In the wild west of show business, there are those whose artistic integrity serves as a sort of glue for the entertainment industry’s precarious reputation. Denis Villeneuve, of Dune, Blade Runner 2049, and Arrival fame, is one such artist, as is Yellowstone franchise mastermind Taylor Sheridan. Indeed, whenever one of these two are behind the storytelling wheel, viewers can count on being in safe hands. 2s5l45

Such was made apparent when the duo brought Sicario to life together in 2015 — Sheridan as the scribe, Villeneuve as the helmsman. The irony of it all, however, is that watching a film like Sicario evokes the exact opposite emotion of safety, but then, that’s as good a reason as any to plunge into a tale from Sheridan and/or Villeneuve in the first place. The denizens of Netflix, in any case, have found plenty of reasons to take that plunge.

Per FlixPatrol, Sicario is writhing around in ninth place on the Netflix film charts in the United States at the time of writing. Its closest competition? The direly incompetent Venom: The Last Dance (10th place) and the slightly stronger but still sugary Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (eighth place). Indeed, Sicario is a robust fish out of water here in content country.

Armed to the teeth with the likes of Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, Daniel Kaluuya, Jon Bernthal, and Josh Brolin, Sicario follows FBI agent Kate Macer (Blunt) as she gets assigned to a special task force with the aim of taking down the leader of a drug cartel. As the operation drags out and one disturbing revelation leads to another, Kate becomes nauseatingly familiar with the underbelly of the war on drugs — in particular, the roll that governments decide to play in their management of them.

As far as action thrillers go, Sicario is on the low-octane side — a necessary approach so as to drive home its philosophy on violence. Within the opening minutes of Sicario, the camera lingers long and piercingly on the rotting corpses of hostages taken by the cartel, forcing audiences to consider the consequences of the violence that they so often cheer for in the movies, and if they’re willing to stomach the reality of those consequences.

Moreover, whenever the proceedings do give way to gunplay, Villeneuve is careful not to give it any flair, opting instead to unload a quick jolt of carnage — which is all you need to take a life, or even several lives — so as to once again leave us with the blood and bodies while the boys’ club of the task force bump chests and crack insensitive quips. It’s no accident that our protagonist is a harborer of the feminine spirit.

In this action thriller, violence is not something to giddily anticipate, but to be frightened by. It doesn’t frame the violence as heroic for one side and antagonistic for the other, and in fact makes a point to pull the attention away from the traditional notion of sides. In Sicario‘s world, the only thing keeping you and your family out of the crosshairs is some combination of compliance and dumb luck, because there are some corners of the world that the law simply doesn’t last in, and it’s up to us as individuals to keep our worlds from falling into those corners.

Hollywood writers don’t often get the praise they deserve, let alone a spot in the limelight, but if there’s one newcomer who’s made a name for themselves in a short amount of time, that title would have to go to Taylor Sheridan. While he’s certainly been in the business for some time (you might him as Deputy Chief David Hale in the first two seasons of Sons of Anarchy), his writing career has grown into something very impressive, to say the least. In the past eight years, he’s penned several acclaimed films (Wind River, Hell or High Water, to name a couple). He also co-created the Paramount megahit Yellowstone and its prequels, 1883 and 1923.

What propelled Sheridan to new heights was not any of the aforementioned franchises but rather his first film screenplay, Sicario. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, this action-thriller came out of nowhere and took the world by storm, giving birth to a new series of films. If you’ve been thinking of checking out these movies, here’s a quick rundown of the best way to tackle them.

The original Sicario 3f1g22

This should come as no surprise, but if you’re going to start somewhere, it should be the first Sicario. Starring Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, and Josh Brolin, the film follows FBI Special Agent Kate Macer (Blunt), who is enlisted to help bring down a dangerous Mexican drug cartel. It’s a fantastic film in its own right, and thankfully, there are a few different ways to watch it.

