Sicario was one of the surprise hits of the fall 2015 film season, earning both critical and commercial success while picking up three Oscar nominations. Still, it’s seemingly self-contained story made a sequel seem improbable. But this is Hollywood we’re talking about, and here we are two years later with the first trailer for Sicario 2: Soldado.
Though the original’s director and star, Denis Villeneuve and Emily Blunt, respectively, haven’t returned, much of what made the first film so gripping is back in play for the follow-up. Screenwriter Taylor Sheridan once again penned the script, while Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin are both back as undercover operative Alejandro Gillick and CIA agent Matt Graver to battle the Mexican drug cartels. Jeffrey Donovan also returns as Steve Forsing, while Catherine Keener, Matthew Modine, and Isabela Moner join the ensemble in new roles.
This time out, Graver taps Gillick to help him start a war between the cartels when it’s discovered they’re now smuggling terrorists across the US/Mexico border. “I think it’s just more severe, man,” Brolin told Collider of the sequel. “All the way around. I think the characters are more severe. I think the movie is more severe. I think it’s just much bigger. It’s just a bigger scope film.” That said, he adds that it’s still “extremely emotional” and “tense.” Filmmakers definitely seems to be going for more of a summer blockbuster feel this time out, and you can see how the tension holds up under the size increase in the trailer up above.
Soldado is out June 29th, 2018.
