Willem Dafoe’s Smecker Must Return For The Boondock Saints 3

Willem Dafoe’s Paul Smecker needs to return for Boondock Saints 3 and here’s why. Dafoe was a scene-stealer in the original Boondock Saints film as the FBI agent chasing down Connor and Murphy MacManus (Sean Patrick Flannery and Norman Reedus, respectively), and it would be a shame not to include him in the third film of the trilogy. So far, Dafoe hasn’t been confirmed to be attached to the trilogy capper as of yet, but his exclusion would be a mistake on the threequel’s behalf.

Boondock Saints II: All Saint’s Day ended the MacManus brothers’ story on a cliffhanger with the brotherly duo imprisoned and gazing upon their inmates in an intimidating manner, much like they are prey. This ending seemed to imply that Boondock Saints 3 follows that cliffhanger ending, picking up where it left off to find the Saints taking on a potential gang. Interestingly, Willem Dafoe’s Smecker was largely absent from this installment, but makes a brief cameo at the end, giving viewers the idea that he may have a hand in their potential escape from prison. However, there is no sign of Dafoe’s Smecker being part of the story for the third movie thus far.

Dafoe returning to the role of Smecker would be a godsend for the series, as he was a substantial part of what worked about the first Boondock Saints film. His cameo at the end of the second film brought so many compelling ideas to the table for a third film to run with. Smecker informs Bloom (Julie Benz) at the end of Boondock Saints II that he faked his death and is now building up a network of support for the Saints and their vigilantism, as well as divulging his plans for their escape from prison. This is a perfect place to introduce Dafoe’s iconic Smecker back into the fold, even if the main story of Boondock Saints 3 is set a decade later than the second film.

While unlikely, Smecker could potentially still put his plans to the test and bust the Saints out of prison. But a more likely way to keep his character in the fold would be to have the Saints somehow get out of prison themselves (whether it be escaping or simply being released) and have an army of supporters, rallied over the years by Smecker, at their beck and call for whatever acts of vigilantism the brothers get up to in Boondock Saints 3. This way the third film can tie up any loose ends left by the second, while also keeping Willem Dafoe in the action alongside Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flannery and their returning leads. There’s so much potential for Dafoe going forward that it would be a shame to leave his fantastic character by the wayside.

If the filmmakers do ultimately decide against continuing Smecker’s story, Dafoe can still be brought back in the form of a simple cameo, such as his appearance in Boondock Saints II, and this is certainly the more likely option if Smecker is going to return to the series. Even if it’s a simple ending stinger like his last cameo, it would be a treat for audiences to get to see a character as ripe with possibilities as Paul Smecker once more. Willem Dafoe’s return in Boondock Saints 3 could be a nice cherry on top of what is already shaping up to be yet another exciting entry in the series.