At the time of writing, Sicario is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, The Roku Channel, and a few other lesser-known services. For those who would rather rent or buy it, you can find it on almost any service you can think of.

Sicario: Day of the Soldado 62a65

Seeing as the first Sicario was both a critical and financial success, it was quickly followed up by Sicario: Day of the Soldado. While this sequel didn’t hit the same highs as its predecessor (which might have something to do with Denis Villeneuve not returning to the director’s chair), it still received generally positive reviews from fans and critics alike.

If you’d like to check this one out for yourself, it’s currently streaming for free on Hulu, FXNow, Fubo, and DirectTV, though that’s subject to change since movies are added to and pulled from streaming services all the time. Like the original Sicario, Day of the Soldado is also available for purchase or rent on all the popular movie platforms.

The third Sicario 5a6d5m

At the time of writing, Sicario: Capos is still in development; we’ll have to wait until it hits theaters to see how this third entry pans out. Seeing as how there’s not a ton of information available on this one, it’s likely that it won’t be released until 2024, if not later.

While you’re waiting, if you enjoyed either of the first two films, be sure to check out our picks for the 10 best movies that are similar to Sicario.

Sicario was released to critical acclaim in 2015, but the film’s reputation has gotten even stronger with time. It’s a scintillating crime drama that manages to serve up political commentary, masterful direction, and career-best performances without losing sight of the entertainment factor. It’s both existential and enjoyable, which is a challenge to achieve in any genre.

Since director Denis Villeneve and screenwriter Taylor Sheridan have gone off to do science fiction (Dune) and television (Yellowstone), respectively, we thought it’d be helpful to compile a list of titles that share DNA with Sicario. While no one film is identical (even the sequel, which we will discuss), there are plenty of crime dramas that flirt with the same ideas, and explore American corruption from a similarly thoughtful perspective.

Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) 1r603n

We had to kick things off with the sequel. Sicario: Day of the Soldado had a lot going for it on paper: Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro were reprising their mysterious CIA characters, and Sheridan was back as screenwriter. All three were crucial to the success of the original, so it stood to reason they would provide more drug war intrigue. And, well, they do. 

Day of the Soldado is a clear step down from Sicario in of thematic heft, but it’s a fine thriller that features particularly stellar work from del Toro. The Oscar-winner takes center stage, and his chemistry with Isabel (Isabela Moner), the daughter of a drug kingpin, allows him to dig into the humanity teased in Sicario. 

Eastern Promises (2007) 2r6a3s

Eastern Promises takes place in London, far removed from the events of Sicario. The film is similar, however, in the way it exposes the viewer to a criminal underworld they were previously unaware of. A midwife (Naomi Watts) tries to find the mother of an abandoned baby and stumbles into the inner-circle of the Russian mafia. A professional “cleaner” (Viggo Mortensen), bringing the same unpredictable energy that del Toro’s character does in Sicario, takes it upon himself to help her out. 

Eastern Promises benefits from the layered performances of its two leads, but the real highlight here is David Cronenberg’s direction. He gives each character such specificity, and each setting such a worn-down, tactile quality that one can’t help but follow the midwife character down the rabbit hole.

Traffic (2000) 2h2e6w

Traffic, the crime epic from director Steven Soderbergh, is considered by many to be the precursor to Sicario. The two have a lot in common, including a focus on the Mexico/U.S. drug trade and a corrupt “lawman” with a criminal agenda of his own. In both instances, the “lawman” is played by Benicio del Toro. The similarities end there, however, as Soderbergh takes a more sprawling, novelistic approach to the material. 

Sicario stays with Emily Blunt’s FBI agent for most of its runtime, whereas Traffic delves into the lives of the dealers, politicians, and s who are impacted by the drug trade. The latter has an eye-watering number of A-listers for every story, including Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Dennis Quaid and Don Cheadle. It wound up taking home four Oscars including Best Screenplay for Soderbergh and Best ing Actor for del Toro, and upon revisiting, we can’t really argue with either.

