‘The Equalizer’: Will the Queen Latifah CBS Show Crossover With the Denzel Washington Films?
Queen Latifah stars in the new CBS television series, The Equalizer, and the show may be familiar territory for some. It is the latest adaptation of the original The Equalizer, but will this series share anything with the Denzel Washington films that were released over the past several years?
What is ‘The Equalizer’ about?
The Equalizer is described a reimagining of the classic series that first aired in the 1980s. There was also the Denzel Washington series which produced two recent films. However, this series will be taking from the series more so than the movie.
In the show, Latifah plays Robyn McCall, described by the network as “an enigmatic woman with a mysterious background who uses her extensive skills to help those with nowhere else to turn.”
Also in the series are stars Chris Noth as William Bishop, Lorraine Toussaint as Viola “Aunt Vi” Marsette, Tory Kittles as Det. Marcus Dante, Adam Goldberg as Harry Keshegian, Liza Lapira as Melody Bayani and Laya DeLeon Hayes as Delilah.
‘The Equalizer’ films in relation to the new CBS series
In an interview late last month for the show’s panel for the Television Critics Association virtual tour, the cast and producers were asked if the show would potentially acknowledge and/or include continuity with the two films starring Washington.
According to co-creator and executive producer Andrew W. Marlowe, shared continuity between the television series and the films is somethhing that has not been discussed yet but isn’t something that should be ruled out.
“It’s not anything that we’ve really talked about,” he said. “We are here creating our universe. Is there a potential that there could be a crossover in universes in the future? We certainly haven’t ruled that out. But for us, it really is about building this show and this identity around Robyn McCall and being very specific to a show where Queen is really embodying the heart of it and that we’re building it out.”
There’s a big difference between the films and the show
Additionally, executive producer Debra Martin Chase notes that there is a distinct tone difference between the films and their show.
“I also think the movie franchise is a lot darker,” she explained. “It is grim. It is bloody in that kind of very visceral way. And it was important for all of us, approaching this, that this show have warmth to it, that Robyn, as Terri and Andrew have said, is very much — she represents all women that are striking a balance between career and family and themselves and the world.”
Chase says that this is the reason why the show being on network television made the most since. “[T]hat’s why we love being at CBS,” she continued. “This is very much a network show. And it was a good fit from the very beginning, as Thom Sherman told us. So we love this version. And I think they both can live in the universe very comfortably in their own lane.”
The Equalizer premieres Feb. 7 right after the Super Bowl on CBS.
