CBS is moving forward with a pilot order for a reboot of The Equalizer with Queen Latifah set to star.
The project had a big pilot commitment at CBS and was long believed to be a done deal to get to the pilot stage. The Equalizer stars Queen Latifah as an enigmatic figure who uses her extensive skills to help those with nowhere else to turn. This is a new take on the character played by Edward Woodward on the original series and by Denzel Washington in the movie franchise.
The original series actually aired on CBS from 1985-1989 so if the show should go to series, it will bring the franchise back to the home where it originated. The show starred Woodward as Robert McCall, a retired intelligence agent with a mysterious past who uses the skills from his former career to exact justice on behalf of innocent people who are trapped in dangerous circumstances.
The series was adapted as a feature in 2014. The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Washington as McCall, was a hit and spawned a sequel, The Equalizer 2, which was released in 2018. The first film grossed $101.5 million on a $55 million budget while the sequel grossed $102 million on a $62 million budget.
