Denzel Washington's talk of retirement may have just permanently ruled out The Equalizer 3's ending saw McCall retire to a quiet little Italian town, seemingly leaving his equalizing days behind for good.
Regardless of the film wrapping up McCall's story and giving the character a shot to live in peace, there was still hope for a potential Equalizer 4. The character is still alive, and so long as a good concept is found, there's no reason to think the series couldn't run for another sequel or two. Ultimately, it feels there is a lack of desire on Washington's part for more, with the screen icon even hinting at his acting retirement in the years ahead.
Where To Watch The Equalizer Trilogy
Here is where to watch The Equalizer trilogy at home, including 2023's The Equalizer 3 and rental options for all three Robert McCall films.
Denzel Washington Seems Ready To Move Away From Action Movies
Talk of Denzel Washington retiring have been (slightly) exaggerated
During a conversation with @seasonedBF, Washington clarified talk of his retirement. The star stated that he intends to move behind the camera more in the coming years, and while Washington will still be open to taking on acting roles - such as the Black Panther 3 - there would need to be a higher "level of interest" to get him to sign on to roles now. Washington also sounds ready to leave action movies and more physical parts behind him.
And I think that's the ego that thinks 'Oh yeah, I can do it.' No, you can't, no you can't, your stuntman is doing it now. So I'm less interested in running and jumping. You let Paul [Mescal] and John David [Washington] run and jump. And to think 'Oh, I can still do it,' you're a fool. And I don't want to be foolish.
While there was a solid run of Denzel Washington action movies following in the wake of 2004's Man on Fire, the star has somewhat stepped away from the genre in recent years. Outside the last two Equalizer sequels, his most recent big-scale action film was Western remake The Magnificent Seven in 2016. With Washington turning 70 in December 2024, it's understandable that he would want to dial back on more physically taxing parts, such as those involving chases or fight sequences.
One of Denzel Washington's first action movies, Richochet, is a stealth spinoff of the Die Hard franchise.
The Equalizer 3 Showed Denzel Washington Could (& Should) Still Make The Equalizer 4
The third Equalizer proved Denzel's McCall has still got it
While The Equalizer 3 still featured McCall kicking ass, there was a noticeable downscaling of the action for Washington in the lead. The threequel's opening features McCall sitting in a chair and monologuing, before bolting up and killing a bunch of henchmen with some swift moves. The movie also had the character getting wounded in this opening and then spending much of the runtime recovering, giving an excuse for McCall's lack of action. However, all this did was put more of a focus on McCall as a character and made the brief bursts of action all the more exciting.
... if Washington is truly leaving action movies behind, one last round as The Equalizer's McCall would be the perfect way to end that run.
While Washington might be concerned about the level of physical commitment action roles require, he could see to it that The Equalizer 4 minimized his involvement. With some clever editing and a good stunt double, McCall can be as ruthless as ever. Washington's intensity and commitment to the McCall character are what made the series shine, and The Equalizer 3 underlined that those factors are still present and correct.
All three movies were helmed by Washington's longtime collaborator Antoine Fuqua, so if the filmmaker found a worthy story for a fourth outing, it could engage the actor's "level of interest." At this stage in his career, Washington has little left to prove as a performer. If he truly is leaving action movies behind, one last round as The Equalizer's McCall would be the perfect way to end that run.
How The Equalizer Can Continue Without Denzel Washington
The Prequalizer has a nice ring to it
For now, Washington sounds finished with his only franchise role and ready to move on to other things. The ending of the third installment suggested that Dakota Fanning's CIA agent Collins might pick up where McCall left off, but it's hard to picture a direct sequel without Washington returning. While discussing the third outing with JoBlo in 2023, director Fuqua workshopped an Equalizer prequel idea, believing either Michael B. Jordan or John David Washington as a younger McCall could work.
The Equalizer Trilogy |
Budget |
Box Office Gross |
|---|---|---|
The Equalizer (2014) |
$55 million |
$192 million |
The Equalizer 2 (2018) |
$62 million |
$190 million |
The Equalizer 3 (2023) |
$70 million |
$191 million |
If the studio wants to keep The Equalizer saga going, then a prequel or a reboot are the only viable options. Recasting Washington's McCall with a new actor would be inviting trouble, especially considering how much of a selling point Denzel is to audiences. Unfortunately, the odds of an Equalizer 4 with Denzel Washington are grim - but not totally out of the question. It once seemed unlikely he would sign up for a Marvel movie and now he's attached to Black Panther 3, so perhaps there is one last McCall story left to tell.
Source: @seasonedBF, JoBlo, The Numbers
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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.
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The Equalizer 3
- Release Date
- September 1, 2023
- Runtime
- 109 Minutes
- Director
- Antoine Fuqua
Cast
Dakota Fanning
WHERE TO WATCH
StreamingRENTBUYThe Equalizer 3 sees Denzel Washington reprising his role as Robert McCall, a former government assassin who now lives a quiet life in Southern Italy. McCall becomes embroiled in protecting his newfound friends from local crime bosses, reigniting his battle against corruption and injustice. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, this installment continues the saga of McCall's lone crusade for justice.
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