The Equalizer (film)

The Equalizer
The Equalizer
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Antoine Fuqua
Written by	Richard Wenk
Based on	The Equalizer; by Michael Sloan; Richard Lindheim;
Produced by	Todd Black; Jason Blumenthal; Denzel Washington; Alex Siskin; Steve Tisch; Mace Neufeld; Tony Eldridge; Michael Sloan;
Starring	Denzel Washington; Marton Csokas; Chloë Grace Moretz; David Harbour; Bill Pullman; Melissa Leo;
Cinematography	Mauro Fiore
Edited by	John Refoua
Music by	Harry Gregson-Williams
Production; companies	Columbia Pictures; LStar Capital; Village Roadshow Pictures; Escape Artists; Mace Neufeld Productions; Zhiv Productions;
Distributed by	Sony Pictures Releasing
Release dates	September 7, 2014 (TIFF); September 26, 2014 (United States);
Running time	132 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$55–73 million
Box office	$192.3 million

The Equalizer is a 2014 American vigilante action-thriller film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Richard Wenk. It is based on the 1980s TV series of the same title and the first of three films starring Denzel Washington. The cast includes Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Harbour, Bill Pullman, and Melissa Leo. Washington plays Robert McCall, an ex-Marine and DIA officer, who reluctantly returns to action to protect a teenage trafficking victim from the members of the Russian mafia.

Principal photography took place in Massachusetts from May 2013 to September 2013. The world premiere for The Equalizer was held at 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2014 and it was released worldwide on September 26, 2014. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $192.3 million worldwide. The sequels The Equalizer 2 was released on July 20, 2018 and The Equalizer 3 was released on September 1, 2023.