When we last reported on Sicario 2, producers Molly Smith and twins Trent and Thad Luckinbill said they planned to bring back the original’s lead trio of Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, and Josh Brolin. They said:
You have such a great character with Benicio, who was as dark as he was and still so loved. That character resonates so well with audiences. People want to know what happened to him, so it’s a perfect foray for us to explore. Obviously we would love it if Denis could [direct]. He’s a busy man, but he’s certainly part of the process with us right now.
While the sequel will focus on Del Toro’s mysterious character, THR reports that only Brolin and Del Toro will return for the film, which is entitled Soldado (the Spanish word for soldier).
As for getting back director Denis Villenueve, his schedule was too packed to bring him back. The production then looked at Green Room director Jeremy Saulnier, “but he couldn't make the dates work given the film's fall production schedule.” The film has now landed on Gomorrah director Stefano Sollima (the TV series that's based on Matteo Garrone's acclaimed film), who is in talks with Lionsgate to helm the picture. You may recall that Sollima is also on board to direct the miniseries Colt based on a story by Sergio Leone.
It still seems odd that Sicario is getting a sequel. While there’s certainly room for the story to branch out, especially as far as the Del Toro’s character and Brolin’s shady CIA agent, it seems like something that should be going direct-to-DVD like the Jarhead sequel. Prestige pictures usually don’t get sequels, and when they do, they’re in the bargain basement. It’s odd to think of Sicario as a franchise, but if they’ve got the talent on board, I’m curious to see where Soldado will go.
