Posted in: Movies, Sony | Tagged: antoine fuqua, denzel washington, the equalizer, the equalizer 3
Equalizer 3 Director Talks Collaborating with Denzel Washington
The director of The Equalizer 3 is revealing why he always enjoys his cinematic collaborations with actor Denzel Washington.
When the 2014 action film The Equalizer hit theaters starring beloved actor Denzel Washington, it earned nearly $200 million, ultimately leading to a three-film franchise's beginning. And soon enough, it's all ending when the third and final film is released next month.
With the release of The Equalizer 3 just around the corner, the filmmaker responsible for each entry is now reflecting on a solid partnership with himself and Washington for nearly a decade.
A Perfect Partnership Between Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua in The Equalizer
While speaking to Moviefone about the release of The Equalizer 3, director Antoine Fuqua tells the publication, "I mean, the friendship remains the same. We've been friends. Our family, we know each other that way. Business-wise and director-actor, it's always been a mutual respect. Denzel has total trust in me, and of course, I have total trust in Mr. Washington." He then elaborates, "He's never come over to look at the monitor or come to the editing bay or anything like that. He completely trusts what I do, and I trust what he does, and that's been our relationship. He knows I'm going to come to work to handle business, and I know he is. You know he's coming, so I better be ready."
When later asked about Washington's return to the role and how it's proven successful with audiences, Fuqua explains, "I think the audience resonated with him because he's a common man. There's nothing fancy about him, and he's all about helping others without recognition. He doesn't do it for money or anything. It's sort of a throwback to [Akira Kurasawa], which is one of my heroes. Like the 'Seven Samurai,' you're going to go help a village for a bowl of rice. Getting back to that was an important message to put out into the world. Denzel just being a great actor and being the great person who he is; there's no Robert McCall without Denzel Washington. So he brings all of himself to that character, and that's why it works."
The Equalizer 3 arrives in theaters on September 1, 2023.