The Equalizer is one of the most popular shows on CBS. The crime drama began airing in 2021 and has returned with its fifth season. The show tells the story of Robyn McCall, played by Queen Latifah, a former CIA operative from New York City who works as a vigilante to bring justice to people.
Before the show premiered, there was already an established film franchise of the same name, starring Denzel Washington as Robert McCall, a former DIA/DCS officer acting as a street vigilante in Boston.
The two projects raise the question of whether The Equalizer series is connected to the film series. The show and the movie are not connected, but both are adaptations of CBS’ eponymous series from the 1980s.
The Equalizer (2021) is a standalone series with no connection to the films
The Equalizer show is a standalone project on CBS and does not share any continuity with the film franchise. The two share thematic similarities as they are based on CBS’ spy thriller series of the same name, which aired from 1985 to 1989.
The show starred Edward Woodward as Robert McCall, an ex-operative of an intelligence organization called ‘The Company’ who takes it upon himself to help people in need by being their protector and investigator.
In 2014, director Antoine Fuqua came up with a film adaptation of the original show, starring Denzel Washington in the lead. The action-thriller flick became a box office success and the director-actor duo returned for two sequels, released in 2018 and 2023, respectively.
Meanwhile, CBS decided to reboot the original series in 2021 with some changes in characters and storyline. The protagonist was changed from a man to a woman named Robyn McCall. Starring Queen Latifah, the show focuses on her struggles as a single mother while she fights crime.
Though Robert and Robyn share the same surname, they are not related and are iterations of Edward Woodward’s character from the original series. The two protagonists have the same mission but differ in personality, background, and setting.
In the film series, Robert is a former Marine/DIA operative who is haunted by his past and driven to seek justice with intense and violent methods. On the other hand, Robyn is a former CIA agent who balances her vigilante work with motherhood.
Her approach to crime is less dark and violent, to accommodate the network TV audience. Also, her missions feel relevant to modern societal issues and include social commentary.
Will there be a crossover between The Equalizer show and movies?
Though The Equalizer show is set in its own universe, the makers earlier hinted at a possible crossover between the series and the movies. Before the show premiered in 2021, co-creator Andrew W. Marlowe revealed that the team had already talked about Robert and Robyn crossing paths in the future.
He said in an interview with Decider:
“It’s not anything that we’ve really talked about. We are here creating our own universe. Is there a potential that there could be a crossover universe in the future? We certainly haven’t ruled that out. But for us, it really is about building this show and identity around Robyn McCall and being very specific to a show where Queen is really embodying the heart of it.”
Since then, there have been five seasons of the show and one new installment of the film in 2023, but the two projects have not been linked so far. As of now, The Equalizer 4 movie has not been confirmed so it remains to be seen if Robert and Robyn will ever meet each other.
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The Equalizer Season 5 premiered on CBS on October 20, 2024, and airs new episodes on Sundays.
For more interesting updates about CBS shows, keep following SoapCentral.
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