The Mule (2018) 6c1f1p

Clint Eastwood has been making films for longer than most of us have been alive, and The Mule is a perfect example of the genre he does best: meat-and-potatoes crime dramas. Nothing fancy, no directorial flourishes or twist endings needed, and it’s based on the true story of Earl Stone, a 90-year old man who becomes a drug courier to keep his house from being foreclosed on.

The premise is so outlandish that Eastwood knows to underplay the rest. He brings his typically grumpy charm to the titular role, but the Earl character really comes alive when he’s forced to hide the truth from his estranged wife (Dianne Wiest) and the DEA agent (Bradley Cooper) who takes a sudden interest in his finances. The rest of the cast is filled with hall of fame character actors like Andy Garcia, Laurence Fishburne, and Michael Pena. How can you really go wrong?

Zero Dark Thirty (2012) 3i1t2n

Sicario delves into the risks that a female government agent takes when dropped into a foreign setting. Zero Dark Thirty is nearly identical in this sense, as the film transports Jessica Chastain’s CIA operative to the Middle East to take down Osama Bin Laden. Corruption runs rampant in both, but the distinction between the two protagonists is crucial. Sicario’s FBI agent tries and fails within the rules, whereas Zero Dark Thirty’s operative is willing to do whatever it takes to capture her target.

Brilliantly directed by Kathryn Bigelow, who not only conveys the internal strain that her protagonist is under, but the external discomfort of watching Americans use torture methods to get information (something we also see in Sicario). It was nominated for five Oscars including Best Picture and Best Actress, and we can’t help but feel like this was the performance Chastain should have won for… 

Hell or High Water (2016) 66672e

Sheridan was a hot screenwriter after Sicario, and he pushed his exploration of American greed even further with his sophomore effort, Hell or High Water. The film follows duos on opposing sides of the law: estranged brothers (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) on a bank-robbing spree, and Texas Rangers (Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham) who have been tasked with bringing them down. Both sides are forced to do things against their better judgment, resulting in tragedy.

Dealing less with the men who promote corruption and more on the consequences of a system that is inherently corrupt, the brothers see their crimes as a kind of frontier justice, and the closer the Rangers get to finding them, the more they come to empathize with their motives. The last scene is one of the finest things Sheridan has ever written, and his Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay was well-deserved.

No Country for Old Men (2007) 2c6u29

Sicario is a bleak affair. The protagonist loses everything, and worse still, she plays a part in her own downfall. It’s a character arc more aligned with classic noir than modern dramas, which is why fans will also take to Joel and Ethan Coen’s masterpiece No Country for Old Men. The film, adapted from the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, details the ways in which blood money dooms four desperate men.

While star-studded, No Country for Old Men draws power from its overriding sense of isolation. The characters that Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem play are loners, doomed to live out their days in isolation, or at least the days they have left. It could have easily been overwrought, but the directors have such a command of the source material and their own sense of morality that every single frame rings true.

End of Watch (2012) 5m64j

David Ayer and Taylor Sheridan are both screenwriters who made the leap to directing, but the latter is more interested in the viscera of crime than the emotion. End of Watch doesn’t provide the cultural commentary that something like Sicario does, but it doesn’t try to, either. It’s a feature-length version of Sicario’s opening scene, which is another way of saying it’s tense from start to finish. 

Michael Pena and Jake Gyllenhaal play LAPD officers who work the South Central area. They regularly encounter drug deals and gang-related shootings, and their tenacity on the streets leads to them becoming targets. The actors have ridiculous chemistry, alternating between funny and frightening at the drop of a dime, and Ayer proves that he can really deliver the goods as a director when he’s allowed to keep things stripped-down.

