Equalizer 3 Is Now A Man On Fire Reunion As Dakota Fanning Joins Denzel Washington

Run from it as much as you like, but that old chestnut proves true: there is nothing new under the sun. You might be tempted to think that applies to the fact that we're getting a third "The Equalizer" movie (and, okay, it kind of does!), but in this case we're talking about how the newest cast member to join "The Equalizer 3" will help turn it into a very familiar reunion of sorts.

Over 18 years after the Tony Scott thriller "Man on Fire" charged into theaters with its brutally compelling story of a bodyguard willing to do whatever it takes to find and recover his kidnapped charge, Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning will cross paths once again in the "The Equalizer" threequel. Deadline reports that Fanning is set to come aboard the film, which will be directed by returning filmmaker Antoine Fuqua. With Washington already set to return as the star of the action series, Fanning's addition will undoubtedly call to mind their last collaboration together back when Fanning was only just establishing herself as a talented child actor.

The two will attempt to recapture their perfectly-paired dynamic when they broke hearts together in their various scenes in "Man on Fire" — which, it must be noted, somehow garnered overwhelmingly negative reviews upon release. I don't know what critics at the time had against the acid-tinged and occasionally torture-filled mayhem of the lovable (and somewhat deranged) Creasy Bear attempting to retrieve Fanning's kidnapped Lupita, but I'm still mad about it!

Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning's previous work together on "Man on Fire" likely played some role in the young actor joining "The Equalizer 3." Of course, it's likely that Washington wouldn't even be starring in "The Equalizer" if "Man on Fire" hadn't put his action prowess front and center for all to see in the first place. In the almost two decades since, Washington hasn't lost a single step (most recently turning in an Oscar-worthy performance in "The Tragedy of Macbeth") while Fanning has clearly established herself as one of the most talented performers of her generation. Deadline reports that the plot of the film is still unknown, though Richard Wenk has returned to write the script after receiving screenplay credit on both "The Equalizer" and its 2018 sequel.

Fanning is coming off her most recent performance in the ongoing Showtime series "The First Lady," appearing in various other projects over the years such as season 2 of "The Alienist: Angel Of Darkness," Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood," "Ocean's Eight," and more. No details of her role in "The Equalizer" sequel were made known.

"The Equalizer 3" smashes its way into theaters on September 1, 2023.