Sony Pictures(NEW YORK) — Denzel Washington returns as retired CIA agent Robert McCall in the Antoine Fuqua-directed action thriller The Equalizer 2.
The film, which also stars Moonlight standout Ashton Sanders as Miles — a young man McCall takes under his wing — shows a strong father-son connection between Washington and the young actor. Washington tells ABC Radio their relationship is authentic.
“It’s a natural extension,” he says. “Because he’s asking me questions between takes about the business… He’s a very intelligent and curious young man.”
Like 2014’s The Equalizer, Washington’s character once again seeks justice for those close to him. This time around, Washington says, the film delves a little deeper into McCall’s character.
“The first film you had to establish who he was,” Washington says. “Now the audiences that saw it knows who he is. So more time was spent on establishing [his] relationships.”
Washington’s also making personal history with this role: It’s the first time the Oscar-winner’s done a sequel. Though Washington explains that’s because no one had ever asked him to do a sequel, he also notes he doesn’t really consider The Equalizer 2 to be a sequel.
“The sequel is something people call it,” he explains. “I never heard the word sequel while we were making it and all through the process. Now I hear “sequel” and “What do you think about sequels?” I didn’t look at it that way. It was a character I thought was interesting. And…the writer, wrote a good script. …It’s another chapter. I look at it that way.”
But don’t expect Washington to do more sequels.
“Well, I don’t need to,” he says, laughing. “I got Equalizer.”
The Equalizer 2, also starring Melissa Leo, Bill Pullman and Pedro Pascal, is now in theaters.
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