Denzel Washington's $190M Action Movie Becomes Streaming Hit 7 Years Later

Denzel Washington wasn't always seen as an action star. Since the '80s, he has headlined a number of dramatic films that have earned him awards recognition, but his career shifted in the early 2000s with the release of Man on Fire (2004), which saw him become a one-man army-type of hero. This continued with The Book of Eli (2010), Safe House (2012), and 2 Guns (2013), all of which feature Washington taking down an abundance of enemies.

Now 70 years old, Washington is still widely associated with the action genre due to his starring role in a popular franchise. The American actor takes on the role of a former government assassin in the Antoine Fuqua-directed movies, killing criminals and protecting the innocent with lethal efficiency. Washington first played the assassin in 2014 before returning for two sequels.

The Equalizer 2 Becomes A Prime Video Hit

Denzel Washington's Sequel Is Still A Win With Audiences

Seven years after its release in theaters, The Equalizer 2 has become a big hit on Prime Video. Released in 2018, Washington's second outing as assassin Robert McCall sees him now working as a Lyft driver, returning to his violent ways after his colleague is killed under mysterious circumstances. The second Equalizer movie, which costars Pedro Pascal as villain Dave York, was a success at the box office, grossing $190 million on an estimated budget of $62 million.

Washington and Pascal recently reunited as part of the cast of Gladiator 2.

Viewers are now rediscovering The Equalizer 2, as the film ranks, as of writing, as the seventh most popular title on Prime Video in the U.S. While the title beats The Creator (2024), Ryan Trahan (2019–), and The Family Stone (2005), it falls short of other titles like A Quiet Place: Day One (2024), Culpa Tuya (2024), and, in the top position, Red One (2024). Check out the full Prime Video top 10:

Prime Video U.S. Top 10 (Jan. 1, 2025) 1 Red One 2 Beast Games 3 Secret Level 4 Cross 5 Culpa Tuya 6 A Quiet Place: Day One 7 The Equalizer 2 8 The Creator 9 Ryan Trahan 10 The Family Stone

What The Equalizer 2's Streaming Success Means For The Movie

How The Sequel Compares To The Other Equalizer Installments

Of the three movies in the Equalizer franchise, the second one is the worst-rated on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the action-packed Equalizer 2 ending, the sequel has only a 52% score from critics, while the first has a 61% and the third leads the pack with 76%. The second film also grossed the lowest amount at the box office, falling just a hair shy of The Equalizer 3's $191 million and the original movie's $192 million.

Related Denzel Washington's 10 Best Scenes In The Equalizer Movies, Ranked The Equalizer movies have given Denzel Washington some great material to work with, and here are his best scenes across the three films.

Even though The Equalizer 2 may have fallen short of the other two installments, it was still a hit, and the performance of the three movies taken together speaks to the consistent and loyal audience the franchise has. The fact that the sequel is now once again finding success on streaming bodes well for the franchise's future, as Washington recently confirmed that The Equalizer 4 and 5 are seemingly happening. The Equalizer 2 may not be the franchise's high point, but it remains a solid action flick, and viewers are evidently enjoying revisiting the film from home.

Source: Prime Video