Denzel Washington Hints at Possible Retirement, “There Are Very Few Films Left for Me”

Denzel Washington Hints at Possible Retirement, "There Are Very Few Films Left for Me"

As a seasoned gamer of life with over six decades under my belt, I can’t help but appreciate the journey Denzel Washington has taken in his acting career. His discerning choices and preference for working with inspiring filmmakers resonate deeply with me, as I too have learned to value quality over quantity in my own pursuits.


As time passes, Denzel Washington becomes more selective about the roles he takes on, and he needs a strong inspiration from the filmmaker, as stated in a recent interview with Empire magazine. The Academy Award-winning actor, who will next be seen in “Gladiator II,” mentioned that the prospect of collaborating with Ridley Scott once again was what motivated him to accept the role – a tendency that can also be noticed in some of his other recent choices, such as repeatedly working with Antoine Fuqua after their successful partnership on “Training Day.” Although Washington didn’t explicitly mention retiring from acting, it is easy to understand why someone might want to take it easier at 69 years old.

Over the past ten years, Washington has been intensely involved in the Equalizer film series, performing demanding physical tasks and producing some of his highest-grossing films in recent times. Likewise, Gladiator II is anticipated to be a significant box office success.

According to an interview with Empire magazine, Washington mentioned that there aren’t many more films he’s eager to create, and his enthusiasm is sparked by the director. He was deeply moved by Ridley Scott, as he explained. They had a successful collaboration on American Gangster, and now they’re working together again.

In the upcoming movie, Washington is set to portray Macrinus, a genuine historical character; however, similar to all characters in the Gladiator series, the events and storylines depicted will bear only minor, if any, resemblance to actual historical facts.

Scott shared with Vanity Fair that Denzel isn’t your typical horse racing enthusiast; instead, he’s a prosperous figure who caters to the military forces in Europe. His provisions range from food and drink like wine and oil, to materials such as steel, and the production of various weapons including spears, guns, cannons, and catapults. Essentially, Denzel’s wealth is not invested in racehorses but rather in a team of skilled craftsmen, whom Scott likens to gladiators. He also happens to own a luxurious golden Ferrari and even had a gold-plated chariot made for him.

What Is Gladiator II About?

In “Gladiator 2”, we find Lucius – a descendant of the late emperor Marcus Aurelius (grandson and son of Lucilla respectively) – residing peacefully with his family in Numidia. An invasion by Roman soldiers, under the command of General Marcus Acacius, disrupts this tranquility, resulting in Lucius being enslaved. Drawing inspiration from Maximus’ tale, Lucius decides to fight as a gladiator, simultaneously challenging the reign of the young emperors Caracalla and Geta. The upcoming film “Gladiator 2” will feature Joseph Quinn, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, May Calamawy, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Peter Mensah, and Matt Lucas. Ridley Scott directs the movie based on a script from David Scarpa. However, Russell Crowe, who played Maximus in the original “Gladiator”, has made it clear that he is not participating in this sequel.

Gladiator 2 will be released exclusively in theaters on November 22nd.

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2024-08-27 16:40