Denzel Washington may have ended all hopes of Equalizer 4

Denzel Washington's Retirement Talk May Have Been Permanently Shut Down The Equalizer 4. It's shocking to think that before the second inning of The equalizer film franchise, Washington had never appeared in a sequel. Of course, it helps that the concept has been borrowed from other standalone stories, where Denzel's vigilante McCall rights wrongs that the law can't (or won't). The Equalizer 3 The finale saw McCall retreat to a sleepy Italian town, seemingly leaving his draw days behind for good.

Regardless of whether the film ended McCall's story and gave the character a chance to live in peace, there was still hope for a potential Equalizer 4. The character is still alive, and as long as a good concept can be found, there's no reason to think the series couldn't have one or two more sequels. Ultimately, it appears there is a lack of desire from Washington for more, with the screen icon even hinting at his retirement from acting in the coming years.

Denzel Washington Looks Ready to Step Away From Action Movies

Denzel Washington's Retirement Talk Has Been (Slightly) Exaggerated

During a conversation with @temperadoBFWashington clarified the conversation about his retirement. The star stated that he intends to stay behind the camera more in the coming years, and while Washington will still be open to taking on acting roles - like the next Black Panther 3 - there would need to be a higher value"level of interest"to make him sign for papers now. Washington also seems ready to leave action movies and more physical parts behind.

And I think it's the ego that thinks 'Oh yes, I can do it'. No you can't, no you can't, your stunt double is doing it now. Therefore, I am less interested in running and jumping. You left Paul [Mescal] and John David [Washington] run and jump. And to think, 'Oh, I can still do this,' you're a fool. And I don't want to be a fool.

While there has been a solid series of Denzel Washington action films after 2004's man on firethe star has moved away from the genre a bit in recent years. Out of the last two Equalizer sequels, his most recent large-scale action film was the western remake The Magnificent Seven in 2016. With Washington turning 70 in December 2024, it's understandable that he would want to step back into more physically taxing plays.such as those involving chases or fight sequences.

The Equalizer 3 showed that Denzel Washington could (and should) still make Equalizer 4

The Third Equalizer proved that Denzel's McCall can still do it

While The equalizer 3 still featured McCall kicking ass, there was a notable reduction in action for Washington in leadership. The trio's opening shows McCall sitting in a chair and monologuing, before standing up and killing a bunch of goons with a few quick moves. The film also had the character get injured in this opening and then spend much of the time recovering, providing an excuse for McCall's lack of action. However, all of this put more focus on McCall as a character and made the brief bursts of action all the more exciting.

While Washington may be concerned about the level of physical commitment that action roles require, it could see to it that The Equalizer 4 minimized his involvement. With smart 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 highlighted that these factors are still present and correct.

All three films were directed by Washington's longtime collaborator Antoine Fuqua, so if the filmmaker found a story worthy of a fourth outing, he could engage the actor's interest.level of interest"At this stage in his career, Washington has little to prove as a performer. If he truly is leaving action films behind, one last go-around as The equalizer McCall would be the perfect way to end this run.

How The Equalizer Can Continue Without Denzel Washington

Prequalizer has a nice touch

For now, Washington appears to be done with his sole role with the franchise and ready to move on to other things. The third part's ending suggested that Dakota Fanning's CIA agent Collins could pick up where McCall left off, but it's hard to imagine a direct sequel without Washington's return. When discussing the third tour with JoBlo in 2023, director Fuqua held a workshop Equalizer prequel idea, believing that Michael B. Jordan or John David Washington as a younger McCall could work.

If the studio wants to keep The equalizer ongoing saga, so a prequel or a reboot are the only viable options. Recasting Washington's McCall with a new actor would invite trouble, especially considering how much of a selling point Denzel is to audiences. Unfortunately, the odds of a Equalizer 4 with Denzel Washington are dark — but not entirely out of the question. It once seemed unlikely that he would sign up for a Marvel movie and now he's linked to Black Panther 3So perhaps there is still one last McCall story to tell.

Source: @temperadoBF, JoBlo, The Numbers