Taylor Sheridan Returns to the Criminal Underworld as the Next ‘Sicario’ Movie Gains Momentum

When Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Sicario’ arrived in 2015, it announced a new voice in American filmmaking. The action crime thriller was written by Taylor Sheridan in his screenwriting debut and starred Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin. It earned three Oscar nominations and a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and it helped launch Sheridan’s career.

That success sparked a sequel, ‘Sicario: Day of the Soldado,’ in 2018, directed by Stefano Sollima with the focus shifted to the characters played by del Toro and Brolin. Between the two films, the franchise has surpassed $160 million globally. Since then, fans have been waiting for a follow-up, and the wait has been long, with conflicting schedules and the 2023 writers’ strike among the factors delaying production.

Now there is real news about the ‘Sicario 3’ script. Variety reported on Oct. 1 that Sheridan wrote the screenplay for the long-gestating threequel, in a story about how NBCUniversal Entertainment chair Donna Langley lured him away from Paramount. The report says he also wrote the script for Paramount’s upcoming ‘Call of Duty’ movie.

Until now, it was unclear how involved the ‘Yellowstone’ creator would be. Producers had confirmed he was attached, but whether he would put pen to paper hadn’t been confirmed. The Variety item says Sheridan is returning to his cinema roots, a shift that helps explain why the film is advancing.

Langley told Variety that the key was a better film deal. By emphasizing the film component of his long-term TV and film pact, NBCUniversal won Sheridan after a decade at Paramount. The film part of the agreement is expected to take effect in 2026, while the TV portion follows after he fulfills his Paramount obligations in 2028.

Sheridan broke out writing movies like ‘Sicario,’ ‘Hell or High Water’ and ‘Wind River’ before building a TV empire with ‘Yellowstone’ in 2018. His slate now includes ‘Landman,’ ‘The Madison,’ ‘Lioness,’ ‘Tulsa King’ and ‘Mayor of Kingstown.’ He also wrote the action movie ‘F.A.S.T.,’ scheduled for release on May 14, 2027.

The news follows an encouraging update from the franchise’s own star. Speaking with ScreenRant in August while promoting Ridley Scott’s ‘The Dog Stars,’ Brolin said that the third film is happening and that production should begin soon. That came one year after he described the project as looking very real.

Producer Thad Luckinbill has also hinted that the team is hoping to make it for the fans, and he said he wants to see it himself. Another franchise veteran, Jeffrey Donovan, has said a return would be a dream, though he hasn’t received a call. Brolin is expected to return as CIA officer Matt Graver.

Plenty of questions remain. The movie has no confirmed director, release date or production start date. Villeneuve did not return for the second film, and Sollima previously suggested that each installment could benefit from a different filmmaker. Christopher McQuarrie was once attached, but Brolin confirmed he was no longer involved in 2024.

The film has previously been referred to as ‘Sicario: Capos,’ and it is expected to continue with del Toro’s assassin Alejandro Gillick and Brolin’s agent as they fight an endless war against the cartels. Del Toro’s role hasn’t been officially announced, and it remains unclear whether Blunt will return as Kate Macer. For fans of the series, however, a finished script is the biggest hurdle cleared.

With Sheridan’s schedule opening up for features, the franchise finally appears to have the momentum it has lacked for eight years.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!