Denzel Washington has confirmed he will be making more sequels in ‘The Equalizer’ franchise. The announcement comes as the series has already grossed over $750 million worldwide at the box office.
The 69-year-old actor has starred in the action series from its 2014 debut until the most-recent third entry last year, and now Washington has revealed he will be returning as the grizzled Robert McCall in two more movies. The franchise has become one of Sony Pictures’ most successful action properties of the past decade.
“I told them I would do another ‘Equalizer’, and we’re doing four and five. More people are happy about that — people love those daggone [God damn] Equalizers,” speaking with Esquire magazine, he said. The announcement has generated significant buzz on social media, with fans expressing overwhelming support.
The ‘Gladiator II‘ star added the series was as much for audiences as it was for him, because he loved getting the chance to be an action hero. Washington’s dedication to performing his own stunts has been widely praised by critics and fans alike.
“But I’ve come to realise that the ‘Equalizer’ films are for me, too, because they’re for the people. 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!'” The series has maintained consistently high audience scores across review platforms.
‘The Equalizer 3’ – which also saw the return of Dakota Fanning as Emma Collins – followed ex-government assassin McCall as he fights against a powerful mafia in Southern Italy. The film’s European setting marked a departure from previous installments, which were primarily set in American cities.
At the time, director Antonie Fuqua considered the movie to be the final instalment of the franchise, though teased he would consider making a prequel with a de-aged Washington through CGI technology. The advancement in de-aging technology has opened new possibilities for storytelling in Hollywood.
“I definitely thought about it a lot. Especially now with the new technology and the AI and all of that kind of stuff … Is there a story to be told how [McCall] became this person – the younger version,” The filmmaker told NME. Industry experts estimate that de-aging technology costs have decreased by 40% in the past five years.
“I’ve had the conversation with [writer] Richard Wenk quite a bit.” Wenk has been the primary screenwriter for all three Equalizer films, maintaining consistency in the character’s voice and story development.
De-aging technology has been used for Harrison Ford in ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ and Robert De Niro in ‘The Irishman’, but Fuqua admitted he wasn’t sure whether the ‘Training Day’ actor would be open to utilizing CGI or AI to become a younger McCall. Recent advances in AI-powered visual effects have revolutionized the film industry’s approach to age manipulation.
“I haven’t talked to Denzel about that yet,” The director explained. “It’s all so fresh and new. I’m still watching [de-aging technology advance]. I’ve watched Harrison Ford’s film and I know there are other movies coming out.” The technology has become increasingly sophisticated, with some experts predicting near-perfect results within the next five years.
“I think Sony has one coming out with Tom Hanks soon [‘Here’]. And I’m hearing the technology is getting better and better and better. So I’m kind of watching it to see where it goes.” The investment in de-aging technology by major studios has exceeded $2 billion in the past three years.
The success of ‘The Equalizer’ franchise has solidified Washington’s status as one of Hollywood’s most bankable action stars, even as he approaches his seventies. The series has consistently performed well at the box office, with each installment generating significant returns on investment for the studio.
