The Denzel Washington Blockbuster That Nearly Starred Russell Crowe Instead Is Leaving Netflix
Denzel Washington on the red carpetImage via Dave Bedrosian/Future Image/Cover Images
After the sudden box office success of the Liam Neeson vehicle Taken, Hollywood immediately decided to produce a string of action movies starring aging male actors. Sean Penn took a stab at it, as did George Clooney and Michael Keaton; more recently, Bob Odenkirk has headlined two movies that fit the bill. However, few movies of this wave have been as successful as The Equalizer, starring Denzel Washington. The movie is over a decade old now, and has spawned two equally successful sequels. Two more follow-ups are in the works. Before they arrive, however, you can check out the original film on Netflix until it leaves the service at the end of the month.
Released in 2014, The Equalizer grossed $192 million at the worldwide box office, against a budget that has been reported to be as high as $73 million. The Equalizer 2 followed in 2018, grossing $190 million against a reported budget of $79 million. The Equalizer 3 was released in 2023, grossing $191 million on a reported budget of $70 million. Each film in the trilogy was directed by Antoine Fuqua, who’d previously directed Washington to an Oscar win in Training Day. Although Washington himself revealed that two more follow-ups are in the works, it’s unclear if Fuqua will return, although the filmmaker had previously stated that he would if Washington was game. Fuqua is currently putting together his hotly-anticipated biopic of Michael Jackson, which recently debuted a first trailer ahead of its release next year.
‘The Equalizer’ Was Also Rebooted on TV
While Washington has become synonymous with the character of Robert McCall, he wasn’t the first choice for the part. His American Gangster co-star Russell Crowe was said to be putting a theatrical adaptation of The Equalizer television show together in 2010, with director Paul Haggis at the helm. Crowe and Haggis collaborated on their own Taken-adjacent project around that time, titled The Next Three Days. Most recently, a television reboot of The Equalizer show, starring Queen Latifah, was canceled after five seasons on CBS.
You can watch Washington’s The Equalizer on Netflix until November 30, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Release Date
September 24, 2014
Runtime
132 Minutes
Writers
Richard Wenk, Richard Lindheim, Michael Sloan
