The Equalizer 2 Is Bringing Back Two Key Actors

Melissa Leo The Equalizer

In 2014's The Equalizer, Denzel Washington was surrounded by a very talented ensemble cast - and it looks like some of those who didn't wind up in the ground will be coming back for round two. The upcoming sequel is now in full development, and new reports are saying that Melissa Leo and Bill Pullman will be back to reprise their roles as Susan and Brian Plummer.

With cameras getting ready to start rolling on The Equalizer in a couple of weeks, the production is putting the various pieces of its cast together, and that, according to Deadline, includes reuniting two incredibly talented actors. Antoine Fuqua is back in the director's chair for the sequel, and while the plot of the movie is currently unknown, we do know that the writer of the first movie, Richard Wenk, has been working on drafts.

In the first Equalizer, audiences were introduced to Denzel Washington's Robert McCall, a retired CIA black ops operative who has the good quality of having a hard time ignoring calls for help. Over the course of the movie, we see that Susan and Brian Plummer wind up being a part of both parts of McCall's life. Not only were they previously CIA operatives themselves, but they're also more than happy to help their old friend collect information on dangerous Russian mob bosses so that he can complete his personal mission.

Bill Pullman Equalizer

Since her Oscar-winning performance in David O. Russell's The Fighter, Melissa Leo has been starring in an endless stream of interesting projects, and The Equalizer 2 will actually be her third time working with Denzel Washington (after both the first Equalizer and Robert Zemeckis' Flight). Recently she's been a part of the Jim Carrey-produced television series I'm Dying Up Here, and also has a number of small independent projects in the works.

Bill Pullman is also having a nice busy year with smaller projects, having spent the last few summers in films like the unfortunate Independence: Day Resurgence and American Ultra. Like Leo, he is also moved to the small screen to be on the new show The Sinner, which features Jessica Biel in the lead role, but he is also featured alongside Steve Carell and Emma Stone in the upcoming historical comedy Battle of the Sexes.

The Equalizer made a shocking amount of money when it came out in 2014 - pulling in nearly $200 million worldwide - but the film is currently on track to be celebrating its fourth birthday with the release of The Equalizer 2. Sony Pictures has announced that the thriller will be in theaters everywhere on September 14, 2018 - and you can be sure that we will have all of the latest news and updates about the project for you here on CinemaBlend.

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Eric Eisenberg is the Assistant Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. After graduating Boston University and earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he took a part-time job as a staff writer for CinemaBlend, and after six months was offered the opportunity to move to Los Angeles and take on a newly created West Coast Editor position. Over a decade later, he's continuing to advance his interests and expertise. In addition to conducting filmmaker interviews and contributing to the news and feature content of the site, Eric also oversees the Movie Reviews section, writes the the weekend box office report (published Sundays), and is the site's resident Stephen King expert. He has two King-related columns.