Prepare for the triumphant return of iconic vigilante duo The Boondock Saints as Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery are set to reprise their roles in a new installment.
Reported first by Deadline, Reedus and Flannery will reprise their roles as Murphy and Connor MacManus in a third entry in the series. While a 2021 report confirmed a third film was in development with both the original cast and director returning, Deadline’s report today reveals that Troy Duffy, who directed the first two films, will not return to direct, opting instead to continue the Saint’s story in the form of a series of books.
The outlet also reveals that Thunder Road Pictures, the production company whose previous work includes the John Wick series and the upcoming film Monkey Man, is attached to the project. It is collaborating with Dragonfly Films, which currently owns the rights to The Boondock Saints franchise. This new film is a reimagining of the franchise.
If you are unfamiliar with The Boondock Saints, the first film was released in 1999. It tells the story of two twin Irish brothers who seek righteous retribution as they try to eradicate all the criminals plaguing their hometown. The film became a cult classic; though it did not perform well in its initial run at the box office, it got a sequel titled The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day, 10 years later.
The long-road for a new The Boondock Saints installment
In 2009, Duffy elaborated on where a sequel would go. In 2013, discussion came again from Duffy, explaining that he was working on the script for a third installment and a potential TV series, The Boondock Saints: Origins.
In 2014, it was reported that pre-production began for a third film, which was, at the time, subtitled Legion. Unfortunately, Flanery announced on Twitter three years later that he and Reedus had exited the project. As you probably guessed, all these previous attempts never saw the light of day.
Despite previous attempts for a continuation on the big and small screen not materializing, The Boondock Saints has continued in the form of comic books written by Duffy.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
