Sicario 3 Reunites Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin
Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, and Josh Brolin will return for the third Sicario film, with Steven Knight writing and Padraic McKinley directing.
Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, and Josh Brolin are set to reprise their roles in the third Sicario film. The project is now in active development, reuniting the core trio from the 2015 original.
Blunt returns as FBI agent Kate Macer. Benicio Del Toro again plays the enigmatic hitman Alejandro Gillick. Josh Brolin reprises his role as CIA operative Matt Graver. Del Toro and Brolin starred together in both the first film and its 2018 sequel, Sicario: Day of the Soldado.
Creative team and production details revealed
Steven Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, is writing the script. Padraic McKinley, who directed this year's Western The Weight starring Ethan Hawke, is set to direct.
A robust producing team is assembling. Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee will produce for Thunder Road. Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill, and Thad Luckinbill are producing for Black Label Media. Ed McDonnell, a producer on the earlier films, also returns. Thunder Road and Black Label Media are producing the film and will look for a buyer.
Project status and next steps
The film does not yet have a studio or distributor attached. Several studios have already shown interest in the package, which is being described as a starry action vehicle. The plan is to take the project to the market to secure a distributor. Production is expected to begin at the top of next year, with filming slated to start in early 2027.
Franchise background and prior success
The Sicario franchise was created by writer Taylor Sheridan. The first two films were released by Lionsgate. Denis Villeneuve directed the acclaimed 2015 original, which made just shy of $85 million worldwide. Stefano Sollima directed the 2018 sequel, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, which earned $75.8 million globally. The financial performance of the first two films is summarized below.
| Film | Release Year | Director | Worldwide Box Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sicario | 2015 | Denis Villeneuve | ~$85 million |
| Sicario: Day of the Soldado | 2018 | Stefano Sollima | $75.8 million |
Taylor Sheridan wrote both prior movies. The original film is widely credited with helping to put Denis Villeneuve on the map. The new installment aims to continue the series' gritty, action-driven narrative. Black Label Media and Thunder Road plan to take the Sicario 3 package to the market to secure a distributor.
