Taylor Sheridan is often cited for his work on various neo-Western TV shows like Yellowstone and Landman, but the showrunner has also done time as a film director, and there’s one potential project that would be perfect for him. Sheridan first got his foot in the door of the entertainment business in the 1990s when he began accruing minor roles in shows like Veronica Mars and Sons of Anarchy. In 2015, he tried his hand at screenwriting and found incredible success creating dark, action-packed stories. Now, a decade later, he is a certified television mogul.

It is true that series like Yellowstone made Sheridan a household name, but his projects outside of television are just as notable. Sheridan wrote and directed the critically acclaimed neo-Western movie, Wind River, starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen. He also recently wrote and directed Those Who Wish Me ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, which sees Angelina Jolie as a smokejumper in the Montana wilderness, desperate to save an abused child. Yet, aside from these great projects, Sheridan’s most important film achievement would have to be his role as screenwriter for the 2015 action hit, Sicario.

If Denis Villeneuve Doesn’t Return For Sicario 3, Taylor Sheridan Should Direct It

What We Know About Sicario 3

Because of Sheridan’s work on Sicario, and its sequel, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, it only makes sense that he would step up to direct the third movie. Sicario was originally directed by Dune extraordinaire, Denis Villeneuve, but the director left the franchise after the first movie, meaning the likelihood of his returning for Sicario 3 is slim. Thus, the next person who has the directorial skills and the best knowledge of the film series is Sheridan. After directing three movies and various TV shows, Sheridan is well-equipped to take on this role.

At the moment, Sicario 3 is in a sort of limbo. The movie was initially announced before the 2018 release of Sicario: Day of the Soldado, and was given the тιтle, Sicario: Capos. However, in the intervening years, the movie has seemingly faced obstacles in its development that have prevented it from coming to fruition. Although rumors have flown about casting in recent years, nothing of substance has actually been confirmed. In this way, Sheridan taking on the role of director would come as a major relief, since the movie could easily fall into unfamiliar hands.

Why Denis Villeneuve Didn’t Direct Sicario 2 (But Taylor Sheridan Still Wrote The Sequel)

Sicario: Day Of The Soldado Succeeded, Even With Cast Changes

To be fair, Sheridan becoming Sicario 3’s director partly comes as a result of Villeneuve’s exit. At first, Villeneuve was confirmed to be directing Sicario: Day of the Soldado alongside Sheridan as screenwriter. However, just a few months after the film’s announcement, Villeneuve exited the project and was replaced by Stefano Sollima. It isn’t entirely clear why Villeneuve left the Sicario franchise, but it could have to do with the fact that he was chosen to direct Bladerunner 2049 around the same time. Fortunately, Sollima benefited from having Sheridan remain as an original member of the crew.

With Villeneuve gone, alongside lead actress Emily Blunt, there is no doubt that Sicario: Day of the Soldado felt different from the first film. Aside from focusing more on Benicio Del Toro’s character, the movie lacks some of the masterful flairs of Villeneuve. To some, this may have seemed like a death sentence for the sequel. Yet, Sicario 2 did manage to succeed, even without certain big names. Sicario: Day of the Soldado earned a 62% on Rotten Tomatoes and was praised for its sleek style, grim atmosphere, and intense action sequences. It was good enough to merit Sicario 3.

Sicario 3 Should Only Happen If Either Villeneuve Or Sheridan Directs It

What Is The Likelihood That Sheridan Will Direct Sicario 3

That being said, it would be better to be safe than sorry when it comes to Sicario 3. Rather than putting the sequel in the hands of yet another new director, the movie should only happen if Villeneuve decides to return or if Sheridan takes on the director’s cap. This way, Sicario: Capos will have the same feel as the first two movies and won’t deviate too far from what made the original good. Part of Sicario’s success was the magical chemistry between the leads and the crew, and to lose that for yet another sequel would be frustrating.

Now, it is unclear whether Sheridan would actually be willing to direct Sicario 3. At the moment, Sheridan has his hands full with various TV shows ranging from Mayor of Kingstown and Tulsa King to 1923 and Landman. Then again, that didn’t stop Sheridan from directing Those Who Wish Me ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in 2021. Ultimately, Taylor Sheridan may be too busy at the moment to take on a movie with such high expectations, but fortunately, having him back on the team would make the wait for Sicario 3 totally worth it.