Man on Fire (2004) b5g3x

Sicario takes place in Mexico, and goes to great lengths to illustrate the brutality of the Juarez drug cartels. Man on Fire (2004) is also set in Mexico, though it shifts the focus to the kidnappings that regularly take place in the capital. Denzel Washington is an ex-CIA agent who gets hired to protect the child of a wealthy family, but when things go awry, and the child is taken, Washington’s character goes on the warpath.

Man on Fire is the finest collaboration between Washington and director Tony Scott, and that’s saying a lot given the quality of their other films. The two work in perfect unison here, with the former channeling his dark side and the latter dialing up the cross-cutting and stylized violence to eleven. It might be too much for some, but for those who embrace the madness, it’s brilliant.

Wind River (2017) n1w3e

Taylor Sheridan considers Sicario, Hell or High Water and Wind River to be a trilogy about the Midwest, and the struggles that various Midwestern communities have to contend with. It’s only right that all three films be included on the list. Wind River, Sheridan’s third outing as a writer and first as director, has the same premise as Sicario: a female FBI agent is assigned to a crime in a downtrodden community. This time, the agent is played by Elizabeth Olsen, and the community is the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.

Wind River is a simpler tale, both in of performance and narrative, but Sheridan carries over his obsession with outlaw justice. Olsen and Jeremy Renner give searing performances, and the climactic shootout is one of the bleakest, most unromantic depictions of violence in recent memory. Not the easiest watch, but it’s not meant to be.

Controversy can often be a good way of drumming up free buzz and publicity for an project, provided that it isn’t of a scandalous or career-threatening nature. In the case of Sicario, being threatened with a boycott didn’t really have much effect either way, but it still generated plenty of headlines.

Prior to the movie’s release in September 2015, incumbent mayor of Juárez Enrique Serrano Escobar voiced his displeasure with Denis Villenueve’s intense action thriller, urging his people and those even further afield to boycott the film for painting a false and negative picture of his city, claiming the graphic violence and allusions to the drug trade were at least half a decade out of date.

In the end, it didn’t really matter, with Sicario hauling in a decent $85 million at the box office on a $30 million budget, winning rave reviews from critics, and ultimately landing a trio of Academy Award nominations. Perfectly cast, stylishly shot, and loaded with eardrum-destroying set pieces, Netflix s are now reacquainting themselves with its many delights.

As per FlixPatrol, Sicario is right on the cusp of entering the platform’s global Top 20 chart, having secured a Top 10 spot in 14 countries, one of which is ironically Mexico. Sequel Day of the Soldado followed three years later, and there was even talk of threequel Capos for a while, but that appears to have vanished into the ether of development hell, although there are worse ways to spend 121 minutes than checking out the original.

Thanks to his roles in The Twilight Saga and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Robert Pattinson has already appeared in a pair of multi-billion dollar franchises, but it could become three sooner rather than later, depending on whether or not The Batman has the legs to reach the ten-figure mark at the box office.

Even if it doesn’t, we’re virtually guaranteed to be getting at least two sequels anyway, so it’s happening eventually. Pattinson’s self-imposed exile from studio-backed fare originally ended in the summer of 2020 when Christopher Nolan’s Tenet arrived, and it sounds as though he may have been bitten by the blockbuster bug all over again.

In an interview with Variety, the brand new Bruce Wayne was asked if he was familiar with Matt Reeves’ work before being offered the role of the Dark Knight, but Pattinson took things one step further by naming a trio of properties he’d actively love to be a part of.

“I love those Apes movies so much. There’s only been two movies — well, three now — where I wanted to do a sequel: the Apes movies, Sicario, and Dune. I saw both of the Apes movies in the cinema and I just thought what he could do with mo-cap was just so unbelievable. If he could do that with a monkey’s face, then he can get a performance out of me as well.

The good news for Pattinson is that The Maze Runner director Wes Ball’s continuation of Reeves’ Planet of the Apes trilogy remains on the cards under new ownership at Disney, while the start date for production on Denis Villenueve’s Dune: Part Two was recently pushed back from this summer to the fall ahead of an October 2023 release.

Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any more to come from Sicario after Day of the Soldado, but two out of three isn’t bad. Of course, whether or not Pattinson is able to manifest his dreams is into reality remains an altogether different question.

This article includes links, which may provide small compensation to We Got This Covered.

Special guest Sam Noland of Anyway, That’s All I Got s the Cinemaholics this week for an action-packed episode, where we review Sicario: Day of the Soldado, the sequel to the 2015 surprise critical hit, Sicario. The sequel once again stars Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro, and the script is again penned by Taylor Sheridan, but does it live up to its predecessor? Tune in to find out! Before we get started with our featured review though, we dive into some quick movie news. First, there’s the confirmation from Disney and Lucasfilm surrounding the Boba Fett standalone Star Wars movie to be directed by James Mangold. There’s also a new DC Comics streaming service coming out called DC Universe, which will let subscribers access new shows, archived movies, and even comics. And finally, the Cinemaholics discuss the latest controversy surrounding alleged sexist workplace practices at Pixar. Later in the show, we do a few Mini Reviews, starting with the new Marvel movie Ant-Man and The Wasp. Jon also gives his thoughts on the indie drama Leave No Trace from Debra Granik, while Will gives us the low down on the new basketball comedy Uncle Drew. Finally, Sam shares a memorable experience checking out 2001: A Space Odyssey in remastered 70mm, and Jon and Will team up to breakdown American Animals, the new indie docudrama acquired by Movie. If you like what you hear, become a Cinemaholic! Subscribe to the podcast on YouTube via the WGTC channel or available episodes on Apple Podcasts or directly from the full archive. And, if you’re interested in ing the show, become a patron for early access to bonus episodes, exclusive audio and much more. Finally, feel free to hang out with us on Facebook and Twitter for episode updates as well, and be sure to email cinemaholicspodcast [at] gmail.com to submit any and all . You might just hear your message read on next week’s show!

Few would have predicted that Sicario, the pulse-pounding 2015 action thriller starring Emily Blunt, would go on to spawn a sequel. Fewer still could have guessed that Lionsgate would go all-in on Denis Villeneuve’s narcotics gem, teeing up plans for a trilogy of anthology films that will continue through Soldado. That’s the official title currently attached to Sicario 2 which will, according to screenwriter Taylor Sheridan, channel the vicious intensity of the 2015 crime drama in all of its nail-biting glory. Yes, expect to be rooted to the edge of your seat by the time Soldado checks into theaters, as Sheridan recently told Collider that Sicario is “a movie about American policy and the way that we police, and [Sicario 2] is that on steroids.” Chatting with the outlet while doing the press rounds for neo-Western thriller Hell and High Water, Sheridan shed light on Lionsgate’s gritty action series as it begins to take shape.

“Lionsgate understood that they bought something that was a spec [on the first film]. So there was a certain amount of latitude they had to give me [on the sequel]. What usually would be a long meeting about what’s this character about, what’s his arc—we didn’t have that. They trusted me to just go do it, and with Sicario, which I’m really proud of, it really approaches some difficult subjects. I didn’t want to demean that with the second one. So I really wrote something I double dared them to actually make. Ten times more unsentimental, more vicious and really reflective… It’s funny a lot of people think Sicario’s about the drug war and the cartels. It’s not. It’s a movie about American policy and the way that we police and [Sicario 2] is that on steroids.”

With Denis Villeneuve committed to long-in-development sequel Blade Runner 2 and Emily Blunt not returning, Soldado will instead be helmed by Stefano Sollima. Benicio Del Toro’s malicious Alejandro Gillick will take point as the sequel’s lead, with Josh Brolin reprising his role as a shady CIA operative.

