Summary

  • Director Antoine Fuqua reveals that a fourth film in the Equalizer franchise is not off the table, but Denzel Washington would have to return as McCall for him to direct it.
  • Fuqua believes that The Equalizer 3 will likely be the end of the franchise, but Washington's impressive physical shape means the actor would be able to do another installment if he wanted to.
  • While audience interest in the action franchise remains steady, it may be best to wrap up the series with a bang rather than letting it fizzle out with a lesser installment.

The Equalizer 3 director Antoine Fuqua reveals that The Equalizer 4 still isn't off the table, but there's one condition that must be met first. After two successful previous installments, Denzel Washington is returning as retired assassin Robert McCall for another adventure, this time in Italy. The film, which sees McCall taking on the Italian mafia, is expected to serve as the final film in the franchise.

Now, ahead of The Equalizer 3's release date, Fuqua tells EW that he would consider returning to direct a fourth movie, but only if Washington wanted to return as McCall. Despite this caveat, however, the director does seem pretty sure that this is the end of the road. Check out his full comment below:

"I believe this would be it. We've both talked about it that way. But you never know! Listen, Denzel's in shape. He's training every day. If you saw him now, it would blow your mind. He's like 60 pounds lighter, even from The Equalizer. He's really healthy. Yeah, it's up to him. Obviously, if he wanted to do another one, I would as well, but I don't see it. But who knows?"

Should The Equalizer 3 Be The Last One?

Denzel Washington as Robert McCall in The Equalizer 3.

Both of the previous two Equalizer movies have been solid box office performers, with the original and its sequel earning just over $100 million each. The Equalizer 3's box office opening is projected to be a little lower than its predecessors, but it seems likely that the film's final gross won't be too far behind when all is said and done. Clearly, audience interest in the action franchise remains fairly steady, meaning if a fourth film does happen it probably wouldn't take much to get audiences on board.

That being said, Washington is now almost 70 years old, and at a certain point it just won't be believable for him to gun down hordes of criminals with exacting precision. Sure, the 71-year-old Liam Neeson still regularly does it, but his newer action films don't quite have the same spark that Taken did in 2009. There might be value, then, in wrapping things up with a bang rather than a whimper.

The Equalizer 3 will also be quite different from its predecessors in some ways, setting itself up as a final chapter. Gone are the overcast East Coast settings from the first two movies, replaced instead with the gorgeous vistas of the Amalfi Coast. McCall has also seemingly found a potential romantic partner this time around, in addition to a host of new friends. After so much bloodshed, McCall seems deserving of a happy ending in the film instead of once again being wrenched out of retirement to kill more goons in The Equalizer 4.

Source: EW