A decade after its release, Taylor Sheridan’s film “Sicario” has become a streaming success on Netflix, ranking No. 8 in its Top 10 chart shortly after debuting. Released in 2015 and directed by Denis Villeneuve, the film follows FBI agent Kate Macer, portrayed by Emily Blunt, in a dangerous cartel operation. With stellar reviews and a Certified Fresh score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, “Sicario” solidified Sheridan’s reputation. His recent ventures into television, particularly the Yellowstone franchise, have also achieved significant success, contributing to a reported $260 million in earnings for Paramount+ from his series between 2021 and 2024.
A film crafted by Taylor Sheridan has surged in popularity on streaming platforms nearly ten years post-release. Sheridan is a renowned writer, initially gaining fame for his screenplays in notable films such as the Chris Pine-led Hell or High Water. He also took the director’s seat for two of his significant works, including 2017’s Wind River and 2021’s Those Who Wish Me Dead.
Since 2018, however, Sheridan has become more synonymous with high-quality television rather than feature films, having created the Yellowstone franchise. The original neo-Western series has led to the creation of prequels 1883 and 1923, with more spinoffs in the pipeline. Furthermore, he has either created or executive produced several successful series, such as Special Ops: Lioness, Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown, and Landman.
Sicario Is Now a Streaming Sensation
It Has Made Its Mark on a Major U.S. Chart
The 2015 film Sicario is creating a stir on Netflix. Written by Sheridan and directed by Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Dune, Dune: Part Two), it follows FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) as she navigates the complexities of a task force aimed at a Mexican cartel leader. The film was both a critical and box office hit, amassing $85 million from a $30 million budget, earning a Certified Fresh score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, and leading to the 2018 sequel Day of the Soldado.
The impressive cast of Sicario also features Josh Brolin, Benicio del Toro, Daniel Kaluuya, and Jon Bernthal.
Recently, Netflix released their Top 10 chart showcasing the most viewed movies in the U.S. for the week spanning February 24 to March 2. After its debut on the platform on March 1, just one day before the week concluded, Sicario secured the No. 8 spot on the chart.
Notably, it is the highest-ranked film that is older than three years, as films that ranked above it include the recent release Counterattack (No. 3), and 2024’s Venom: The Last Dance (No. 1), Despicable Me 4 (No. 2), as well as 2023’s To Catch a Killer (No. 4) and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (No. 5), and 2022’s Watcher (No. 6) and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (No. 7).
Implications for Sicario
It Marks Another Streaming Triumph for Sheridan
It remains uncertain whether Sicario can ascend the rankings further, but securing a No. 8 spot within just two days suggests a strong possibility of doing so. Also, despite the weekly chart not being refreshed until Tuesday, March 11, the film had already climbed to No. 2 on Netflix’s daily chart of the most-watched films in the U.S. by Friday, March 7, more than halfway through the week that will be recorded, indicating positive momentum.
This will solidify the streaming success of Taylor Sheridan…
If Denis Villeneuve’s film continues to rise on the chart as anticipated and maintains its Top 10 status, it will further affirm Taylor Sheridan’s streaming achievements. Recent reports indicated that his Paramount+ series, which includes the two Yellowstone prequels, Mayor of Kingstown, and Special Ops: Lioness, generated over $260 million for the streaming service between 2021 and 2024, not counting the arrival of his highly talked-about new series Landman, featuring an all-star cast including Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore, Jon Hamm, and Ali Larter.
Our Perspective on Sicario’s Netflix Acclaim
There Is A History of Viewers Embracing This Film
The streaming success of the Emily Blunt-led film is not entirely surprising, even after ten years. Although it marked Taylor Sheridan’s breakout, Sicario is still his third highest-rated work on Rotten Tomatoes. This achievement is noteworthy because, in his roles as a writer, executive producer, or creator, he has only received two Rotten Tomatoes splats throughout his career. Below is a ranking of all his scored projects where he had any of those roles, with scores for television entries reflecting the average across all seasons:
|
Title |
RT Critic Score |
RT Audience Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Hell or High Water (2016) |
97% |
88% |
|
1923 (2022-2025) |
95% |
52% |
|
Sicario (2015) |
92% |
85% |
|
1883 (2021-2022) |
89% |
76% |
|
Tulsa King (2022-) |
89% |
83% |
|
Wind River (2017) |
87% |
90% |
|
Yellowstone (2018-2024) |
83% |
76% |
|
Lawmen: Bass Reeves (2023) |
79% |
93% |
|
Landman (2024-) |
78% |
62% |
|
Special Ops: Lioness (2023-) |
72% |
73% |
|
Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021) |
63% |
86% |
|
Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) |
62% |
66% |
|
Mayor of Kingstown (2021-) |
53% |
81% |
|
Without Remorse (2021) |
45% |
41% |
While the Certified Fresh score from critics likely continues to attract new viewers to Sicario, audiences have traditionally reacted positively to the film. With a solid Fresh audience score of 85% on the Popcornmeter, it ranks as the fourth highest-rated movie and the fifth overall project for Taylor Sheridan, boasting a score that’s a striking 44% higher than the lowest-rated title in his catalog, the 2021 Tom Clancy adaptation Without Remorse. As a result, the 2015 film might be generating additional buzz, in addition to the typical spike titles receive upon their Netflix debut.
Source: Netflix
Sicario
9/10
- Release Date
-
September 17, 2015
- Runtime
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122 minutes
- Writers
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Taylor Sheridan
- Producers
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Basil Iwanyk, Edward McDonnell, Ellen H. Schwartz, Molly Smith, Thad Luckinbill, Stacy Perskie