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August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Screen & Stage • Film

Sicario

Sicario is a 2015 American crime thriller film directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Taylor Sheridan.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

Sicario is a 2015 American crime thriller directed by Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve. It follows an FBI agent drawn into a covert task force battling a Mexican drug cartel.

What it is

The film stars Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, and Josh Brolin. Its title comes from the Spanish word for “contract killer” or “hitman,” reflecting the cartel violence at the story’s core. Taylor Sheridan wrote the screenplay in his debut.

Why it matters

Sicario is one of Villeneuve’s best-known films, praised for its tense atmosphere and moral ambiguity. It was followed by a 2018 sequel, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, and remains a key entry in modern crime thrillers.

Key details

Released in the United States in 2015, the film was directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Taylor Sheridan. The cast includes Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, and Josh Brolin. The plot centers on an FBI agent’s exposure to covert tactics along the U.S.–Mexico border.

In short

  • Sicario is a 2015 American crime thriller.
  • Directed by Canadian Denis Villeneuve.
  • Stars Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, and Josh Brolin.
  • Title means “contract killer” in Spanish.
Canadian angle

The film was directed by Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, making it relevant to Canadian film audiences and readers interested in Canadian directors with international careers.

Quick questions

What is Sicario?
Sicario is a 2015 American crime thriller film directed by Denis Villeneuve.
Who stars in Sicario?
The film stars Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, and Josh Brolin.
What does the title Sicario mean?
In Spanish, sicario means “contract killer” or “hitman.”

Sources

  1. Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicario_(2015_film)
    Supports: Director, writer, cast, release year, and plot summary of the 2015 film.
  2. Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicario
    Supports: Meaning of sicario and disambiguation showing the term’s Spanish usage.
  3. Encyclopaedia Britannicahttps://www.britannica.com/topic/Sicario
    Supports: Identifies Sicario as a 2015 film by Denis Villeneuve.
  4. IMDbhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt3397884/
    Supports: Cast and general film identification.