Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario (2015) became a standout in the crime-thriller genre with its tense and gripping portrayal of the battle against Mexican drug cartels. Central to the story is Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro), a vengeful hitman seeking justice for the death of his family. Partnering with Matt Graver (Josh Brolin), Alejandro embarks on a mission to take down a drug kingpin.
The film’s conclusion, in which Alejandro exacts his revenge by killing the cartel leader Fausto Alarcón and his family, left a lasting impact and set the stage for a sequel. The film’s emotionally charged finale raised the bar for any potential follow-up.
The sequel, Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018), shifts focus to a new mission where Alejandro and Matt are tasked with igniting a war between rival drug cartels. The U.S. government now labels Mexican drug lords as terrorists, making their intervention even more complex.
The film delves deeper into the moral ambiguity of its characters as Alejandro and Matt kidnap the daughter of a cartel leader, Isabela (Isabela Merced), in an attempt to incite conflict. However, the mission takes an unexpected turn, leading to another thrilling and intense conclusion, filled with political and personal consequences.
Alejandro’s Unexpected Offer to Train Miguel to Follow in His Deadly Footsteps
The finale of Day of the Soldado presents a shocking twist. During their attempt to return to the United States, Alejandro and Isabela are captured by smugglers who intend to ransom Isabela. In a brutal sequence, Miguel (Elijah Rodriguez), a young gang member, shoots Alejandro in the head, seemingly ending his story.
Sicario: Day of the Soldado (Photo: Columbia Pictures)Matt, disobeying his orders, returns to the scene and witnesses Alejandro’s apparent death from a helicopter. He then takes Isabela back to the U.S., but the operation’s failure creates a larger political mess, with no clear resolution for Alejandro’s fate.
Despite the apparent death of Alejandro, the movie leaves some ambiguity regarding his fate. In a surprising twist, Alejandro is revealed to have survived the gunshot, though severely wounded. Escaping the crime scene, he fights off a few remaining attackers, realizing that he is truly alone, with no one left to rely on. His survival signals a shift in his character and suggests that his quest for vengeance is not over. The ending sets the stage for a new chapter in Alejandro’s journey, with a different focus than before.
Alejandro’s Unexpected Offer to Train Miguel to Follow in His Deadly Footsteps
One year after the events of Day of the Soldado, Alejandro reappears in Texas and seeks out Miguel, who had managed to escape Matt’s deadly confrontation. Rather than killing him, Alejandro offers Miguel a chance to join him as a hitman, a surprising turn that signifies a change in Alejandro’s approach.
This gesture marks a shift from his earlier cold-blooded nature, revealing a new side of Alejandro’s character. The pairing of Alejandro and Miguel suggests the beginning of a mentor-mentee relationship, with Alejandro training the young man to follow in his deadly footsteps.
The conclusion of Sicario: Day of the Soldado opens up possibilities for a third installment, Sicario: Cabos. While the idea of a sequel has been discussed for years, updates on its progress have been slow. In 2023, it was confirmed that a third film was still in development.
At one point, Christopher McQuarrie, known for his work on the Mission: Impossible series, was attached to direct, but the future of the project has since been uncertain. With the story still unresolved, fans are eager to see what happens next in Alejandro’s journey and whether Miguel will become his successor.
Despite the green light for a third Sicario film, several challenges remain. Josh Brolin, who plays Matt Graver, has voiced concerns about the sequel’s future, revealing that director Christopher McQuarrie dropped out of the project.
Additionally, Taylor Sheridan, the creator of Sicario, has a packed schedule with his work on Yellowstone and its spinoffs, casting doubt on his involvement in writing the script. Given these obstacles, it is unclear when or how Sicario: Cabos will come to fruition. While fans hope for a resolution to the series, the future of the franchise remains uncertain.
