‘Sicario’ Sequel, ‘Granite Mountain’ Move From Lionsgate to Sony
Film Reporter Dave McNary @Variety_DMcNary
APRIL 24, 2017 | 02:35PM PT

Black Label has reached a deal with Sony Pictures to take over distribution of a pair of action-adventure films — “Granite Mountain” and “Soldado” — from Lionsgate for North America and select international territories.

Black Label and Lionsgate have not commented on why their distribution agreement collapsed. But informed sources indicated that disagreements on release dates and marketing strategies were factors.

Lionsgate is retaining the international rights on “Soldado” and on most foreign markets on “Granite Mountain.”

“Granite Mountain,” directed by Joseph Kosinski, tells the true tale of an elite crew of heroic firefighters who battled to save their hometown from a wildfire. Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Jeff Bridges, Taylor Kitsch and Jennifer Connelly star.

“Granite Mountain” is based on the 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona, which killed 19 firefighters. Sony will release the film on Oct. 20 — a month later than Lionsgate’s intended Sept. 22 release date.

“Soldado” is the sequel to Lionsgate’s “Sicario.” Stefano Sollima directs the continuation of the story, with Benicio Del Toro and Brolin reprising their roles in a story of intrigue and double crosses along the border of Mexico.

Sony has not yet dated “Soldado,” which marks the second movie in a potential trilogy. “Sicario,” which also starred Emily Blunt, was released in 2015 and grossed $84 million worldwide.

Black Label Media is headed by Molly Smith, Thad Luckinbill and Trent Luckinbill. In addition to funding “Sicario,” it was also a production company on Liongate’s “La La Land.”

Tom Rothman, chairman of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, said in a statement: “It’s rare that a studio gets the chance to pick up two films of such high caliber at once. We have a wonderful relationship with Molly, Trent and Thad, and we’re excited to be in partnership with Black Label on these exceptional movies.”

The films were acquired by Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions. The deal was negotiated by Steve Bersch and Michael Helfand on behalf of SPWA and by Joe Cohen on behalf of Black Label Media. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.

So you also wrote the Sicario sequel, Soldado. Correct?

SHERIDAN: Yes.

Do you see that as a continuation of these frontier films or do you feel like that series is going in a different direction now?

SHERIDAN: No. That thing has evolved into something completely different and, you know, I’ve seen an early version of it and I’m really encouraged, but it’s … that thing goes off on its own. If you’re going to make a sequel to Sicario, you have to, you know, you’ve got to go beat a brand new path.

Do you feel that the story of Sicario, now that it’s continuing in Soldado, that there could be future films that continue to build that story forward?

SHERIDAN: I would like there to be one more to complete that so all of a sudden I don’t know what geometric shape you’d call this that you have a trilogy kicking off from a trilogy, and this one not being thematic, this one being actual, you know, it’s a really unique opportunity to capitalize on something purely creatively. You know what I mean? It’s a really bizarre thing to franchise, if that’s the right word, which I don’t think it is. You know, Sicario was successful but it was successful because Denis and the producers were, you know, they were very lean. It was very lean filmmaking. And so it didn’t, by comparison to films that look like that, didn’t cost very much money and so likewise with the sequel, that didn’t cost much more which allows us to stay really true as opposed to trying to reach a broader audience, make a richer experience for that audience and hopefully bring in more but that’s not necessarily the goal. The goal is to continue down this story, you know.

When I told them I would write it, they asked for the traditional studio call and the outline and all that, and I said, “No, no, no, guys. The first one was original. I’m just going to go away and I’m going to come back with it and there you go.” And they trusted me to do that, and then read it and were like, “Ah, shit. We’re in a lot of trouble.” It makes the first one look like a comedy. Yeah. I’m not the guy to ask to write a sequel.

Sony Slots ‘Sicario’ Sequel for June 2018
Film Reporter @krolljvar
AUGUST 11, 2017 | 04:37PM PT

After acquiring the “Sicario” sequel “Soldado” from Lionsgate, Sony has now dated the pic for June 29, 2018.

Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin are set to return with Stefano Sollima taking over as director. The first pic was helmed by Denis Villeneuve.

The sequel will continue to center on the escalating war against drugs along the border of the United States and Mexico.

Black Label Media is producing.