Filming has finally started for Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning as they team up again for Equalizer 3. Fresh images from the set are now revealed on the official Twitter account of the franchise, with Washington reuniting with Fanning after they co-starred in 2004’s Man on Fire.
The pair is seen at the set location in Italy’s Amalfi Coast, along with co-star Gaia Scodellaro and director Antoine Fuqua. Washington will reprise his role as Robert McCall, a retired agent pulled back into mysterious yet dangerous quests in another action-packed project. This time, in the scenic landscape of Europe overlooking the beautiful coastal town of Amalfi.
Equalizer 3 Takes The Action In The Sweet Town Of Italy
The plot for Equalizer 3 is still kept under wraps, although director Fuqua, who also helmed the first and second installments, shared some hints about the gist of the upcoming movie. “Hopefully, reveal a little more about Robert. Yeah, I think that’s the key, to learn more about Robert McCall,” Fuqua said in an interview with SlashFilm.
The director also revealed that he has always wanted to shoot movies in Italy. “We’re shooting it in Italy, so that’d be fun. We’re going to scout now. Sardinia, probably show up somewhere up the Amalfi Coast. Also, trying to find some small villages, seaside villages, things like that, and then we’ll be in Sicily and Naples,” Fuqua explained. Robert McCall now takes the fight outside the United States and rolls out on an adventure across small villages in the Italian countryside.
Dakota Fanning Reunites With Denzel Washington Nearly After Two Decades
Another highlight of the upcoming Equalizer 3 is the second time fans will see Washington and Fanning work together. Fuqua said that the idea of hiring Fanning for his project suddenly came up while he was discussing it with the actor.
“I think I was talking to Denzel, we were on the phone just talking about [The Equalizer 3] and Man on Fire came up, talking about [late director Tony Scott] and we had talked about [his] birthday was coming, I believe, and Dakota [Fanning] came up and I was, ‘How old is Dakota now?’ And we were like, ‘Oh yeah, she’s about the right age,’ and I said, ‘That would be cool to bring her back.’ So, that’s how it sort of happened and then I met with her and I loved her as soon as I walked in the room and met her. I mean, she’s a great actress, but you meet people – she’s just like – she’s incredible.”
Fanning, now 28, confirmed her casting back in June on her Instagram account. “My gratitude to share the screen once again with the legend of all legends is endless. Can’t wait,” she said in her post, referring to Washington as ‘the legend’. As to what role she’s going to play is still kept confidential.
Fans would remember Fanning played the 9-year-old Lupita Ramos in Man on Fire with Washington as her bodyguard, a former CIA officer, John W. Creasy. The actor praised the young actress in his interview with IGN. “She’s a sweetheart, as you’ll see if you’ve talked to her already. She’s a bright young woman, and she’s just a joy to be around. You can’t not like her.”
The first Equalizer movie came out in 2014, followed by the sequel in 2018, both of which became commercial successes. Equalizer 3 will hit theatres on September 1. 2023.
