Forget Marshals: Taylor Sheridan’s Gripping 121-Minute Action Thriller Is Climbing the Streaming Charts Again
Long before Taylor Sheridan built his television empire with Yellowstone, he wrote one of the most intense crime thrillers of the past decade. Now, his Oscar-nominated 2015 film Sicario is finding renewed success on streaming, reminding audiences why Sheridan’s storytelling talents extend far beyond cowboys, ranches and Western dramas.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro, the 121-minute thriller follows an FBI agent drawn into a dangerous operation against a powerful Mexican drug cartel.
With its relentless suspense, morally complicated characters and unsettling atmosphere, Sicario remains one of Sheridan’s most acclaimed screenwriting achievements.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/sicario-1-f82cb940391e42c488df9b38cf5d7240.jpg)
Taylor Sheridan’s Sicario Delivers a Darker Kind of Action Thriller
While Sheridan is widely recognised for creating Yellowstone and its expanding television universe, his work on Sicario demonstrated his ability to build suspense in an entirely different setting.
Released in 2015, the film was directed by Denis Villeneuve, who later gained further recognition for the Dune films.
Emily Blunt stars as Kate Macer, a principled FBI agent recruited into a government task force targeting the leader of a ruthless Mexican drug cartel.
Her involvement brings her into contact with Alejandro Gillick, a mysterious assassin portrayed by Benicio del Toro.
As Kate becomes more deeply involved in the operation, she discovers that the people supposedly working to uphold the law may be using methods that challenge her understanding of justice.
Alejandro’s hidden motivations introduce another source of tension, forcing Kate to confront the increasingly blurred boundaries between lawful action and personal revenge.
Rather than relying entirely on explosive action, Villeneuve builds suspense through carefully controlled pacing, uncertainty and a persistent sense of danger.
Sheridan’s screenplay adds emotional and moral complexity, making the film more than a conventional crime thriller.
Sicario Returns to the Streaming Charts
Following its original release, Sicario received widespread critical acclaim.
The film earned three Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Original Score and Best Sound Editing.
It also holds a 91% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, where it is certified Fresh.
More than a decade after its theatrical debut, the thriller is attracting renewed attention from streaming viewers.
Sicario has entered the top 10 on Lionsgate+ in the United Kingdom and is also available on Hulu in the United States.
For audiences familiar with Sheridan’s television projects, including Yellowstone, Special Ops: Lioness and Marshals, the film offers a different example of his storytelling style.
Its focus on covert operations, drug cartels and morally ambiguous decisions creates a tense atmosphere that distinguishes it from more traditional action productions.
Will There Be a Sicario 3?
The success of the original film led to the 2018 sequel Sicario: Day of the Soldado.
Although the follow-up received a less enthusiastic critical response than its predecessor, it has continued attracting viewers through streaming platforms.
There has also been discussion about a possible third film, provisionally titled Sicario: Capos.
However, the project has remained in development without a confirmed production or release schedule.
In a 2024 interview with MovieWeb, producers Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee discussed the possibility of continuing the franchise.
Lee confirmed that conversations were ongoing but acknowledged the difficulty of matching the quality established by the original film.
“We’re talking about it a lot, thinking about it and discussing it. I love those movies. Those are so close to my heart. And I think it’s an amazing franchise,” she said.
She also praised Denis Villeneuve’s contribution and noted how much the careers of Sheridan and the actors had developed since the first film.
“Denis set the bar really high,” Lee explained, adding that the team needed to determine the right way to reunite everyone involved.
The producer expressed hope that the three principal actors could return.
“I think the hope is to get all three actors back, in a perfect world,” she said.
For now, Sicario 3 remains a possibility rather than a confirmed production.
Why Sicario Remains One of Sheridan’s Strongest Films
While Sheridan has since become closely associated with sprawling television dramas, Sicario demonstrates his ability to tell a tightly focused story within a single feature film.
Emily Blunt’s performance anchors the narrative through Kate’s increasingly troubled perspective, while Benicio del Toro brings an unsettling presence to Alejandro.
Villeneuve’s atmospheric direction and Sheridan’s screenplay combine to create tension through both violent confrontations and the difficult decisions facing the characters.
The film’s renewed streaming popularity provides another opportunity for audiences to discover or revisit a thriller that helped establish Sheridan’s reputation in Hollywood.
For viewers looking for a suspenseful crime drama filled with dangerous missions, hidden motives and difficult questions about justice, Sicario remains a compelling 121-minute watch.