The most anticipated summer movies of 2023

The Equalizer 3 (September 1)

EQUALIZER 3 | 2023 | Official Trailer | #1 | 2023 | Action Movie

Cast: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Sonia Ammar and Remo Girone

Director: Antoine Fuqua

If your first reaction upon hearing about The Equalizer 3 was, “wait, there was an Equalizer 2?” you’re not alone. You’re also not alone in loving the 2014 original which allowed Denzel Washington to channel his epically PO’d Man On Fire vibe under the muscular direction of Antoine Fuqua. In fact, E3 (as no one is calling it) is a reteaming of Washington and his Man On Fire costar Dakota Fanning, which already has us excited.

The gist of this threequel has Washington’s Robert McCall retired as a government assassin and coming to terms with the horrible things he’s done during his career while living the good life in Southern Italy. Soon McCall is going up against the Mafia, the low-hanging fruit of Italian villainy, which is only acceptable because it’ll surely lead to numerous scenes of Washington taking out the trash in the most awesome way possible. It’s the best reason to check out The Equalizer 3. According to Fuqua, the film will “reveal a little more about Robert” a character who is probably more interesting the less we know about him. But whatever gets a gun in Robert McCall’s hand works for us. [Mark Keizer]