Denzel Washington is entering the twilight of his career. His talents haven't diminished in the slightest, as he's been described by many as the standout of the new blockbuster Gladiator II, but he recently confirmed that he will be stepping away from actor sooner rather than later.
The bombshell announcement was dropped very casually during aconversation withTODAY. Denzel Washington told the outlet that he doesn't have the desire to act for the rest of his life, and will instead focus on challenging himself with the handful of films that lie ahead. We present to you, a breakdown of these films and what to expect from them.
Untitled Steve McQueen film
Denzel Washington toldTODAYthat he's reached a point in his career where he only wants to work with actors and filmmakers who stretch his talents. "Especially at this point in my career," he stated. "I am only interested in working with the best."
It should then come as no surprise that Washington has plans to work with Steve McQueen, one of the most revered directors of his generation. McQueen is in the midst of promoting his new movie,Blitz, and has beenrumored to direct the next James Bond installment, but there have not been any details about what him and Washington are going to get up to. Simply put, we can't wait.
High and Low
Denzel Washington and Spike Lee are one of the defining actor-director duos of the last 50 years. They have joined forces on multiple classics, and are reuniting one last time forHigh and Low, a remake of the Akira Kurosawa film of the same name.
Washington will spearhead a star-studded cast including Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera and A$AP Rocky for a police drama involving a high stakes kidnapping. It will serve as a nice companion piece toInside Man, the 2006 heist thriller that marked Washington and Lee's last collab to date.
Othelloadaptation
Denzel Washington played Othello while studying at Fordham University in his 20s. His performance was hailed by Fordham professor Robert Stone as the best he'd ever seen, and now, decades later, the actor will step back into the shoes of the iconic Shakespeare character.
Washington toldTODAYthat he will be playing Othello in a 2025 Broadway production alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, and will then reprise the character on film. “I played Othello at 22," he recalled. "I am about to play Othello at 70. After that, I’m going to do the filmOthello."
The actor also voiced a desire to play Hannibal and King Lear before he retired, though he was unclear as to whether he would prefer to do so on stage or onscreen.
Black Panther 3
This is the one that surprised most fans. Denzel Washington has never ventured into the world of superheroes and sequels, but he has decided to collaborate with Ryan Coogler for a supporting role inBlack Panther 3. The actor confirmed that Coogler is currently working on the script, and has a role tailored to Washington's strengths in particular.
Washington was honored by originalBlack Pantherstar Chadwick Boseman when he was given the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2019. Boseman claimed that there wouldn't been aBlack Pantherfilm were it not for Washington's influence and his impact, making the actor's involvement in the third film especially poignant.
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