuve’s hit drama Sicario came out of nowhere but has already spawned two sequels – one of which has yet to be released. The first, from 2015, is about an idealistic FBI agent (played by the beautiful Emily Blunt) who is recruited by a government task force to help in the escalating war on drugs on the US-Mexico border. Sicario: Day of the Soldado, the film’s hard-hitting 2018 sequel, continues the drug war at the border, which has escalated since the cartels began smuggling terrorists across the US border. Federal agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) teams up again with the mysterious Alejandro (Benicio del Toro) to combat the war. Will this be the case again in part three?

Critical success for the first part, financial success for the second

The first film was a critical and box-office success, while it also received three Oscar nominations. The second part was generally less popular with critics, although it was certainly not a commercial failure. The third project, which would complete what the producers have called an “anthology trilogy”, is still to be completed.

“We were so excited about how people responded to the first one, and we felt justified in doing the second one because we loved it, producer Trent Luckinbill told Screen Rant. “We’re probably the biggest fans of the film. And we feel that way now. I feel like the second one lived up to the expectations.”

With Sicario Capos – the alleged title of the third film – there has been speculation about who will return behind and in front of the camera. Here’s a closer look at what we know so far.

When will it be in cinemas?

Sicario: Capos is produced by Black Label Media, which has confirmed that filming will begin in late 2021 or early 2022. It is, therefore, possible that we may not see a finished film until the end of next year. Considering the mixed reception of the second part, the studio may be taking extra caution when it comes to the next part.

Which actors are returning?

No definitive cast has been revealed for Sicario Part 3, but producer Molly Smith confirmed to Deadline that Black Label is looking to bring del Toro back to the cast. Brolin and supporting actor Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice) (Fargo season 2) are also expected to return for the third film, but nothing is finalized.

I feel Blunt’s hero character is also essential to the trilogy’s conclusion. Exploring how he evolved after the traumatic events of the original film would be great for the new movie. Although Day of the Soldado received its fair share of positive reviews, Blunt’s absence was strongly felt, and the film is generally considered less narratively interesting than the original. Reports suggest that the producers of the series are interested in bringing Blunt back into the world of Sicario, but it’s hard to say if they will succeed given how busy the actress is.

Who will direct the movie?

Will Villeneuve return to the director’s chair for Sicario 3? According to producer Ed McDonnell, Villeneuve is keen to return. “[Villeneuve] wished he had been available [for Sicario 2]”,” McDonnell told Empire. “We even talked about maybe coming back for a third part, if there is one. He said, ‘If I were available, I would direct this movie tomorrow.” But we always knew Villeneuve would be in the middle of shooting Blade Runner when the script started coming together.”

Meanwhile, Sicario 2 director Stefano Sollima made it clear back in 2018 that he would not be returning for a third instalment. “Each film in the series should be a standalone that stays in the same world,” he told Variety at the time. “I would love to see another chapter of Sicario, but it would have to come from another director with his own style. There shouldn’t be more films from the same director. Then it would be too much like a real franchise.”

What will be the story of the third part?

Before the release of Day Of The Soldado, producer Trent Luckinbill confirmed that a third Sicario is definitely in the works. The story would most likely be a sequel to the ending of Sicario 2, in which Alejandro (del Toro) survived being shot by a young gang member named Miguel (played by Elijah Rodriguez), who was forced to shoot him. The final scene takes place a year later, where the recovered Alejandro apparently recruits Miguel, setting up a possible master-student relationship in the next film.

A sequel would also have to deal with the career repercussions Matt (Brolin) faces for disobeying the strict orders of his superiors in Sicario 2, a rare emotional outburst. Translated roughly to “bosses”, the title Sicario could mean that Matt and Alejandro will face the toughest drug lords ever.