The TRAINING DAY duo of Denzel Washington and director Antoine Fuqua are reteaming for yet another TV-to-film adaptation, THE EQUALIZER, and today we have some new pics and info on the film. Washington stars as former black ops commando Robert McCall, who is living in solitude, but is drawn out in order to help a young girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) and square off with Russian gangsters. The TV series ran from 1985 – 1989 and starred the late Edward Woodward. Washington says he never really watched the show, but that wasn't part of his desire to star in the film version.
"The title doesn't mean anything to me. It's the material," says Washington. "It's a classic story, the innocent girl and the guy coming in to save the day and kick some butt. You'll get some popcorn and escape for a couple of hours."
Fuqua says that they shot "believable" action sequences for the film, avoiding the superhuman antics that typically populate the genre and utilized 59-year-old Washington for the majority of the stunt work.
"His hand-to-hand work is pretty nasty when the monster comes out," says Fuqua. "We used what was around him. You'd be surprised what he can do with a corkscrew. You'll never open a bottle of wine the same way again."
THE EQUALIZER has the potential to be a franchise starter for Washington and early test screenings have already prompted the studio to hire screenwriter Richard Wenk to begin work on a sequel, which, if it happens, would be Denzel's first. However, Washington is more concerned with how the first film does at the box office before getting excited for the next entry.
"The audience will decide that," says Washington. "You can't make No. 2 before you make No. 1. It's called show business. We've handled the show part of it. We'll see how the business part goes."
THE EQUALIZER, starring Denzel Washington, Chloe Grace Moretz, Marton Csokas, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Haley Bennett, and Vladimir Kulich opens on September 26, 2014.