Sicario 3 is still happening, according to producers Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee.

Speaking with The Messenger, Iwanyk and Lee confirmed a third Sicario movie was still in the works with Benicio del Toro.

According to Lee, the movie was partway written when the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike began in May 2023. The WGA and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes lobby for better pay for writers and actors, protection against artificial intelligence, and more. 

“It was pencils down, but the idea is awesome,” Lee said.

Iwanyk added, “I can’t wait for Sicario 3. I could watch Benicio play that guy forever. I mean, I can watch Benicio in anything, but with that character, it doesn’t get old.”

Breaking down the Sicario franchise

Directed by Dune’s Denis Villeneuve, Sicario released in 2015. Starring del Toro, Brolin, Emily Blunt, Daniel Kaluuya, and Jon Bernthal, the movie made $85 million at the worldwide box office off a budget of $30 million. It earned Oscar nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, and Best Sound Editing at the 88th Academy Awards.

Sicario: Day of the Soldado followed in 2018. While Blunt didn’t return for the sequel, del Toro and Brolin both did, the two of them being joined by Isabela Moner, Catherine Keener, and Shea Whigham. Stefano Sollima directed the film, which made $75.8 million at the worldwide box office off an estimated budget of $35-45 million.

Trent Luckinbill, who produced Sicario: Day of the Soldado, told Screen Rant in 2018 that Sicario 3 was “absolutely” going to happen. In April 2023, however, Josh Brolin cast doubt on the project, as he told Variety, “Sicario 3, we’ve been trying to get that right and get that going, but why hasn’t it happened? How long can you wait? A tough movie to get made even though the two made money, and people are asking about it all the time.”