When word surfaced that Sicario was getting a sequel, the reaction was a mix of excitement and apprehension. Director Denis Villeneuve’s thriller really felt like a satisfying, whole piece, and the film’s rich thematic subtext—from America’s foreign policy with regards to violence to what it’s like to be a woman in a man’s world—offered more than enough reason to return for repeating viewings. Regardless, the Sicario sequel Soldado materialized quite quickly, with screenwriter Taylor Sheridan (who also penned this year’s indie darling Hell or High Water) also returning to pen the screenplay.

But Soldado is missing a couple of big pieces of the Sicario puzzle: star Emily Blunt and Villeneuve. Indeed, the follow-up continues on without Blunt’s character, with Benicio Del Toro’s hitman and Josh Brolin’s CIA operative instead taking the lead, while Stefano Sollima—who helmed the TV series Gomorrah—takes over directing duties.

So with so much different, folks have been curious about what to expect from Soldado, and when Collider’s own Christina Radish spoke with actor Jeffrey Donovan for his new Hulu series Shut Eye, the discussion touched on Donovan reprising his turn as Steve Forsing in the Sicario sequel. The actor teased the story of Soldado:

“I know I was in it, but as a fan of Sicario, I can’t believe they’re making another one, which is so awesome. And I’m in it, which is even more awesome. I thought Sicario was one of the best films, in the last five years, that I’ve seen. I really believe that. I was just lucky to be in a small portion of it. The story picks up with the same male characters that were in Sicario, which was Josh [Brolin] and Benicio [Del Toro]. Emily Blunt’s character is not in it, but my character, Forsing, is also brought back. It focuses on these three characters now, going down into Mexico to basically start a war, on purpose, between the rival Mexican cartels. There’s a bigger reason for it, but that’s the beginning of the movie.”

But with so many different puzzle pieces in the mix, and with Blunt’s character absent, will Soldado feel like a true sequel or more of a spin-off?

“It’s more of a stand-alone spin-off. It’s not a sequel or a prequel. It really is yet another examination told from this male point of view, rather than from a female point of view. It’s pretty cool.”

This is definitely an interesting angle, and while Soldado would indeed be more promising if Blunt and/or Villeneuve were coming back, Sheridan has proven himself to be a fantastic screenwriter, so here’s hoping he’s put together a follow-up that’s as rich and engrossing as Sicario.