Denzel Washington’s latest offering, The Equalizer, topped the box office this weekend with proceeds of $35 million which doubled those of the next entry, The Maze Runner. Directed by Training Day’s Antoine Fugua, The Equalizer is the third-highest opening weekend total for one of the most likable and dependable actors around.
There are already rumors of a sequel. Most people don’t know that Washington has never done a sequel to any movie he has ever starred in. Will Smith, on the other hand, who is the king of sequels, has a projected six on the way!
We’ve compiled the following list of Washington’s top-grossing movies:Â
1. American Gangster: Nov. 2, 2007 ($43,565,115)
The biopic of Harlem gangster Frank Lucas stars Washington as the drug dealer who matches wits with Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), the detective who helped bring him down. The film was directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by Steve Zaillian. The opening weekend receipts came to $43,565,115, grossing $130,164,645 domestically and $266,500,000 worldwide.
2. Safe House: Feb. 10, 2012 ($40,172,720)
Washington plays Tobin Frost, an ex-CIA NOC operative turned international criminal, who, after an attempt on his life at a safe house, “partners” with Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds), who is supposed to be in charge of Frost as both are on the run. The film took in $40,172,720 in the States the first weekend out while making $126,373,434, and $208,100,00 globally.
3. The Equalizer: Sept. 26, 2014 ($35,000,000)
The Denzel machine is still going strong! His latest movie took top honors with $35,000,000 this weekend. The film, written by Richard Wenk, is based on the television series of the same name, which starred Edward Woodward. Washington plays
Robert McCall, a retired black-ops government agent who lives in Boston and works at a hardware store. When he helps a friend who’s been hurt by a Russian mobster, things get interesting.4. The Book of Eli: Jan. 15, 2010 ($32,789,494)
The post-apocalyptic neo-Western action film was directed by the Hughes brothers and written by Gary Whitta. Washington plays Eli, who has a daunting task at hand. He is to deliver the “book” across the continent and along the way, he encounters Carnegie (Gary Oldman), who is looking for this book to help his “enterprising” ways of control and deceit. Figures for opening weekend came to $32,789,494, with the movie making $94,835,059 here in the United States while grossing $157,100,000 worldwide.
5. Inside Man: March 24, 2006 ($28,954,945)
The Spike Lee-helmed picture stars Washington as Detective Keith Frazier, the NYPD’s hostage negotiator, trying to figure out a complicated bank heist pulled off by Dalton Russell (Clive Owen). The film also stars Jodie Foster and was written by Russell Gewirtz. Weekend receipts reached $28,954,945; it grossed $88,513,495 domestically and 184,400,000 globally.