In 2014, Denzel Washington played the powerful protagonist in The Equalizer

In 2014, Denzel Washington portrayed a protagonist with extraordinary physical abilities in the movie The Equalizer, released in the same year as John Wick. The highly anticipated conclusion to the saga, in which the character Robert McCall contemplates retirement, will hit theatres in just two days. Director Antoine Fuqua has confirmed that this third installment will mark the end of Denzel Washington’s portrayal of Robert McCall. Fuqua stated, “Robert McCall must go, and someone else must take over and bring justice.” In an interview with Empire magazine, Denzel Washington elaborated on this decision.

Denzel Washington leads a star-studded cast

Apart from Denzel Washington, the film also features Dakota Fanning (known for her roles in Ocean’s 8 and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood), David Denman (from Emancipation), and Remo Girone. As the story unfolds in southern Italy during a vacation, Robert McCall once again finds himself utilizing his formidable skillset.

A prequel may be on the horizon

As the adventures of Robert McCall reach their conclusion, Antoine Fuqua is contemplating an origin story for the franchise. Initially, Fuqua mentioned the possibility of digitally rejuvenating Denzel Washington’s character to explore a younger version of Robert McCall. However, this idea has not been officially discussed with Denzel Washington himself, and it potentially involves significant costs. Fuqua already has a couple of names in mind to potentially portray the younger McCall: Michael B. Jordan or John David Washington. In an interview with Joblo, he stated, “I think it’s a very good idea to do it (the prequel) and go back. We could ask Michael B. Jordan or someone else to embody the young McCall.” Additionally, when John David Washington’s name came up (who happens to be the son of Denzel Washington), Fuqua enthusiastically responded, “Even better, isn’t it? Wouldn’t that be great? It’s a good idea! That would be really cool, man!”