Taylor Sheridan’s $75M Thriller Sequel Is Now A Top 10 Streaming Hit on Netflix, 8 Years Later

Taylor Sheridan is perhaps best known for his TV works like Yellowstone and Landman (among many others), but he’s also left his mark on the big screen. Over the course of his career, Sheridan has written acclaimed dramas such as Wind River (which he also directed) and Best Picture nominee Hell or High Water. Arguably the best film on Sheridan’s resume is Sicario, Denis Villeneuve’s captivating crime thriller that earned widespread praise (91% on Rotten Tomatoes) and $84.9 million at the worldwide box office. Sicario was so successful that a sequel got the green light, and nearly a decade after its release, that follow-up is a big streaming hit.

2018’s Sicario: Day of the Soldado is making waves on Netflix. For the Week of January 5-11, it was the ninth-most-watched film on the platform globally. During this timeframe, Day of the Soldado accumulated 3.4 million views and was watched for 7 million hours. This was the film’s first week in Netflix’s top 10.

Why Sicario: Day of the Soldado Is a Hit on Netflix

Critically and commercially, Day of the Soldado wasn’t as successful as its predecessor. It earned $75.8 million worldwide and received generally positive reviews (62% Rotten Tomatoes score). Though Sheridan returned to write the sequel, the general consensus was that the follow-up was missing Villeneuve’s guiding hand behind the camera. By the time Day of the Soldado was ready to being production, Villeneuve was busy with Blade Runner 2049 and was unable to return. His approach definitely set the original Sicario apart from its contemporaries, but Day of the Soldado director Stefano Sollima does an admirable job stepping in, weaving another compelling cartel tale.

The other major absence in Day of the Soldado is Emily Blunt, who does not return to reprise her role as Kate Macer. Blunt delivered a fantastic performance in the original Sicario, as Kate was essentially the audience stand-in character being introduced to a rather unsavory part of the world. While she’s missing, Day of the Soldado is still able to lean on key pillars from Sicario‘s brilliant cast. Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro return from the first film, and are characteristically fantastic in the sequel. One of the many reasons why Sicario was so successful was because the actors did such a great job crafting believable characters who captured the audience’s attention. Viewers would have liked to have seen Blunt back in the fold as well, but it’s a treat to see Brolin and del Toro give it their all once again in roles they’re comfortable in.

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Between an appropriately tense atmosphere, fantastic performances, and an interesting enough story, Day of the Soldado has a lot going for it that makes it worth checking out. It may not always reach the incredible highs of its predecessor, but it’s a solid option for those looking for a gritty crime drama that doesn’t hold back. As viewers get ready to wrap up Landman Season 2, they could be on the hunt for more projects from Sheridan, leading them to Day of the Soldado. It is arguably one of the most overlooked titles in Sheridan’s career, so now it the perfect time to cue it up. One doesn’t even have to be familiar with the first Sicario to understand the story. That bit of familiarity will certainly help you appreciate certain characters more, but Day of the Soldado is a standalone spinoff that works on its own merits.

There have been rumors about a third Sicario film, though nothing has officially gotten the green light yet. It was apparently on track before development was disrupted by the 2023 Hollywood strikes, and there haven’t been any concrete updates since then. It’ll be interesting to see if Sicario 3 ever does come to fruition. The films aren’t major box office hits, but they have a large enough fan base, and there’s proof that they can be a boon for streaming services after a theatrical run. Sheridan remains one of the premier creatives in the industry, and del Toro is still very popular after his beloved turn in One Battle After Another, so fingers crossed they’ll reteam for another hitman story.

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