Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin are preparing to reunite for a third Sicario film, with Black Label Media and Thunder Road assembling the next installment of the thriller franchise.
Padraic McKinley is attached to direct Sicario 3, while Oscar nominee Steven Knight has written the screenplay. Plot details remain under wraps.
The return of all three original leads took shape after Blunt, Del Toro and Brolin read Knight’s latest draft and agreed to come back for the new film. McKinley and Knight are now continuing work on the screenplay with input from the stars.
A thorough search for the director
Choosing a filmmaker became the next major step once the cast was on board. The search involved an extensive series of meetings, with producers from Black Label Media and Thunder Road considering potential candidates. The lead actors also held meetings of their own during the process.
McKinley ultimately emerged as the strongest candidate and secured the directing assignment. The current plan is to begin filming at the top of the year.
The project does not yet have a confirmed studio home. Lionsgate released the first two Sicario movies, but the third film is expected to be taken to the market as a package. Several studios have already shown interest.
Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill and Thad Luckinbill will produce for Black Label Media. Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee are producing for Thunder Road, while Ed McDonnell is returning as a producer.
The franchise brings its original trio back together
Taylor Sheridan created the Sicario franchise, which began with the first movie in 2015. The film became a surprise hit, drew attention for the performances of Blunt, Del Toro and Brolin, and helped establish director Denis Villeneuve as a top-tier filmmaker.
The follow-up, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, reached theaters in 2018. Del Toro and Brolin returned for that sequel, while Blunt did not appear. The franchise’s popularity has continued to grow in the years since, setting the stage for all three actors from the original film to reunite in the third installment.
The returning stars arrive at the project following several other high-profile commitments. Blunt was most recently seen in the successful summer sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2 and has wrapped production on A Quiet Place Part 3.
Brolin will next appear in 20th Century’s Whalefall, which also stars Austin Abrams and is scheduled to open October 16. Del Toro, meanwhile, is coming off an Oscar nomination for his performance in One Battle After Another.
McKinley is represented by Range, Innovative and Jackoway Austen. Del Toro is represented by LBI Entertainment, Range and Hansen Jacobson. Brolin is represented by CAA, Narrative and Johnson, Shapiro, Slewett, Kole. Blunt is represented by CAA and David Weber of Sloane Offer Weber & Dern.
What Happens Next?
McKinley and Knight will continue refining the screenplay with notes from the cast as producers work toward the planned start of production. The package must also find its distributor as Black Label Media and Thunder Road take it to interested studios. For now, the story of Sicario 3 remains confidential, but the creative team, returning leads and producing lineup are coming into place.