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The hot project on the Sony Pictures lot right now is The Equalizer, after a script by Richard Wenk prompted the studio to expedite Denzel Washington’s deal and set an April 8 start date, likely in Boston. Washington was attached when this was mentioned as a development project last year as the studio extended by three years its first look deal with Escape Artists partners Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch. It has come a long way since then.
Washington’s deal is being closed right now and I’m told he’ll be getting his customary $20 million price, but that this is a smartly budget thriller that will come in around $50 million and is designed to launch the first franchise for the actor. Now, directors are lining up for the job. I’ve heard names on the studio’s list that include Pierre Morel, Nicolas Winding Refn, Gavin O’Connor and Gareth Evans. Insiders tell me that the studio is just now setting meetings and that there will be a bunch of them before a director is set.
The film is loosely based on the TV series that starred Edward Woodward as a mysterious former covert operations officer who helps people in trouble, and was created by Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim. The film has that basic premise but takes off in its own way, tailored to Washington’s skills. He’ll play a solitary, monastic figure who hates injustice and devotes himself to helping people who are being victimized. The film is being produced by Black, Blumenthal, Tisch, Alex Siskin, Mace Neufeld, Michael Sloan, Tony Eldridge. David Bloomfield is exec producer. Washington is repped by WME, Wenk by Gersh and Richard Arlook.
Washington continues to flourish in these mid-range budget dramas that studios seem afraid to make unless he is in them. He is coming off the hit Safe House and The Book of Eli, and will next be seen starring in the Robert Zemeckis-directed Oscar season entry Flight for Paramount. Washington is currently shooting 2 Guns with Mark Wahlberg, the Emmett/Furla-financed drama that will be released by Universal Pictures.
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This series had great mythology and back story… Let’s hope they don’t screw this up.
Please get Stewart Copeland (Yes from The Police) to compose the music again! His music was the “second lead” in the series, and to hear what he would do now would be amazing!
SB
What this project needs is more producers.
More producers = more better.
you read my mind. 8 is not enough to pull this off. 4 more would be ideal.
Speaking as a film producer, you made my fucking night with that comment…classic…thought the same thing when I read the long list.
Yes more of us on a project does = more better
no real producer would be against having 17 other producers to share credit with
You forgot there WILL be another producer. The LINE producer.
I’ve often thought there should be a collective noun for producers. As in, a… what? A clag of producers? A blockage?
Denzel is worth every dollar paid to him. Sounds like a great franchise for him.
Jason Blumenthal is one of the smartest development execs out there. He probably has more black list scripts than anyone.
Yep. Smart guy. Good guy.
O’Connor should get this. WARRIOR was incredible.
I hope they use an updated version of the original Equalized theme, unlike the Miami Vice movie which really could’ve used that theme to help better tie it into the original show.
Looking forward to whatever Denzel star in, He is a wonderful artist.
I’m actually excited. For starters, Denzel doesn’t make a bad choice too often. Also, the old show was GOOD. It’s really a shame the Edward Woodward character didn’t become more iconic.
Todd Black is still one of my favorite people in the business. I met him 27 years ago when he was with Joe, and he is the same guy still. He is elegant in his dealings, and always strives to tell good stories. He is also a wonderful person.
Good for him and Jason.
I couldn’t agree more. Todd is a class act, wish there were more of him in the business.
Michael Sloan created a hell of a series. Hopefully he’s getting a good payday for this.
I hope they keep the tone of the TV show and don’t change too much. I always thought it would be remade for tv, but this could be great
It was remade for TV. It’s called Person of Interest and it’s currently flopping on CBS.
One of my all time favorite TV shows. The stars of that show was Woodward and New York City. I realize the show itself is rather obscure and this movie will probably have very little to do with it. I’ll never forget how The Equalizer single handedly solved the crack problem in NYC in one episode.
I agree it had a great mythology and back story. I wonder if they could even touch that in a movie and will the entire concept be believable with Denzel. Good luck.
There is nothing good about this. It was a good show, why ruin it like this?
Are you guys (Hollywood) really so out of ideas that this seems like a good one?
I am disappointed. Not surprised, but disappointed.
I miss the days when this site was mostly industry people… or at least if the occasional outsider stopped by they wouldn’t smugly comment on the lack of ideas in Hollywood from the safety of their computer screen.
What’s being ruined? The show isn’t being edited to put Washington in it. No one talks about The Equalizer anymore. This is the perfect vehicle to make into a movie.
The Equalizer has already been remade as the CBS TV show Person of Interest.
The guy from Lost? He’d be the Equalizer. And the ex-CIA guy is his assistant Mickey.
no you got it backwards. really the guy from lost is control, and jim c. is the equalizer.
So, the budget of this movie is actually only $30M? Looks like it will be a lean thriller, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but they will need to get an experienced director to get it in on time and on the tight budget.
twenty million dollars.
that’s 19 million too much for an actor. Any actor.
How do you figure? Whom else should the money the movie makes go to? The studio? Denzel’s name is getting people in the seats, so he should be paid accordingly.
Exactly. Denzel is one of the few genuine marquis actors left in Hollywood, which is why the studio is willing to pay him $20 million to headline the picture. What’s it to you, Paul, if they do that? It’s not your money.
Denzel commands that salary because he delivers an audience. That’s the market in action.
I loved the TV show and the prospect of a movie version starring Denzel is exciting. The show was rather brutal for its time, but the premise was one that had broad appeal in the crime-plagued ’80s. Handled right, it could be a breakout hit.
This was one of the best and most underrated TV series ever – up there with Wiseguy. Because of the setup it seemed a better fit as a series – but then they made The Fugitive into a pretty good movie. And Washington can sell me on almost anything.
Wiseguy…
*sigh*
I get chills thinking about that show.
I know that they would never have chosen him but I think Jason Isaacs would be the best person for the reboot.
Denzel certainly is on a roll. So, what’s happened to the movie of version of “Fences,” the August Wilson play revived not too long ago on Broadway, where it was a solid hit? The movie, I’d gathered, was also to star Viola Davis, who co-starred in the Broadway revival and whose own career is certainly moving along nicely. I wonder what’s holding up the green-lighting of what would seem to be a fairly modestly budgeted drama whose two stars surely wouldn’t demand an exorbitant amount of money to do it. Just asking.
Its going to bomb!
Nicolas Winding Refn? Gavin O’Connor? Gareth Evans?
Sony will talk about hiring a helmer of ‘note’ and then they’ll just hire a glorified music video guy or some TV guy to do it cheap and fast.
In saying that Pierre Morel probably falls into that latter category at this point.
I have had the pleasure of working with Michael Sloan on a few projects. He is a really great guy, who knows how to tell a good story. Glad to see this film get greenlit.
If they were smart, they’d make sure Peter Woodward had a substantial cameo or even a decent role in the film. He’s a fantastic actor who’d be fully capable, plus you get the whole tribute-to-Edward-Woodward-via-his-son deal as a bonus.