The Equalizer 3 showed what retirement looked like for Robert McCall, even though he still had to earn that separate peace. Denzel Washington says that it's too early for his character to ride out into the sunset.
Denzel Washington confirmed The Equalizer 4 and 5 are in the works. He told Esquire he's doing sequels more for the fans than for himself. "I've come to realize that the Equalizer films are for me, too, because they're for the people," he asserted. "They want me to go get the bad guys. 'We can't get them, so you go get them.' And I say, 'Okay, I'll get them! Just wait right there. I'll be right back!'"
I've come to realize that the Equalizer films are for me, too, because they're for the people.
The news is a pleasant surprise since The Equalizer 3 was pitched as Robert McCall's final run. The Equalizer is the only film franchise in Washington's career, even though he's played the lone vigilante before, in The Book of Eli, Man on Fire, and The Magnificent Seven.
Washington confirmed the Equalizer sequels are his top priorities. "I have things lined up for a few years," he teased. "I told them I would do another Equalizer, and we're doing 4 and 5. More people are happy about that—people love those doggone Equalizers. It's about variety for me. I'll sometimes say to myself, One's for me, one's for them." The update confirmed at least two more films added to his upcoming projects. He's set to star in a Broadway and onscreen adaptation of Othello; he will also play the ancient Carthaginian general Hannibal in Antoine Fuqua's war movie. Washington and Fuqua have worked on five films to date; Training Day, The Magnificent Seven, and The Equalizer trilogy.
Denzel Washington Almost Worked With Antoine Fuqua In A 2007 Movie
Fuqua revealed he almost worked with Washington in American Gangster; he admitted that project broke his heart since he was the one who prepped the whole movie. "I was just a couple of weeks away from filming American Gangster," he told Collider. "In fact, I'm the one who called it American Gangster. It used to be called 'Blue-something, and I got Denzel involved and changed it to American Gangster. That film fell apart because of financing. At the time, Universal couldn't come to an understanding of the budget or cast. I cast police Benicio del Toro alongside Denzel, which is what I wanted it to be. Benicio and Denzel." Production was ultimately helmed by Ridley Scott, whose latest film Gladiator II includes Washington in the ensemble.
The Equalizer franchise is a massive success. Produced with budgets between $50 million and $60 million, each installment consistently earned $190 at the box office. Fuqua told People in 2023 that The Equalizer 3 was intended as the conclusion to a trilogy. "Never say never. I'm going to miss Robert McCall. I think it was a great character, my hero," he said. "But it feels like it's the last one." Washington's character could outpace the mainline John Wick movies now that two more Equalizer sequels are confirmed; fans have since debated who would win if Wick and McCall ever duked it out in a crossover film.
The Equalizer 3 is streaming on Netflix.
Source: Esquire
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