The third installment in the vigilante action series The Equalizer 3 will soon hit theaters on Sept. 1. The film will conclude the trilogy, and might be the last time we see Denzel Washington in the role of the ex-DIA officer Robert McCall. But despite Washington’s comments saying it’s “the end” for him, director Antoine Fuqua has an idea or two in mind for the future of the franchise.
Inspired by the tactics used in this year’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Fuqua hasn’t shied away from exploring the option of going back in time using AI to present a younger McCall and his story. In an interview with NME, the 58-year-old director expressed his interest in new technologies and revealed that he is “kind of watching it to see where it goes.”
To be specific, Fuqua thinks that Denzel Washington could be de-aged using AI for a continuation of The Equalizer franchise, similar to how the 80-year-old actor Harrison Ford was made to look younger for the flashback scenes in the fifth Indiana Jones film released this June. The director is looking for the future of the franchise in the past, where they could explore the origin story of McCall:
“I definitely thought about it a lot. Especially now with the new technology and the AI and all of that kind of stuff… Is there a story to be told about how [McCall] became this person – the younger version?”
Elaborating on his current understanding and opinion of the AI-powered technology, Fuqua reiterated that “it’s all so fresh and new,” and he is still watching it. But if he wants to move forward with the franchise and wants Washington to be in it, the director will surely need help.
Fuqua explained in the interview that the two-time Oscar-winner Washington, having turned 68 already, found the physical demands of the role more difficult this time around. Naturally, he cannot play a younger McCall without some intervention.
Washington first took on the role of McCall in 2014 with The Equalizer, which was loosely based on the popular 1980s TV series of the same name. Explaining how his story had unfolded so far, Fuqua gave a briefing on the trilogy:
“The first film was about [McCall] finding a purpose. And it’s very external, right? He’s helping people. The second one is more about making peace with his past. He’s betrayed by his friends and [his colleague] dies and his wife has passed away… And then this one is more of a moral dilemma because he’s a darker character… he’s struggling with the violence and the brutality [of his actions].”
While the director has already had the conversation about utilizing AI with Richard Wenk, his co-writer of the trilogy, he admitted that has not “talked to Denzel about that yet.” Given Washington’s previous comments, it’s unlikely that he will return for an origin story, but the actor was quoted saying “Never say never,” so the door might still be open.
Catch The Equalizer 3 in cinemas on Sept. 1, 2023.