After seeing the first Sicario film in 2015, chances are most of the audience didn't expect a sequel as it ended on a note of finality. However, Lionsgate announced mere months later that a follow-up was happening. Now, with Sicario: Day of the Soldado heading to theaters, it's likely this isn't the end of the road.
Tyler Sheridan, who wrote both films, actually has a trilogy in mind to complete the Sicario tale, according to Sicario: Day of the Soldado star Josh Brolin. "From what I know, I think that Taylor Sheridan always had an idea of a trilogy in concept," Brolin tells GameSpot while promoting Day of the Soldado. "I don't think that that was necessarily an intention from the beginning, but I just think he had those stories."
As producer Trent Luckinbill explains, the continuation of this franchise was always dependent on where Sheridan thought the story would go. "This was a world and a landscape that he really thought he could do more with," he explains. "So, that's where we're at. Certainly, with Taylor, [we] feel like we could maybe explore that final chapter if that's where it goes. We love the characters, and we felt like after the first one we wanted to see more of them, and I think we feel the same way now."
In fact, Luckinbill says, the wheels for a potential third film are already in motion. "If it felt organic and felt like there was a demand for it, we certainly would look at that and are having those discussions now because again this was something that Taylor really had in his mind, and there was always this concept of this was more than just one for him," he says.
And while it's not set in stone by any means, the cast certainly seems intrigued by the idea of a final Sicario film. "I'd be interested to see where he takes it from here," Benicio del Toro says. "That's what he said, but we don't know if there's going to be a third. But if it does come about, I'm willing to tackle it."
Of course, there is one person missing from the gang. After starring in the first film, Emily Blunt doesn't return for Sicario: Day of the Soldado. Though she was initially said to be reprising her role, the actress was eventually written out of the script by Sheridan. "He felt organically that it made more sense to spend time with these two guys, these two characters, without that chaperone," Luckinbill says. "He wanted to explore the two of them together."
Have fans seen the last of her in this franchise, though? Possibly not, according to the Luckinbill. "We love Emily, and she's been very supportive, and if we're to do more, we're already having those discussions," he teases.
Now it's just a matter of Gillick (del Toro) and Graver (Brolin) making it out of Day of the Soldado alive, should Sheridan and the team behind the films want to reunite them with Blunt's Agent Kate Macer. Then again, with how much blood was spilled inthe first film--and is likely to be spilled in the second--who knows if anyone survives?
Sicario: Day of the Soldado is in theaters on June 29.