Without a caped hero or contrived easter egg in sight, it’s fair to say that Denis Villeneuve’s hardboiled narcotics thriller Sicario doesn’t necessarily lend itself to the sequel treatment. But low and behold, only nine months after the drama reaped the benefit of stellar reviews and a healthy box office gross of $85 million, Lionsgate and Black Label Media are pushing full steam ahead with their budding new franchise. That’s according to Deadline, revealing that not only has Sicario 2 pinned down an official title – Soldado – but it’s also eyeing Stefano Sollima to pick up the mantle from Villeneuve, who is all but set to dive into production on a sequel from the other end of the creative spectrum with Blade Runner 2. Best known for his work on Suburra, the intricate neo-noir Italian thriller that features themes of corruption and morally bankrupt leads, Sollima is a good fit for the plum gig. Indeed, Soldado is set to welcome back Josh Brolin’s shady CIA operative along with Benicio Del Toro’s mysterious Alejandro Gillick. One member of the original cast that won’t be returning, however, is Emily Blunt’s rookie FBI lead. Contrary to previous reports, the script penned by Taylor Sheridan left out Blunt’s fish-out-of-water Kate Mercer, which is pretty disappointing given the actress’ impressive turn in the 2015 sleeper hit. Alas, as things stand Del Toro’s Gillick and Brolin’s Matt Graver will anchor the sequel, and Deadline notes that production on Sicario 2 – now officially titled Soldado – is expected to kick-off in the fall.

When news first came to light that Black Label Media, the banner that backed Denis Villeneuve’s adorned actioner Sicario, was keen to engineer a sequel, it was almost as though April Fools’ Day came early. But low and behold, six months later and the studio continues to drop hints that a follow-up is in the works, this time revealing that Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin – the core trio that anchored 2015’s FBI thriller – are on board to reprise their respective roles. Word comes by way of The Hollywood Reporter, where Molly Smith and Trent Luckinbill of Black Label noted that, “We’re in full development with the studio. I just got a draft [of a script from writer Taylor Sheridan], and we’re really excited.” That’s perhaps more advanced than many had anticipated, although the main sticking point for the production company now will be whether to hold out for Denis Villeneuve to return at the helm – the director is currently bust at the helm of Warner’s Blade Runner 2 – or push ahead regardless. Here, Smith and Luckinbill touch base on the script that Sheridan has cooked up:

“Taylor’s a really great world-builder. He’s got that kind of modern Western voice, which is in vogue right now. And he did it again [with the sequel]. It’s a great big world. We can’t reveal the plot, but you’ll see [Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin] all come back,” Lukinbill said.

Adding to this, Luckinbill teased that Sicario 2 would be more aligned with Del Toro’s character than Blunt’s rookie FBI agent:

“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 [Villeneuve] could [direct]. He’s a busy man, but he’s certainly part of the process with us right now.”

Sicario, one of the finest thrillers of 2015, is primed to get the sequel treatment for better or worse. Of course, it’s easy to be skeptical considering that Denis Villeneuve’s taut actioner doesn’t necessarily lend itself to an expansion, but if the core cast do indeed return, then we can muster a sense of cautious optimism.

Audiences were truly spoiled for great performances in 2015. It seems now like we may be in some kind of golden age for exceptional actors and actresses working in their prime – Tom Hardy, Emily Blunt, Michael Fassbender, Brie Larson, Oscar Isaac and the like – as huge stars are pushing themselves further than ever, giving us tremendous performances that continue to leave us wildly impressed. A mere top ten wouldn’t do them all justice – this was a vintage year for film, after all, full of fine turns from some of Hollywood’s absolute best. So, instead, here are the 20 best movie performances of 2015. Enjoy, and as always, drop a comment letting us know which performances you really dug this year.

