Norman Reedus’ latest update on The Boondocks Saints 3 sets my mind at ease about the sequel. Before The Walking Dead made him a huge TV star, I was always a fan of Norman Reedus. He was the type of character actor who would pop up in movies like Blade 2 or Gossip and basically steal every scene. The Walking Dead only confirmed his star power, as his character Daryl evolved from a supporting guest character to becoming one of the franchise’s main players.

Of course, The Boondock Saints duology was Reedus’ biggest claim to fame before The Walking Dead. Like many fans of the original, I was a little too young to watch The Boondock Saints when it arrived in 1999. The movie followed Reedus’ Murphy and Sean Patrick Flanery’s Conor, two vigilante Catholic brothers who wage a bloody war against crime in Boston while being pursued by Willem Dafoe’s FBI agent Smecker. The film’s quippy, Tarantino-esque dialogue and John Woo-inspired action made it a cult favorite, even though it was critically reviled at the time.

Boondock Saints 3 Will Start With Conor & Murphy McManus’ Prison Break

The third Boondock Saints will actually resolve the second movie’s cliffhanger

A sequel dubbed The Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day arrived a decade later, but plans for a third outing soon into development hell. While I was intensely mixed on the second film, The Boondock Saint 2 ended on a cliffhanger that saw Conor and Murphy waiting to get broken out of prison by their buddy Smecker. The final scene of All Saint’s Day made it appear the brothers wouldn’t be waiting long either, but Reedus has confirmed to Screen Rant his prison break will be part of The Boondock Saints 3.

There’s sort of a rough outline of a script. The opening sequence, I think they’re keeping from that rough outline because it’s crazy. It’s crazy. It’s basically the boys breaking out of prison. That’s how it starts.

While it might have been tempting for the creative team to skip ahead to the MacManus boys years after their escape, I’m grateful the upcoming Boondock Saints 3 will actually pay off this cliffhanger properly. The ending was honestly the best part of All Saint’s Day, partly thanks to Dafoe’s unexpected cameo and how it set up another story. It’s also a logical jumping-off point for the new film to pick up from.

Why It Took 15 Years For Boondock Saints 3

It appeared the Boondock Saints 2’s cliffhanger would never get resolved

The Boondock Saints 3 is described as a fresh take on the concept, even though Reedus and Flanery are returning. Plot details are being kept vague, though one reason I’m excited about another entry is that a new creative team is having a crack at it, since franchise creator Troy Duffy has decided to step away as director. Duffy himself spent many years developing his take on The Boondock Saints 3, both as a movie and a potential television series.

In 2014, Reedus himself claimed (via IGN) that The Boondock Saints 3 wasn’t happening. This came as a surprise to many, since his star has risen considerably thanks to The Walking Dead franchise, and it seemed a shame not to wrap up the series. At a certain point, I began to tune out any updates about the third chapter, which often involved the director or stars confirming it was back on, only for it to inevitably stall again.

While he won’t helm the next movie, creator Troy Duffy is currently working on a series of Boondock Saints novels.

Thunder Road Films – the production company behind the John Wick saga – have taken over The Boondock Saints 3. This gives me hope that the next installment will recapture what made the first film so enjoyable, and will give the property the jolt it needs after the lackluster All Saint’s Day.

Will Boondock Saints 3 Be Worth The Wait?

Will audiences embrace the MacManus brothers once again?

I’m glad The Boondock Saints 3 won’t be a total reboot, because Reedus and Flanery are key parts of what made the series so popular.

I can’t be the only fan of the original to wonder if The Boondock Saints 3 can live up to the hype. The first movie is very much a product of its time and a divisive one at that. The second outing struggled badly to recapture the zany energy and over-the-top style of The Boondock Saints too, so the upcoming “reimagining” will need to work hard to lure back audiences – me included. That said, the franchise has always had a loyal cult that following has spent over a decade waiting for a new chapter.

If The Boondock Saints 3 can tap into what made the first film so popular while adding something fresh, it just might work. Personally, I’m glad the sequel won’t be a total reboot, because Reedus and Flanery are key parts of what made the series so popular. It was their chemistry that made the MacManus bros appealing antiheroes, and it was difficult for me to imagine other actors stepping into their shoes. Plus, it’s great that All Saint’s Day’s prison break tease will finally, FINALLY get paid off.