‘Sicario 3’ Officially Moves Forward With Original Stars and New Director

Few sequels have tested fans’ patience quite like the follow-up to ‘Sicario.’ Plans for a third film date back to 2018, and efforts to get it off the ground faced numerous hurdles, including scheduling conflicts and the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike.

The original 2015 film, directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Taylor Sheridan in his screenwriting debut, starred Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, and Josh Brolin. It was a hit with action-thriller audiences, who were captivated by the morally complex chemistry of the trio.

The wait may finally be coming to an end. DiscussingFilm reported on October 5 that ‘Sicario 3’ is officially moving forward with Blunt, Del Toro, and Brolin all set to return. Padraic McKinley will direct, with Steven Knight writing the script. The post, which cites Deadline and has garnered over 339,000 views, features the franchise’s iconic poster showcasing the three leads.

According to a Deadline exclusive, Black Label Media and Thunder Road are reassembling the team, although plot details remain under wraps. McKinley and Knight are collaborating on the script with input from the stars, and filming is planned to commence at the start of the year.

It’s important to note that the report is not entirely finalized. Screen Rant mentions that the three actors are “in talks” to reprise their roles, while CBR indicates that Deadline’s sources suggest the project will be taken to market, with several studios already expressing interest.

McKinley is an intriguing choice for the role. He directed this year’s ‘The Weight,’ and Deadline reports that the search for a director was extensive, with producers and the lead cast meeting various candidates before selecting McKinley as the standout choice. He follows in the footsteps of Villeneuve and Stefano Sollima, who directed the first two films.

The writing credit is also noteworthy. Knight, known for ‘Peaky Blinders,’ will pen the first ‘Sicario’ film not written by Sheridan. Knight is additionally working on the script for Bond 26.

This development comes with a twist, as Sheridan had been linked to the project just days prior. Variety reported last week that the ‘Yellowstone’ creator had written a script for the third film, and World of Reel interprets the new Deadline report as indicating that Sheridan’s original draft will not be utilized. Neither report clarifies how the two versions relate, leaving fans awaiting further details.

For the returning stars, the project carries a somewhat uneven history. Blunt did not reprise her role in ‘Sicario: Day of the Soldado,’ although Brolin and Del Toro were part of that cast. That 2018 sequel left Del Toro’s Alejandro and Brolin’s Graver to carry the narrative alongside Isabela Merced’s Isabel Reyes. Her return would reunite the original trio for the first time since the 2015 film.

Momentum has been building for some time. Brolin confirmed in mid-2025 that the threequel was very much alive, and told Screen Rant in August that production was expected to begin very soon. The latest report finally assigns a director and writer to those promises.

Whether the new team can recapture the tension of the original remains to be seen. For now, the combination of Blunt, Del Toro, and Brolin, along with a fresh creative team, is enough to reignite interest in a franchise that many believed might never return.

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