Last July I reported Denzel Washington had signed to star in Sony’s The Equalizer, an adaptation of the (popular?) TV spy thriller that ran for four years in the late 80s. Last we heard, Sony had a working script by Expendables 2 writer Richard Wenk that prompted them to move the film into production.
The production has had some interesting names attached for the director slot, notably Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn. Now comes a rumor that Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) is close to assuming the chair. Being completely unfamiliar with The Equalizer, I can’t say I’m champing at the bit for this. But I’ve also learned to not underestimate Wyatt, a director that blew me away with Rise.
If the movie follows the plot of the show, it’ll have Washington playing Robert McCall, a retired CIA agent who attempts to undo his misdeeds by leaving ads in the paper where victims seeking retribution can reach him (likely a website or e-mail for the film I suspect). McCall rights your wrongs and then, just like that, he’s in the wind again.
Let’s brush up on our Equalizer knowledge together. This clip of the show’s intro is terrifying, all moody synth beats and scary Lustig-esque NYC imagery. A woman rushes to catch a subway train to avoid being violated by a roving creepster. But wait! Edward “The Word” Woodward and his cool stare arrive to equalize the shit outta this situation.