According to Denzel Washington, two moreEqualizermovies are currently in the works. Washington first played former government assassin Robert McCall in 2014, returning for a sequel in 2018 and a third film in 2023.The Equalizer 3seemed to bring McCall’s story to a close, ending with Washington’s character happily retired from a life of violence in Italy, but there have been rumblings about apotentialThe Equalizer 4, with franchise director Antoine Fuqua expressing interest in continuing if Washington was willing to return.
In a recent interview withEsquire,Washington shares a surprising new update on the franchise, revealing thatThe Equalizer 4andThe Equalizer 5are both in development. Though the actor doesn’t provide a development or production timeline regarding the next two installments, he does break down his thought process regarding his return as McCall, explaining why the character and the films resonate with audiences. Check out Washington’s comment below:
“I told them I would do anotherEqualizer, andwe’re doing four and five. More people are happy about that—people love those daggoneEqualizers. But I’ve come to realize that theEqualizerfilms 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!”
What Washington’s Equalizer Update Means For The Franchise
Washington Will Likely Reteam With A Frequent Collaborator
The Equalizer 3’s endinggives McCall a happy sendoff, and that film was clearly designed to serve as the conclusion to the saga. The film was talked about and marketed as the last one, with one poster including the phrase: “Witness the final chapter.” Still, though, Fuqua revealed in August 2023 that he was open to returning, tellingEW: “Obviously, if [Denzel] wanted to do another one, I would as well, but I don’t see it.” Fuqua, then, will likely be returning to the director’s chair for the next movies.
Denzel Washington’s 10 Best Scenes In The Equalizer Movies, Ranked
The Equalizer movies have given Denzel Washington some great material to work with, and here are his best scenes across the three films.
As seen in the chart below, the threeEqualizermovies have been consistently successful with audiences and at the box office, meaning it’s probably a safe bet that the fourth and fifth movies will follow this same pattern.The Equalizer 3’s audience score onRotten Tomatoes, for example, is a strong 94%, and the film grossed $191 million worldwide. Considering the film was made on an estimated budget of $70 million, the highest of the franchise, it was likely looking at a break-even point of between $140 million and $175 million.
61%
77%
$55 million
$192 million
52%
$62 million
$190 million
76%
94%
$70 million
$191 million
TheEqualizerfranchise’s box office grosses do not increase commensurate with the films' budgets, and this meansthe fourth film likely won’t be made for more than $70 million. If it trades theItalian setting ofThe Equalizer 3for somewhere in the U.S. again, it may actually end up costing less. It remains unclear, however, what the fourth film’s story will be and how it will pull McCall back into the action after his retirement.
How Washington’s Schedule Affects The Equalizer 4 & 5
The Actor Has A Number Of Projects Lined Up That Could Push Back McCall’s Next Outing
As of writing, there is no expected release date for the nextEqualizermovie, and it’s likely that it’s still very early days for the project. Washington has revealed that he has several projects currently lined up, which could mean thatthere will be a bit of a wait for McCall’s next adventure. He’s set to team up with Fuqua for a movie about Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, for example, but he also recently revealed that he willappear inBlack Panther 3, on top of his planned work in adaptations of Shakespeare’sOthelloandKing Lear.
With all these projects on the horizon, Washington could well be playing McCall inThe Equalizer 5at close to 80 years old, which could start to strain credulity.
Washington, however, is nearly 70 years old. It’s possible thatThe Equalizer 4will be fast-tracked, but audiences could end up seeing a noticeably older McCall in the next outing. With all these projects on the horizon, Washington could well be playing McCall inThe Equalizer 5at close to 80 years old, which could start to strain credulity.Fuqua has previously teased that he has considered de-aging Washingtonfor anEqualizerprequel movie, but, as was seen withIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destinyand the de-aging of Harrison Ford, this is wildly expensive to do.
Washington can next be seen as part of thecast ofGladiator 2from director Ridley Scott.
Our Take On The Equalizer 4 & 5
Should Robert McCall Return?
Washington’sthreeEqualizermoviesmay not be the best or most innovative action-thrillers out there, but they are consistently entertaining, and Washington remains as charismatic a screen presence as ever. WithWashington guaranteed to be in his early or mid 70s by the time the next installment comes out, it could be limited in terms of the action sequences it presents. Thankfully, one of McCall’s greatest strengths is his ability to out-think his opponents instead of just defeating them with brute strength, and this gives the character a certain amount of longevity.
If Fuqua returns as director,The Equalizer 4will be in good hands, but it does also feel as if it might be best to let the franchise rest. The third film gives McCall a satisfying sendoff and it stops the violent saga before it becomes too ridiculous. Regardless, however, it does seem as if moreEqualizermovies are coming, meaning audiences haven’t seen the last of McCall just yet.
Source:Esquire
The Equalizer
The Equalizer is a crime-focused action-thriller franchise initially created by Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim. The franchise began with the 1985 series that followed Robert McCall, a retired intelligence agent who uses his deadly and varied skillset to help those that society cannot save. The film franchise has stood out as the most iconic, with Denzel Washington in the role of the new Robert McCall, with a reboot television series starring Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall.
