Is Denzel Washington contemplating retirement? Maybe so. Yes, he’s obtained “Gladiator II” popping out this November, a Spike Lee-directed remake of Akira Kurosawa’s “High and Low” within the can, and an epic re-teaming with frequent collaborator Antoine Fuqua on the horizon, however in a recent interview with Empire, the Academy Award-winning actor and occasional author/director hinted that his profession could also be winding down, but it surely’s filmmakers like Ridley Scott that hold him .
“There are very few films left for me to make that I’m interested in, and I have to be inspired by the filmmaker, and I was tremendously inspired by Ridley,” Washington stated, referencing his expertise on “Gladiator II.”
Washington shared that his earlier expertise working with Scott on “American Gangster” helped persuade him to tackle the position of Macrinus, a rich arms vendor in “Gladiator II” who “wants to be Emperor and is willing to do anything to get there.”
“We had a great go-round the first go-round [on ‘American Gangster’], and here we are,” stated Washington of becoming a member of Scott’s huge manufacturing. “He’s engaged. He’s excited about life and his next film. He’s an inspiration. We should all want to feel like that at 86.”
In addition to working with Ridley, Washington additionally regularly collaborated along with his brother, the late Tony Scott, on movies like “Crimson Tide,” “Man on Fire,” and “Unstoppable.” When requested to match the brothers earlier within the interview, Washington stated, “I don’t compare directors. You see the different personalities. I suppose they do [have similarities]. On the days when we’re shooting, I’m busy with what I’m doing. So I’m not comparing this one to that one, but obviously both are great filmmakers. They can’t miss.”
Though Washington could also be spending much less time in entrance of the digicam, that doesn’t essentially imply he’s executed with filmmaking completely. As properly as having “Gladiator II” launch this November, he additionally produced his son Malcolm’s directorial debut, an adaptation of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson,” which drops on Netflix the identical day. Washington’s eldest son, John David, additionally stars within the movie.
In talking on being directed by his brother, John David stated in a current interview with Vanity Fair, “It didn’t feel like working with my brother. It felt more like working with the filmmaker that I’ve been a fan of for years.”
“Gladiator II” is in theaters on November 22.
