Over the course of the past decade, Denzel Washington has played DIA intelligence officer Robert McCall in two of the best action movies in recent memory: 2014’s The Equalizer and 2018’s The Equalizer 2. Though the future of the franchise seemed uncertain a couple of years ago, we can all rejoice, as The Equalizer 3 is happening, and is actually coming out quite soon.
If you’ve long been a fan of the franchise, or Denzel Washington movies, you’ll be glad to hear that in not much time at all, you’ll be able to watch the third, and potentially final, installment in the gritty franchise. Below we will break down everything from The Equalizer 3 release date, cast, trailer, and what those involved with the highly-anticipated movie have said leading up to its release.
What Is The Equalizer 3 Release Date?
As mentioned in the introduction, there isn’t that much time until The Equalizer 3 opens in theaters, as Sony Pictures has set a release date of September 1, right at the tail end of the summer blockbuster season. At the time of this writing, there isn’t any competition to speak of at the box office, at least in terms of new arrivals sharing the date. So, if you’re looking for a way to kick off your Labor Day weekend, spending a couple of hours watching Denzel Washington bring death and destruction to the Italian mafia is a great option.
The Equalizer 3 Trailer Shows Denzel Washington Go Up Against The Italian Mafia In Bloody Fashion
In April 2023, Sony Pictures gave the world its first proper look at the upcoming movie with the action-packed Equalizer 3 trailer that showed Washington’s Robert McCall go to war against the Italian mafia after the criminal enterprise made the mistake of getting between the now-retired intelligence officer and a much-deserved retirement. There’s a lot going on in this three-minute video, including McCall in a perilous situation, the reluctant badass taking care of business, and too many kills to count:
But, that isn’t all, as the trailer also teases the reunion of Washington and his Man on Fire co-star Dakota Fanning, who shows up in Italy after hearing reports of the death and destruction McCall has brought to a once-quiet village on the Southern Italian coast. The trailer doesn’t show too much of the former child actress who currently has a lot on her plate, but it’s promising nonetheless.
Denzel Washington And Dakota Fanning Lead The Equalizer 3 Cast
The Equalizer 3 cast is led by Denzel Washington, who returns yet again to play Robert McCall, and Dakota Fanning, who plays a U.S. government operative whose identity has yet to be revealed. When the movie opens this September, it will not only see the reunion of Washington and Fanning – who haven’t shared the screen in nearly 20 years – it will also feature a tremendous supporting cast that’s equally impressive.
In November 2022, Deadline reported that Eugenio Mastrandrea, Remo Girone, Sonia Ammar, Daniele Perrone, Andrea Scarduzio, and Andrew Dodero had all signed on for roles in the movie, but the report stopped short of revealing their characters’ identities. This news came just one month after the outlet revealed that Gaia Scodellaro would be appearing alongside Washington in the upcoming action flick.
The Equalizer 3 Follows Robert McCall As He Tries To Put His Past Behind Him And Enjoy Retirement In Southern Italy
When The Equalizer 3 opens in theaters, it will follow Robert McCall as he attempts to put his bloody and complicated past behind him and enjoy retirement in Southern Italy. The former government agent initially finds a new life for himself with the people of a small coastal town, but McCall then learns that the village, and its residents, are under the thumb of a brutal crime syndicate. If you thought the Equalizer would let something like this go, then you’ve never been more wrong, as McCall becomes the town’s protector, no matter what the costs.
Denzel Washington Has Said The Equalizer 3 Is The Last Time He’ll Play Robert McCall
Washington has a lot on his plate the next few months and years, especially now that he’s going to be in Gladiator 2, but those plans won’t include any additional movies in the The Equalizer franchise, as the upcoming film will be his third and final time portraying Robert McCall. When speaking with Entertainment Tonight at CinemaCon 2023, the Oscar winner announced that this is the end of proverbial road, saying:
This is the end for me. It may not be the end, they may do another one, but it's the end for me.
Whether or not this means this is the end of the franchise is not yet known at this point, so it’s hard to say if Washington would stick on as a producer if there are more movies down the road. If they’re looking for an actor to replace the Hollywood legend, maybe his son, John David Washington, would be up to the task.
The Equalizer 3 Brings Back The Creative Team Behind The First Two Movies
The star isn’t the only prominent figure from The Equalizer franchise to return for the third installment, as director Antoine Fuqua and screenwriter Richard Wenk also came back in their respective roles.
This marks the fifth time Washington and Fuqua have collaborated over the years, a partnership that caught lightning in a bottle with Training Day back in 2001, resumed with The Equalizer, and continued with The Magnificent Seven and The Equalizer 2. This is also the fourth time Washington has appeared in a movie written by Henk.
Antoine Fuqua Has Said The Equalizer 3 Is ‘A Film On Its Own’ Despite Being Part Of A Franchise
Though The Equalizer 3 is part of a franchise, one based on a successful TV show of the same name (which, itself has since been rebooted for CBS), director Fuqua has gone on the record to say that the upcoming movie is kind of its own thing. When speaking with Entertainment Tonight following the Sony Pictures presentation at CinemaCon 2023, he had this to say:
We never thought about it as a franchise, it's a film on its own. It's a part of a franchise, but it's a film on its own. … So we dealt with it that way. That's what we talked about. Just this film, we don't talk about one and two. [They're] done.
Whether or not The Equalizer 3 will reference the first two movies in the franchise, or feature any other returning characters, is anyone’s guess, so we’ll have to wait and see.
Expect to hear more about The Equalizer 3 as we get closer to its September 1 release date. But, while you wait for it to come out, take a look at our updated 2023 movie schedule. Now would also be a good time to go back and watch the first two movies, which are streaming on various platforms right now.
Stream The Equalizer on Starz.
Stream The Equalizer 2 on Hulu.
