The Equalizer 3 is a 2023 American vigilante action film directed by Antoine Fuqua. It is a sequel to The Equalizer 2 and the final installment of The Equalizer trilogy, which is loosely based on the television series of the same name. The film stars Denzel Washington, reprising his role as retired U.S. Marine and DIA officer Robert McCall, with Dakota Fanning, David Denman, Sonia Ammar, and Remo Girone in supporting roles. In the film, McCall discovers that his new friends of a small town in South Italy are intimidated by members of the Camorra, where he sets out to free them from their control.
Discussions for a third Equalizer film began following its second film release on August 2, 2018. The project was officially announced in January 2022. Filming began on October 10, 2022 on the Amalfi Coast in Italy and continued in the region until November 20, after which it moved to Naples in early December, before wrapping production by January 2023, in Rome. Robert Richardson serves as director of photography on the project, after previously working with Fuqua on Emancipation (2022).
The Equalizer 3 was released in the United States on September 1, 2023 by Sony Pictures Releasing. It has grossed over $68 million worldwide, with Rotten Tomatoes critical consensus saying the film "mostly makes up for its formulaic story with generous helpings of cathartic action."
Plot[]
At a secluded winery in Sicily, crime enforcer Lorenzo Vitale finds that many henchmen have been brutally killed by retired U.S. Marine and DIA operative Robert McCall, who is waiting in the basement, held at gunpoint by two of Vitale's bodyguards. McCall kills him and the rest of the gangsters to obtain a key to the winery's vault and recoup money stolen in a cyber-heist (the reason McCall is here), but is shot in the back by Vitale's adolescent son while leaving the winery. McCall considers suicide due to his injury but instead takes the ferry back to the mainland. While driving his car on the Amalfi Coast, McCall pulls over, unconscious from shock, and is found by Gio Bonucci, a local carabinieri.
Bonucci brings him to Altamonte, a remote coastal Italian town, where he is treated by small-town doctor Enzo Arisio. McCall makes a slow recovery, having to use a cane and struggling to use the stairs. He gets acquainted with the locals, including a waitress named Aminah, and becomes fond of the town and its people. McCall makes an anonymous phone call to CIA agent Emma Collins to tip her off about the winery's role in the illegal drug trade disguised as normal business transactions in Sicily. Collins and other CIA operatives arrive at the winery and find millions in cash along with bags of Captagon tablets hidden in a storeroom, confirming McCall's suspicions. She tracks down McCall, but he is evasive about his identity.
Meanwhile, members of the Camorra harass and kill villagers in an attempt to coerce them out of their housing and take over Altamonte for commercialization purposes. McCall overhears Marco Quaranta, a high-ranking Camorra member, pressure a local seafood storeowner named Angelo for payments. To make an example, the Camorra firebomb Angelo's fish store as the entire town watches. Bonucci reviews video of the firebombing and calls in to Italian central police an inquiry on the van involved. He is attacked by the Camorra and beaten for interfering in their operations. Later, Marco and other gangsters demand that Bonucci set up a boat for them; overhearing them, McCall requests them to move their operations to a different location. When Marco refuses, McCall kills him and his henchmen.
The Naples' head of police is threatened and tortured by Marco's brother Vincent to find who killed him. Vincent has Collins' car rigged with a bomb, but she escapes after McCall warns her. Vincent later threatens to shoot Bonucci in front of the entire town if McCall doesn’t reveal himself. McCall does, but before Vincent can kill him, the citizens begin to record the ordeal, causing Vincent and the rest of the Camorra to retreat. Later that night, McCall kills Vincent along with his bodyguards and returns the money he had taken from the winery to an elderly couple's pension fund through Collins. Back in Langley, Virginia, Collins, who is revealed to be the daughter of McCall's friends Brian and Susan Plummer, receives a promotion for her role in ending the Altamonte drug trade. With the Quaranta brothers dead, McCall celebrates with the locals after their team wins a football game.
