Washington, Fanning reunite in Equalizer 3

The on-screen reunion between Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning in The Equalizer 3 is highly anticipated and special due to their previous collaboration in Man on Fire almost two decades ago. Sony picture

Filmmaker Antoine Fuqua has been dreaming about taking the Equalizer abroad for years. The action franchise (very loosely based on a 1980s television series) starring Denzel Washington as the reluctant assassin Robert McCall had rooted itself in humble domestic beginnings, in Boston. But after two films and $382.7 million in box-office receipts in the past decade, the time seemed ripe to travel.

The small village of Atrani, where much of the film is set, is the kind of place you’d believe someone like McCall (Washington) might feel immediately tied to and protective of, which is what happens in Equalizer 3. The difference is McCall is more uniquely suited to take on the Camorra (Mafia). Single-handedly, of course.

“When we went to that small town, we knew that was the place,” Fuqua said.

The only complaint, which isn’t even really a complaint, was about the steps. One of the jewels of Atrani is a medieval church perched on the mountainside high above the beach that they decided would be perfect for an important scene between McCall and Dakota Fanning’s CIA analyst. But the only way to get there is to climb up 700 steps. It wasn’t a pleasant journey with all the equipment necessary to shoot a scene, but it was a good reminder of purpose for Fuqua and his cinematographer, three-time Oscar winner Robert Richardson. They wanted to show a real place, not a vacation destination.

“It’s not a travelogue,” Fuqua said. “It’s beautiful in the Mediterranean, but for the people who live there it’s real life. The fishermen live off what they catch. They live in small houses. They walk up those steps every day.”

The film brings together a core team with decades of history, including producers Todd Black and Jason Blumenthal. In addition to the Equalizer films Fuqua directed Washington in Training Day, which would win him his first lead actor Oscar, as well as in the recent remake of The Magnificent Seven.

And Black has produced all of the films Washington has directed as well as several others. It was Washington who introduced Black and Fuqua for the first Equalizer, which all assumed would just be one film, not a franchise.

“You can’t think about franchises, or awards, when you’re making a movie. If you’re making a movie to win an award, or even to get nominated, or have a franchise, you’re dead in the water going in probably,” Black said. “Not 100 percent of the time, but you shouldn’t think that way.”

Instead, they took it one script at a time and “let the audience decide”. The audience, it seemed, liked seeing Washington as McCall more than once. Both the first and second film made over $190 million each against production budgets that didn’t exceed

$65 million and Sony was interested in a third. It helped also that Black and Fuqua had become friends, with the priceless trust that comes along with it. Both know that on their films, everything will be safe and controlled, whether that’s handling an unexpected fan situation for their star or making sure that it’s not too dangerous to shoot in Naples at night.

“We’ve never had an incident at our movies because we are so vigilant,” Black said. “And Antoine really protects actors.”

Now Black and Fuqua have found themselves in the unusual situation of having to be the primary voices promoting Equalizer 3 in lieu of their movie stars, who along with Hollywood writers, are deep into a long strike. But while some films released without the help of a star’s late-night anecdotes and red carpet appearances have faltered at the box office over the past month, Black feels confident in Equalizer 3.

“I have other movies coming out that definitely need my actors to promote them, but everyone knows Denzel Washington is the Equalizer,” Black said. “We’re very, very confident, thanks to Antoine for making a gorgeous film that works and that audiences love so far. We’re in really good shape.”

Both just mostly miss having Washington by their side for the press tour. — AP