The third installment of ‘The Equalizer’ action thriller film series is all set for its theatrical release on 1st September 2023. Oscar winning Hollywood actor Denzel Washington reprises his role as the highly skilled vigilante Robert McCall in ‘The Equalizer 3’ and since it’s being touted as the trilogy’s final part, fans must be going through a bittersweet feeling before the film’s release. Because ‘The Equalizer 3’ will apparently be the last time viewers will see Denzel Washington in this deliciously action-packed role. But there’s good news for fans.
In an exciting piece of update for diehard fans of ‘The Equalizer’ film franchise, it looks like director Antoine Fuqua is in no mood for the film series to end with ‘The Equalizer 3’. In fact, the ‘Training Day’ helmer has revealed in a recent interview that he has been thinking about an origin story featuring the film franchise’s lead actor Denzel Washington himself.
And how exactly is Antoine Fuqua planning to carry forward the well-received franchise? By using the de-aging technology. Regarding the de-aging idea, he has stated (in an NME interview) that “I haven’t talked to Denzel about that yet. It’s all so fresh and new. I’m still watching [the technology]. I’ve watched Harrison Ford’s film and I know there’s other movies coming out. I think Sony has one coming out with Tom Hanks soon [Robert Zemeckis’ ‘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.”
And in case de-aging Denzel Washington for a potential origin story for ‘The Equalizer’ really happens, then it won’t be the first time it will be done for the screen. In the recent past, the 81-year-old veteran actor Harrison Ford was also de-aged for ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’. And this is just one example.
Although it’s difficult to imagine anyone else in the role of Robert McCall for a possible ‘The Equalizer’ prequel movie, but we think it might be better and simpler to cast a younger actor for the role in order to avoid over-reliance on the de-aging / AI technology and because it might backfire. Casting a talented performer like, say, Michael B. Jordan might do the trick, in spite of the risk and Denzel Washington’s enormous fan base across the globe.
The first film ‘The Equalizer’ (2014) featured Denzel Washington as a highly trained and retired U.S Marine Robert McCall, who decides to spring back into action and uses his very particular set of skills in order to avenge the brutal beating of a young girl by a dangerous Russian gang and to set her free from the ruthless gang.
In ‘The Equalizer 2’ (2018), Denzel Washington reprises his role as the highly trained former CIA Black Ops turned vigilante who makes it his mission to avenge the death of his close friend. ‘The Last of Us’ actor Pedro Pascal had played an important role in the movie.
And the third film ‘The Equalizer 3’ has Denzel Washington’s character trying to protect his new friends from the dangerous Sicilian mafia in Southern Italy.