Buoyed by a solid box office turn and near unanimous critical acclaim, Denis Villeneuve’s narcotics thriller Sicario proved to be one of the sleeper hits of 2015 thanks to razor-sharp editing and a strong performance from Emily Blunt as FBI rookie Kate Mercer. Heck, such was the success that there has even been mooted talk of a sequel. Make no mistake, though, Villeneuve’s water-tight actioner is a must-watch for fans of the genre, exploring Blunt’s baptism of fire as she tackles the war on drugs in Mexico. Also starring Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro, such a foray into the criminal underbelly exposes the FBI’s narcotics division, and Blunt’s tough-as-nails female lead begins to question her own loyalty to the force when corruption rears its ugly head. Shot by the esteemed cinematographer Roger Deakins, who also worked with Villeneuve on Prisoners, Sicario is on the verge of its Blu-ray and DVD release, and We Got This Covered has three copies of the film’s Blu-ray to give away. To be in with a chance of winning, simply enter using the widget below. Winners will be chosen on January 11th. Good luck!

A significant part of what makes the drama Sicario an interesting project is the fact that its lead character is female. The film – directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Taylor Sheridan – is causing quite the critical and commercial stir with what has so far been a limited release, and would no doubt have been just as compelling if the lead role had been male. However, it is a female character that is the focus of the piece, and as such, this film immediately stands out from the crowded field of male-led action dramas. It is disappointing to find, then, that a sequel being developed by Lionsgate is set to focus on a male ing character, as opposed to the female lead. The female lead in question is FBI agent Kate Macer, played by Emily Blunt. She is characterized as idealistic, but has her outlook challenged when she is drafted in to a task force intended to the war on drugs. In ing roles are her morally questionable superior, Matt, played by Josh Brolin, and Alejandro, played by Benicio Del Toro. Each performer is receiving rave reviews of their work in the film, as is the writer, Sheridan, for creating such well-formed characters. However, it is the character played by Benicio Del Toro that is apparently driving forward the developing sequel for Lionsgate, as studio co-chair Patrick Wachsberger explained to Variety.

“Before the release of this movie, I was talking to Denis and I said, ‘What happened to this character? Where is Benicio going?’ “This movie has multiple Oscar potential – best movie, best director, best cinematography, best music and, of course, the actors. All of the characters feel real. [Blunt] is totally credible. You end the movie wondering what is going to happen. What happens to her character? Is she becoming a wolf?”

These comments are particularly telling with regard to both the story potential for Emily Blunt’s lead character (which the studio infamously asked to be rewritten as male in the first place), and for the way in which the output of Hollywood is determined, in such a way as to sideline female-led projects before they ever get off the ground. Just as the general debate about a need for greater diversity in film is predicated upon the fact that audiences need to see main characters onscreen that they can identify with, so viewers instinctively ally themselves with the characters that reflect themselves in some way. This being the case, it can be argued that the lack of diverse roles on screen is directly related to the fact that the people doing the hiring are generally male, and white. Patrick Wachsberger confirms the fact that it is the characters played by Blunt and Del Toro that leave the audience wanting more, and of those two characters, the men in charge of this sequel are likely to identify more closely with Del Toro than Blunt. In those , it logically follows that the studio would commission a film exploring the next chapter of the male character’s story, as opposed to any further chapters of the female’s. But, Wachsberger also concedes that Blunt has created a performance worthy of Oscar consideration, and reflects on the interest in the future of her character in of a very clear arc. While Del Toro’s Alejandro is regarded as something of an enigma – which can certainly be intriguing – Blunt’s Macer has a much clearer development, simply by virtue of being the lead. In Sicario, she is challenged and undergoes fundamental change – and that is something that would continue to be compelling if explored in a sequel, or prequel. It has to be said that Lionsgate is potentially missing a great opportunity here, as we move into an era in which female-led franchises could well come into their own. With The Hunger Games having blazed a trail, we are now seeing female superhero shaped lights at the end this tunnel of male-dominated movies. A Sicario action-drama film series led by Oscar worthy Emily Blunt could have been a hugely successful addition to that emerging landscape.