Despite its positive response at various festivals and the good reviews it has been getting, Denis Villeneuve’s drug war thriller Sicario is not the sort of film we’d imagined generating a sequel before it’s even on wide release. Lionsgate and writer Taylor Sheridan clearly think differently, as one is in the early stages.
Sicario, which sees Emily Blunt’s FBI agent recruited for a decidedly unsanctioned mission to bring down a Mexican drug kingpin, has already kicked off its run in the States, opening in just six cinemas with an impressive $401,288. It’s expected to perform well as it expands.
Variety reports that the spin-off is in the early stages of development with both Sheridan and Villeneuve involved, though the director hasn’t yet indicated whether he’ll simply be a producer on any possible new film or if he’ll be back calling the shots.
As for the subject matter, we’ll leave a potential spoiler warning here, especially since the film hasn’t even been released in the UK yet. But it’ll apparently focus on Benicio Del Toro’s mysterious tough guy who is part of the team. “Before the release of this movie, I was talking to Denis and I said what happened to this character?” Lionsgate motion picture group co-chair Patrick Wachsberger tells the trade mag. “Where is Benicio going?” We may yet get to find out.
The film, which also stars Josh Brolin, Jon Bernthal and Daniel Kaluuya, will be out in the UK on October 8.