Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin are all returning for Sicario 3, with Padraic McKinley set to direct, according to Deadline, which cited sources on the project. Black Label Media and Thunder Road are producing the threequel, bringing back the franchise’s original leads nearly a decade after Sicario: Day of the Soldado hit theaters in 2018.
The director job and script details
McKinley, known for directing The Weight, beat out other candidates for the job, Deadline reported. Sources told the outlet that the search was extensive, with producers from Black Label and Thunder Road meeting potential directors alongside separate meetings held by the lead cast themselves. McKinley ultimately emerged as the strongest choice.
Oscar nominee Steven Knight wrote the script, and he and McKinley are now working on revisions that incorporate notes from the three stars, according to Deadline. Plot details remain under wraps, but Blunt, del Toro and Brolin signed on after reading Knight’s most recent draft, the outlet reported.
The project so far
Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill and Thad Luckinbill are producing for Black Label Media, while Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee are producing for Thunder Road, according to Deadline. Ed McDonnell returns as a producer as well.
Lionsgate released the first two Sicario films, 2015’s original and 2018’s Day of the Soldado, but Deadline reported that the plan this time is to shop the new project to multiple studios, with several already expressing interest. The production is aiming to begin shooting at the top of the year, per Deadline.
Denis Villeneuve directed the 2015 original, which starred Blunt as FBI agent Kate Macer alongside Brolin’s CIA operative Matt Graver and del Toro’s former prosecutor turned assassin Alejandro Gillick, according to Polygon. Stefano Sollima directed the sequel, with Brolin and del Toro reprising their roles while Blunt sat that installment out.
What the cast has been up to
Blunt was most recently seen in The Devil Wears Prada 2 and has wrapped production on A Quiet Place Part 3, according to Deadline. Brolin’s next role arrives in 20th Century’s Whalefall, co-starring Austin Abrams, which opens Oct. 16. Del Toro earned an Oscar nomination for his performance in One Battle After Another.
What’s next for Sicario 3
With McKinley and Knight still finalizing the script and shooting targeted for early next year, the studio that will ultimately release the film has not been determined, Deadline reported. No release date or additional casting has been announced for the project.
Reporting from Deadline and Polygon contributed to this story.
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