If you're an avid movie watcher and consider yourself a film buff, then you've heard of The Boondock Saints, a film about two Irish brothers on a holy vigilante mission to end the lives of the worst kinds of criminals. An unexpected cult megahit, despite its failure to be a box office success due to a variety of problems with the production, the Saints have lived on successfully for 15 years since debuting in 1999 through re-releases on home video, online merchandise sales and a dedication by the film's creator and stars to interact with the community.
The home video success through word-of-mouth helped a sequel (The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day) eventually get made (after a lawsuit) and hit theaters a decade after the fact, seemingly setting up an inevitable third installment that fans have now been waiting on for five years. Creator, director and writer Troy Duffy has been talking up the project for years but not much official has come out on its development although he did release a few images of the script for Boondock Saints 3 back in January and April.
So a script has been in the works for quite some time, undergoing at least a few significant alterations along the way. It's seemingly only a matter of time - except for one major hurdle: getting the talent aboard. While Clifton Collins, Jr., a friend of Troy Duffy who was introduced in the sequel, is eager to come back - telling us he's definitely going to be involved when we chatted with him a few months ago - Norman Reedus is not as enthused.
Page 1. T.duff pic.twitter.com/OvMJdgaWNH— Troy Duffy (@troyduffy) January 28, 2014
Page 2. BDS 3. pic.twitter.com/c2Mb8E9lXN— Troy Duffy (@troyduffy) April 12, 2014
The actor whose profile skyrocketed thanks to his fave-fave role as Daryl Dixon in AMC's The Walking Dead didn't enjoy the sequel as much as the first (we can agree with that sentiment) and has some ideas of how Boondock Saints 3 needs to be really dark, really epic and conclude the story while focusing more on the main two brothers rather than new characters like the first sequel did. He had a lot of interesting thoughts to share with Hopeful Monster back in 2010 that we recommend fans check out. Below is a more recent video interview where he again is asked about The Boondock Saints' future.
Like the others involved, Reedus has said a few times it's in the works but at one point shocked fans by saying it's "not happening" after a meeting with Sean Patrick Flannery and Troy Duffy the month before (via IFC) where there were "creative differences." Here's what he told CBR in October 2012:
"I came here for something last week, or two weeks ago, and we had a meeting with Troy. I did an interview with like Men’s Health or something and the very last question they asked me was, ‘So, is there going to be a Boondock 3?’ and I said — I said, quote me — ‘I don’t know, but tonight I’m having a meeting with Sean and Troy to talk about it,’ and it went viral. ‘He says it’s happening!’ But I didn’t say that. For the record, I did not say that. But I will say that it’s not happening. There will not be a part three. Creative differences, so to speak."
In the year and a half since, Duffy's plan for the film must have changed to cater to Reedus because he needs to be involved for it to happen. It's clear though that he, and everyone else aboard, knows that this is a unique project and franchise. The Boondock Saints lives only for its unprecedented fan loyalty and that will drive the third film to the finish line. Reedus, Duffy and Flannery meet regular, host fan events and appear frequently at conventions to hang out with fans. They get it.
On the official Boondock Saints Facebook page a few weeks ago, writer and director Troy Duffy - who's long been open with fans about his ideas, desires and the status of future Boondock Saints projects - answered a few questions on video and carried forth the sentiment about doing right by the fans. One commenter asked if Duffy ever gets "sick" of hearing the same questions from fans repeatedly over the years since there's been a long stretch between each installment and in response, Duffy opened up about the status and plot details of what we can now refer to as The Boondock Saints III: Legion.
No, because it's my fault (laughs). It's taken a while. Boondock 3 has taken a while. It's because I want to get it right so I can't blame fans for asking us the same question because they want to know the goddamn answer and they're like 'hey, you're the asshole that's supposed to have them, Duffy.' (Laughs)
The thing is, when you're in the middle of working on something, you're always dealing with a host of ideas so it's tough to answer all of them. There will be a definite sort of contingent of the people in this one... we're calling it Boondock [Saints] 3: Legion and this is because while Connor [MacManus] and Murphy [MacManus] are incarcerated, a whole group of people are sort of... what we have are instances of street level justice being undertaken by regular citizens, not to the point Connor and Murphy do it, but close enough to have formed Legion.
So, technically I guess the fans are going to have quite a position in the movie. You'll be able to say things like "I would do that" or "I wouldn't do that" or "I'd go that far" or "yeah, I'd do that, help Connor and Murphy if they needed a place to stay and were on the run" or things like that.
Sorry it's taken that long guys, I know that sucks. That fucking sucks. Hopefully, maybe when the three brains get together that last little fucking thing I need will come out of it. I just want to make it right for you and I know Sean [Patrick Flanery ] and Norm [Reedus] do too.
Given the time between each film, we can't imagine how long it would take to get The Boondock Saints TV show off the ground, another hopeful project Duffy has spoken on a few times. That may never happen but if it does it would be a reboot "for a new generation," as the creator puts it. Don't expect that until long after The Boondock Saints 3: Legion releases though. The original MacManus brother need their sendoff.
We've reached out to Duffy regarding the current status of the project and any potential timelines and shooting details and will update accordingly.
Sources: Access Hollywood, CBR, Hopeful Monster, IFC, Troy Duffy (Via Flicking Myth)
Follow Rob on Twitter @rob_keyes