Denzel Washington's R-Rated Thriller Is Officially A Netflix Hit At The Perfect Time

Published Oct 4, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT

Hannah Gearan (she/her) is has been writing for ScreenRant for over three years. Her deep cinema love traces back to age 11, when she equipped herself with a spiral-bound notebook, rated all the films she watched, and declared herself a critic. About a decade later, she received a BA from Wesleyan University, where she studied Film, Environmental Studies, and Writing. Hannah’s short film, Toxic Faucets, has screened at numerous film festivals, including the Independent Film Festival of Boston (IFFBoston). As a Movie News writer now, she draws upon her vast experience studying, making, and analyzing film as she approaches dynamic breaking stories. 

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Denzel Washington knows how to steal the show for Oscar-winning moments and franchise films alike. He has won two Oscars in his decades-long career, including Best Supporting Actor for Glory and Best Actor for Training Day. He has also held key roles both in front of and behind the camera, directing movies such as Fences. Throughout his career, Washington has sprinkled in blockbuster roles in movies like Flight, 2 Guns, and The Magnificent Seven, with more high-caliber roles in The Tragedy of Macbeth and more.

Washington's key franchise role is playing Robert McCall in The Equalizer trilogy. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the series follows a former covert operative as he seeks to protect people and enact justice, in different ways, over the course of the three movies. The franchise released its three films over nearly a decade, starting with The Equalizer in 2014 and most recently adding The Equalizer 3in 2023. This latest installment featured a supporting cast including Dakota Fanning, David Denman, and Gaia Scodellaro.

Washington's Equalizer 3 Has Shot Its Way Back Up Netflix's Global Charts

The Equalizer 3 is now a major hit on Netflix's global charts. The action thriller has shot up to No. 5 globally. This includes first-place rankings in Colombia, Chile, Honduras, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela, and top 10 status in Morocco, Jamaica, and Ecuador. How long it will stay on the charts remains to be seen, but the movie has been trending upward in several of these regions.

This streaming success followsThe Equalizer 3's largely positive reviews upon its theatrical release three years ago. The third installment has a Certified Fresh 76% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, and an even higher 94% Tomatometer among audiences. The movie also did decently well at the box office, making $191 million worldwide on an estimated $70 million budget.

What Does The Future Hold For The Equalizer Franchise?

With the latest Equalizer installment performing well on streaming, the question is how that could improve the chances of The Equalizer 4. While there has been talk of the franchise returning, rumors swirling around Washington's potential retirement and additional disinterest in doing action movies have quashed some of that potential.

That said, Washington has not completely said no to a fourth installment. If audience interest in the franchise holds, it could push the studio over the edge to produce another film.