Sicario: Day of the Soldado's Ending, Explained (2024)

Denis Villeneuve's Sicario had among the most rousing finales the genre has seen as it detailed the crusade of hitman Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro) against the Mexican drug cartels. Partnered with the U.S. government and guided by Matt Graver (Josh Brolin), he exacted revenge against the crime lord who killed his loved ones by executing Fausto Alarcón and his entire family.

It was a harsh but ultimately satisfying ending, as the audience came to understand the pain Alejandro carried with him throughout the 2015 film. But it also set a high bar for Italian director Stefano Sollima, who, three years later, paints another bloody mission for Alejandro and Matt in Sicario: Day of the Soldado, in which their new mission is to turn rival cartels against each other.

Updated on June 23, 2024 by Jordan Iacobucci: Sicario: Day of the Soldado was a mostly satisfying sequel to Denis Villeneuve's original Sicario. Six years after the sequel's release, audiences are still anxiously awaiting additional information on a third entry in the hit action franchise. This article has been updated to include additional information about the Sicario films and to adhere to CBR's current formatting guidelines.

How Does Sicario: Day Of The Soldado End?

Sicario 2 Includes Alejandro Faking His Death To Trick His Enemies

In a game of cat and mouse, Alejandro and the daughter of one of the gang's leaders, Isabela (Isabela Merced, the DCU's future Hawkgirl), struggle to return to Mexico after they've been abandoned by U.S. allies that have used them as pawns. This leads to another thoroughly gripping final act that alters Alejandro's path as he expands his vision for avenging his family.

With the drug lords now considered terrorists by the U.S. government, Alejandro and Matt kidnap Isabela to trick her family, the Reyes empire, into a feud with the Matamoros. When the plan succeeds, the duo takes Isabela back to Mexico to secretly release her, but the operation goes awry, and Matt is forced to leave them. As Isabela and the hitman trek back to the United States, realizing Mexico is far too dangerous on foot, they're taken hostage by smugglers who want to ransom the girl back to her father. As a result, in the finale, up-and-coming gangb*nger Miguel (Elijah Rodriguez) shoots Alejandro in the head, seemingly killing him.

Matt disobeys his government's orders, however, and comes back for them, only to observe Alejandro's death from his helicopter. Infuriated, he executes the smugglers and takes Isabela back to America and into witness protection. It's an ill-advised move, as his entire operation has seen not just criminals but dozens of Mexican cops (albeit corrupt ones) killed, which has escalated into a political crisis. Sollima leaves the fate of everyone vague, although there are hints that Matt expects reprisal from his superiors, and Isabela may be used as a bargaining chip with her dad. The story surprisingly doesn't end there, as it turns out Alejandro survived the gunshot, which left a gaping hole in his cheek. He barely escapes the crime scene and fends off a few straggling attackers, now realizing he's truly alone and without backup.

What Happens To Alejandro And Miguel?

Alejandro Makes A Surprising Choice To Recruit Miguel As An Assassin

Now effectively a ghost, Alejandro changes the game entirely in the final scene, which occurs a year later. He finds Miguel, who had earlier abandoned the smugglers and thus escaped Matt's slaughter. But instead of assassinating him, Alejandro asks Miguel if he wants to be a hitman, and when he says yes, Sicario decides he'll train him for the life.

It's a most shocking twist because we know Alejandro has no problem killing youngsters, as evidenced by the fates of Fausto's two sons in the first movie. But in Soldado, he has a different outlook. His relationship with Isabela (somewhat similar to The Professional) reminds him of his dead daughter and how they're innocent victims of circ*mstance. Apart from recognizing Miguel's potential, he also needs an instrument of destruction if he's to complete his mission and kill the Reyes men. They're a perfect match because Matt and the U.S. government have disavowed Alejandro's existence, and Miguel is ready to disown his own gang.

Will There Be A Sicario 3?

Sicario: Capos Is In Development

A third Sicario film is officially in development, entitled Sicario: Cabos. The door was left open for an additional sequel from the moment Day of the Soldado ended, but it was never clear when the film would be released or what it would be about. The movie was greenlit before Day of the Soldado was even released, but remained in development for years, undergoing various changes in that time. It seemed as though the movie may have fizzled out until an update in late 2023 confirmed that a third Sicario movie was indeed still on the way. Along with this came the news that Christopher McQuarrie, who previously worked on the last three Mission: Impossible films, was attached in some capacity.

It is unclear who will return for the upcoming sequel, though it seems unlikely that Emily Blunt will return given her absence in the 2018 film. Nevertheless, Sicario: Cabos will most likely see the return of Benicio del Toro's Alejandro as he trains Miguel to become a hitman. The third Sicario film does not yet have a release date.

Sicario: Day of the Soldado may not live up to its 2015 predecessor, but it sets up an interesting franchise following Benicio del Toro's Alejandro Gillick. With an open-ended conclusion for Alejandro and his allies, Sicario has plenty of stories to explore in its upcoming third installment.

Sicario

R

Drama

Crime

Action

Where to Watch

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An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.

Director

Denis Villeneuve

Release Date

October 2, 2015

Cast

Benicio Del Toro , Emily Blunt , Josh Brolin , Jeffrey Donovan , Jon Bernthal , Victor Garber

Writers

Taylor Sheridan

Runtime

121 Minutes

Main Genre

Action

Budget

$30 million

Studio(s)

Sony

Distributor(s)

Sony , Lionsgate

Sequel(s)

Sicario: Day Of The Soldado