Denzel Washington has confirmed plans for two additional installments in The Equalizer franchise, the action series that launched in 2014. However, production schedules face potential complications, as the trilogy's director Antoine Fuqua is now fully committed to developing a sequel for his recent Michael Jackson biopic, which has become his most commercially successful film and is approaching $1 billion at the global box office.

The timing presents a challenge given Washington's age; at 71, waiting for Fuqua to complete the Michael sequel before beginning production on The Equalizer installments could leave Washington approaching his mid-70s when filming commences. The franchise itself was initially developed following the success of Taken, which demonstrated audience appetite for action films centred on mature male leads, though studios have not yet confirmed whether the sequels would proceed with an alternative director.