The EqualizercrashesNetflix’sGlobal Top 10 list. ImagineDenzel Washington’sRobert McCall setting the alarm on his all-black, Suunto Core wristwatch, as he so often does in director Antoine Fuqua’sEqualizerfilms. Now, envision the jarring alarm coming to life out of nowhere and resonating after an entire decade. Well, as shocking as it may seem, the originalEqualizermovie is making some alarming noise itself almost 10 years after its original theatrical release began back in September of 2014. Suddenly,The Equalizerhas broken into Netflix’s Global Top 10 (perTudum).
The Equalizerranks No. 8 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 for the week of July 1 through July 7. Denzel Washington’s debut as Robert McCall was viewed a total of 3.5 million times on the streaming service during its first week in the Top 10 with 7.6 million hours viewed. Fuqua’s first of threeEqualizermovies also beat out No. 9The Hard Way(3.4 million views/5.3 million hours) and No. 10Minions(3.3 million views/5 million hours).
The Equalizer
The Equalizeris one of four films spending their first week in Netflix’s Global Top 10, which includes the long-awaited reunion of Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold and John Ashton inBeverly Hills Cop: Axel F. The fourth installment in theBeverly Hills Copfranchise debuted at No. 1 with 41 million views and 80.7 million hours viewed. The other two movies having spent one week in the Global Top 10 includeMiraculous World: Shanghai, The Legend of LadyDragon(3.6 million views/3.2 million hours viewed) and the aforementionedThe Hard Way.
The Equalizer’s Enduring Legacy with & without Denzel Washington
For those who haven’t seen Denzel Washington’s version of Robert McCall helping right wrongs and battle bad guys for those who cannot, cinephiles can still check outthe first 10 minutes ofThe Equalizer 3for absolutely free online. The action-packed and suspense-filled footage will give newbies a taste of what they can expect when watching any of the Washington-ledEqualizerprojects. However, Washington isn’t the first or only actor to tackle the role of the crime-fighting McCall.
The Equalizerbegan as a television series for CBS, which starred Edward Woodward as the titular character, Robert McCall. The show enjoyed four seasons (1985-1989) on TV, and then the franchise froze in place for 25 years before Washington came along to pick up McCall’s mantle in 2014. Washington reprised the role in bothThe Equalizer 2andThe Equalizer 3.
In 2021,The Equalizerreturned to CBS after the original show ended in 1989. The small-screen reboot reimagined the character of Robert McCall as Robyn McCall, who is now portrayed by Emmy, GRAMMY and Golden Globe winner Queen Latifah.The Equalizer’sSeason 4 finale dropped on May 19, and the show has been renewed for Season 5 (perVariety).
The Equalizer: Every Movie and TV Show in the Franchise, Ranked
Denzel Washington and Queen Latifah have played the titular role in various reimaginings of The Equalizer. We have them all in one place, ranked.
So, will Washington ever reprise the role of Robert McCall in anotherEqualizerbig-screen installment? According toan interview with screenwriter Richard Wenkback in February, the answer is yes. Wenk, who penned all three of director Antoine Fuqua’sEqualizerfilms, revealed that he had been “tasked” with figuring out the next chapter in McCall’s cinematic life. Wenk said (below):
I felt it was over. It felt like the final chapter for this guy. I don’t know where he would go after that. Though…[laughs] I’m now tasked with figuring that out.
The Equalizer(2014) is now streaming onNetflix,at the time of this writing. However, the film is not available by an ad-supported plan.
