The Dynamic Duo: Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua's Cinematic Collaborations

The Unforgettable Beginnings

Denzel Washington's collaborations with director Antoine Fuqua rank among some of Hollywood's best movies, and the chemistry between the actor and the director has provided audiences with some of the most unforgettable moments in cinematic history.

Denzel Washington as Alonzo Harris and Ethan Hawke as Jake Hoyt on the Training Day poster.

From their 2001 classic crime thriller, Training Day to 2023's The Equalizer 3, Washington and Fuqua have enjoyed a successful professional relationship that has lasted for over two decades.

Denzel Washington as Alonzo Harris in Training Day.

Although Washington was a well-established name in Hollywood before Training Day, Fuqua was a relatively new filmmaker whose excellent work on Training Day helped establish him as one of Hollywood's most bankable working directors.

Denzel Washington as Robert McCall holds two guns in The Equalizer 2. 

Although Washington's more theatrical approach to acting as displayed in films like Mississippi Masala and Glory could have very easily clashed with the more suspenseful and action-driven sensibilities of Fuqua's The Replacement Killers and Bait, the continued success of their work displays an acute understanding of each other's strengths as well as their audience.

Denzel Washington as Sam Chisholm in The Magnificent Seven (2016).

The Equalizer Franchise: A Thrilling Saga

The Equalizer 2 continues Robert McCall's quest for revenge as it sees him take on Dave York, a former DIA associate and friend. Although The Equalizer 2 performed well at the box office, its relative similarity to its predecessor and bland locations make it arguably the weakest entry in The Equalizer franchise.

Denzel Washington as Robert McCall shoots a pistol over a henchman in The Equalizer.

The Equalizer 3 features much of the same violence and action seen throughout the previous two entries, but Fuqua's decision to move the action from the United States to Southern Italy proves to be one of the movie's greatest strengths, as the new location and Italian mafia give the latest installment a fresh feeling.

Denzel Washington as Robert McCall in The Equalizer 3.

With Washington's exceptional acting chops and Fuqua's masterful direction of the complex action scenes set against Italy's beautiful landscapes, The Equalizer 3 is miles ahead of its predecessor.

Denzel Washington as Robert McCall shoots his gun in The Equalizer 3.

The Magnificent Seven: A Western Remake

The Magnificent Seven is a remake of the 1960 Western of the same name - itself a remake of the 1954 Akira Kurosawa film, Seven Samurai, and it sees Washington leading a rag-tag group of men on a bloody quest to liberate a small town.

Vincent D'Onofrio, Denzel Washington, Byung Hun-lee, Chris Pratt, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in The Magnificent Seven (2016).

The Magnificent Seven features one of the greatest displays of Fuqua's action sensibilities, and with Washington's charisma carrying the movie's stacked cast, it remains one of the duo's most underrated collaborations.

Ethan Hawke as Goodnight Robicheaux in The Magnificent Seven.

Although Denzel Washington didn't want to make The Magnificent Seven, the movie's script and his role as the lead in his first Western were reasons enough to get him on board.

Denzel Washington as Det. Alonzo Harris and Ethan Hawke as Officer Jake Hoyt in Training Day.