Cast[]
- Denzel Washington as Robert McCall
- Dakota Fanning as Emma Collins-Plummer
- Eugenio Mastrandrea as Gio Bonucci
- David Denman as Frank Conroy
- Sonia Ben Ammar as Chiara Bonucci
- Remo Girone as Enzo Arisio
- Gaia Scodellaro as Aminah
- Andrea Scarduzio as Vincent Quaranta
- Andrea Dodero as Marco Quaranta
- Salvatore Ruocco as Salvatore
- Alessandro Pess as Vichingo
- Bruno Bilotta as Lorenzo Vitale
Production[]
Development[]
In August 2018, Antoine Fuqua announced his plans to continue the film series. The filmmaker expressed interest in the plot taking place in an international setting.[7]
By January 2022, a third film was officially confirmed to be in development, with Denzel Washington returning in the titular role.[8][9][10][11] In June 2022, Dakota Fanning was announced to have been cast as well.[12] By November 2022, Sonia Ben Ammar, Andrea Dodero, Remo Girone, Eugenio Mastrandrea, Daniele Perrone, Andrea Scarduzio, and Gaia Scodellaro were added to the cast.[13]
Filming[]
Principal photography began on October 10, 2022 on the Amalfi Coast in Italy.[14] Filming continued in the region until November 20, after which it moved to Naples in early December, before wrapping production by January 2023, in Rome.[14] Fuqua once again served as director, with Washington announcing that it would be his next movie.[15][16] Robert Richardson serves as director of photography on the project, after previously working with Fuqua on Emancipation.[17]
Release[]
The Equalizer 3 was released by Sony Pictures Releasing on September 1, 2023, in both conventional formats and IMAX.[18]
Reception[]
Box office[]
As of September 3, 2023[update], The Equalizer 3 has grossed $42 million in the United States and Canada, and $36.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $68.1 million.[5][6]
In the United States and Canada, The Equalizer 3 was projected to gross $28–30 million from 3,965 theaters in its opening weekend, and a total of $33–40 million over the four-day Labor Day frame.[4] The film made $13.2 million on its first day, including $3.8 million from Thursday night previews, up from the totals of the first ($1.45 million) and second ($3.1 million) films. It went on to debut to $34.5 million (and a total of $42 million over the four days), topping the box office and marking the second-best Labor Day weekend of all-time.[19]
Critical response[]
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 76% of 6.1 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 95/10. On the website, the critics' consensus reads, "Another entertaining outing from Antoine Fuqua and Denzel Washington, The Equalizer 3 mostly makes up for its formulaic story with generous helpings of cathartic action." Using a weighted average calculator, Metacritic assigned the film a score of 57 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, same as the previous installment, while those polled at PostTrak gave it a 90% overall positive score, with 72% saying they would definitely recommend the film.[19]
Potential future[]
In August 2023, Fuqua stated that there have been discussions to develop a prequel movie detailing the origins of Robert McCall.[20] The filmmaker stated that using de-aging technology to make Washington appear younger is an option,[20] while he would also consider casting John David Washington or Michael B. Jordan in the role.[21] Later that month, Fuqua stated that while The Equalizer 3 was talked about internally as the final film chronologically, he would be interested in returning as director for a future installment if Denzel Washington was interested in returning to the role.[22]
References[]
- ↑ Marcelo Zarvos to Score Antoine Fuqua's 'The Equalizer 3' (4 May 2023).
- ↑ Keslassy, Elsa (2022-11-01). Sony, Tarak Ben Ammar's Eagle Pictures Ink Distribution, Co-Production Pact. Variety. Retrieved on November 14, 2022.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Equalizer 3 (15) (August 15, 2023).
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Rubin, Rebecca (2023-08-30). Box Office: Denzel Washington's Equalizer 3 Targets $35 Million-Plus Debut Over Labor Day Weekend.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Template:Cite Box Office Mojo
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Template:Cite The Numbers
- ↑ Holmes, Adam (August 2, 2018). Will The Equalizer 3 Happen? Here's What Antoine Fuqua Says. CinemaBlend.
- ↑ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Morales, Wilson (January 12, 2022). "Exclusive: Denzel Washington Will Start Shooting The Equalizer 3 With Antoine Fuqua In 2022". Black Film and TV. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- ↑ Welk, Brian (January 12, 2022). Denzel Washington to Return for 'The Equalizer 3,' Antoine Fuqua in Talks to Direct. The Wrap.
- ↑ Colangelo, BJ (January 12, 2022). The Equalizer 3 Already Has A Script, And Denzel Washington Is Returning To Star. /Film.
- ↑ Dick, Jeremy (January 12, 2022). The Equalizer 3 Is Denzel Washington's Next Film: 'I Get to Beat People Up Again'. MovieWeb.
- ↑ Kroll, Justin (June 15, 2022). Dakota Fanning Reunites With Man On Fire Co-Star Denzel Washington In Sony's Equalizer 3 (en-US).
- ↑ Grobar, Matt (November 23, 2022). 'The Equalizer 3' Adds Six To Cast.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Denzel Washington, 67, walks with a cane as he's seen for the first time on the set of The Equalizer 3 in Italy reprising his role as a vigilante (9 October 2022).
- ↑ Holmes, Adam (January 12, 2022). Denzel Washington Has An Exciting Update On What's Happening With The Equalizer 3. CinemaBlend.
- ↑ Northrup, Ryan (January 12, 2022). Denzel Washington Confirms The Equalizer 3 Starts Filming This Year. Screen Rant.
- ↑ 'Emancipation's Antoine Fuqua To Direct Michael Jackson Biopic For Lionsgate; John Logan Script & 'Bohemian Rhapsody's Graham King Producing With Estate (January 18, 2023).
- ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 20, 2022). 'Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse' Heads To Summer 2023; Sony Dates 'Equalizer 3' Among Other Release Changes.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 3, 2023). 'Equalizer 3' Notches Second-Best Opening Ever At Labor Day Box Office With $42M; Summer Clicks Past $4 Billion. Retrieved on September 3, 2023.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Flood, Alex (August 23, 2023). Antoine Fuqua considered de-aging Denzel Washington for 'The Equalizer' origin story. New Musical Express. Retrieved on August 30, 2023.
- ↑ Seigh, Steve (August 24, 2023). (Exclusive) Equalizer Prequel: Antoine Fuqua thinks John David Washington would be a cool young Robert McCall. JoBlo. Retrieved on August 30, 2023.
- ↑ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Collis, Clark (August 29, 2023). "Director Antoine Fuqua would make The Equalizer 4 'if Denzel wanted to do another one'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
External links[]
- The Equalizer 3 at IMDbLua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 36: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Template:The Equalizer Template:Antoine Fuqua