The Equalizer 3 Director Added Dakota Fanning Because of the Man on Fire Connection

The upcoming action sequel The Equalizer 3 will see Denzel Washington reunite with his Man on Fire co-star Dakota Fanning. Sure to be an exciting aspect of the movie for fans, The Equalizer 3 director Antoine Fuqua has now offered some insight into how this reunion came about while speaking on The Beard and The Bald Movie Podcast.

“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.”

So, the Man on Fire connection is quite literally what sparked the idea to bring Dakota Fanning into The Equalizer franchise. The decision to bring her into the fray came as the result of a telephone conversation between Fuqua and Denzel Washington, during which the pair discussed the movie made by the late Tony Scott. Quickly, Fanning’s name was mentioned, they realized she has aged somewhat since the release of 2004’s Man on Fire, and concluded that she would be perfect for a role in The Equalizer 3. It’s certainly interesting to see how some of these major casting decisions are made.

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Details of Dakota Fanning’s role in The Equalizer 3 are currently unknown, but it sounds like her being “about the right age” (Dakota Fanning is currently 28 years old) played a crucial factor in Washington and Fuqua deciding to add her to the roster for the highly anticipated sequel. With the Man on Fire connection playing such an integral part in casting Fanning, will the character play on the relationship that developed between her and Denzel Washington’s character in the Tony Scott hit?

The Equalizer 3 Will Delve into the Mysterious Past of Robert McCall

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While more specific details regarding the plot of The Equalizer 3 remain a mystery, director Antoine Fuqua has now revealed that the action sequel will delve more into the mysterious past of Denzel Washington’s Robert McCall. “Hopefully, reveal a little more about Robert. Yeah, I think that’s the key, to learn more about Robert McCall,” Fuqua said recently.

The Equalizer 3 will also see Robert leave the United States and face down enemies in Europe, something which Fuqua has wanted to do for some time, with Fuqua revealing that the production team is now scouting for locations in Europe. “We’re shooting it in Italy, so that’d be fun,” the filmmaker revealed. “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.”

Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Richard Wenk, The Equalizer 3 is scheduled to be released on September 1, 2023, by Sony Pictures.

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