DRIVE Director to Direct Denzel Washington in THE EQUALIZER
Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn is set to direct Denzel Washington in the big screen adaptation of the TV series The Equalizer for Sony Pictures. Before Refn came on board the project passed through the hands of Paul Haggis and Russell Crowe.
I never really had interest in the project, but the fact that Refn is going to direct it has sparked it. The guy is just such a talented director, I loved what he did with Drive, and his upcoming film Only God Forgives looks like it could be even better. If anyone can turn The Equalizer into a badass film worth watching it's Refn, which is probably why they hired him.
Washington plays Robert McCall, a former spy turned private detective. Here's a brief synopsis of the show to give you an idea of what we might expect:
Robert McCall is a tough-as-nails, no-BS private eye who went into business for himself after leaving the shadowy agency he once worked for. McCall works on behalf of those whose problems the police cannot - or will not - get involved in. His card reads, 'Got a problem? Odds against you? Need help? Call - The Equalizer'. Through 4 seasons, Robert McCall went up against some of the worst elements that New York City had - including gangs, mobsters, crooked cops, vigilantes, stalkers and even psychopathic stockbrokers
The movie is loosely based on the show so there will be several changes. The film is set to move into production in late spring of 2013. The script was written by Richard Wenk. What are your thoughts on Refn bringing us a feature film version of this series?