Richard Wenk Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

EXCLUSIVE: It’s been nearly 20 years since their hit action thriller Man On Fire blew away audiences and further helped solidify Dakota Fanning as a future star but it now looks like she is ready to reteam with the Oscar Winning Denzel Washington. Sources tell Deadline, Fanning is set to star opposite Washington in Antoine Fuqua’s The Equalizer 3 for Sony Pictures.

EXCLUSIVE: James Caan‘s final film, the action thriller Fast Charlie, has been snapped up for U.S. distribution by Vertical ahead of its October 7th world premiere at the Mill Valley Film Festival.

Returning for the third installment in the gritty action saga, The Equalizer 3 aims to deepen the mysterious world of Robert McCall. With Denzel Washington’s undeniable charm at its helm and Antione Fuqua’s seasoned direction, the film promises a continuation of its intense street-justice narrative. Yet, does it deliver the high-octane thrills we’ve come to expect, or does it falter under the weight of its own legacy? In addition to Washington, the film also stars Dakota Fanning, Eugenio Mastrandrea, Andrea Scarduzio, and Remo Girone. Richard Wenk returns as screenwriter.

In a cinema that has plenty of offerings when it comes to guys with guns, what givesSony and Escape Artists’ Equalizer series with Denzel Washington that extra zhuzh?

Denzel Washington has played former spy Robert McCall in 2014’s The Equalizer, 2018’s The Equalizer 2, and will reprise the role in the franchise’s upcoming The Equalizer 3.

Ethan Shanfeld “The Equalizer 3” has been touted as the final film in the Denzel Washington action series, but director Antoine Fuqua isn’t closing the door on more Robert McCall. In fact, Fuqua has even considered de-aging his leading man for a continuation of the franchise in the form of an origin story. “I definitely thought about it a lot,” Fuqua told NME in a new interview.

The Equalizer film franchise, said director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) – and he considered using the tech on new film The Equalizer 3.Speaking to NME in an exclusive interview to promote vigilante ex-hitman Robert McCall’s third outing, in UK cinemas August 30, Fuqua said: “I definitely thought about it a lot. Especially now with the new technology and the AI and all of that kind of stuff… Is there a story to be told about how [McCall] became this person – the younger version. I’ve had that conversation with Richard Wenk [who co-wrote all three Equalizer films] quite a bit.”De-aging older actors has become commonplace in recent years, with an 80-year-old Harrison Ford getting the treatment for a flashback scene in Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny; and Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman aging down Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Al Pacino.

Low end forecasts have Sony’s Denzel Washington starring, Antoine Fuqua-directed action threequel, The Equalizer 3 at $30M+ over 4-days.

Kraven The Hunter starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson – check it out above.Directed by J.C. Chandor (A Most Violent Year), the film serves as an origin story for the Marvel villain and is the fourth installment in Sony’s Spider-Man universe, following Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and last year’s box office flop Morbius.While the character is typically portrayed in the comics as simply being a renowned game hunter, the film adaptation appears to add lion blood dripping into his wounds as part of his origin story.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is hunting big game in the first trailer for Sony’s “Kraven the Hunter.”The new film teases a villain origin story for Marvel character. In comic book storylines, Kraven is a killer predator that sets his sights on Spider-Man. He is also oftentimes portrayed as a member of the supervillain team the Sinister Six.The latest in Sony Pictures’ universe of Marvel characters — which includes the Spidey spinoffs “Venom” and “Morbius,” as well as the upcoming “Madame Web” — “Kraven the Hunter” is set to be released theatrically Oct. 6. Taylor-Johnson stars alongside Ariana DeBose, Christopher Abbott, Alessandro Nivola, Russell Crowe and Fred Hechinger. 

Charna Flam Denzel Washington returns as the fan-favorite vigilante Robert McCall in the trailer for the third “Equalizer” film, premiering in theaters on Sept. 1 via Sony Pictures. No longer in the U.S., Robert McCall is fighting crime on an international scale, and this time he’s at odds with the Italian mafia.

Kraven the Hunter. The actor appeared in a pre-taped video introducing the first footage. He described the R-rated film as a Marvel movie heavily grounded in the real world.

Cross bows, stabbing, and kickass Aaron Taylor-Johnson populated the first trailer for Sony Marvel’s Kraven the Hunter which dropped during Sony’s CinemaCon presentation tonight.

EXCLUSIVE: Sony has rounded out its cast for The Equalizer 3, with Eugenio Mastrandrea (From Scratch), Remo Girone (Ford v Ferrari), Sonia Ammar (Scream), Daniele Perrone (Baaria), Andrea Scarduzio (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One) and Andrea Dodero (Blocco 181) signing on for roles. 

EXCLUSIVE: Gaia Scodellaro is set to join Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning in Antoine Fuqua’s The Equalizer 3 for Sony Pictures. Written by Richard Wenk, the film will being produced by Escape Artists’ Academy Award nominee Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, and Steve Tisch as well as Washington, and Fuqua.

Sasha Urban editorJames Caan had completed filming his role in the Phillip Noyce thriller “Fast Charlie” before his death on Wednesday, Variety has confirmed. The film’s distributor, Screen Media, is eyeing an early 2023 release date for the movie.“Fast Charlie,” based on Victor Gischler’s novel “Gun Monkeys,” stars Pierce Brosnan as Charlie Swift, a hitman who has been working for his aging mob boss, Stan (Caan), for two decades.

died Wednesday evening, will have at least one more performance in a film called “Fast Charlie” coming to screens next year via distributor Screen Media. “Fast Charlie” is directed by Phillip Noyce and also co-stars Pierce Brosnan and Morena Baccarin. A rep for Screen Media told TheWrap that the project has wrapped production and that Caan completed his work on the film.

When Oscar nominee James Caan passed away in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, aged 82, he left behind one final performance opposite Pierce Brosnan in the hitman thriller Fast Charlie, which has him playing the aging mob boss, Stan.

EXCLUSIVE: Pan star Levi Miller has rounded out the cast of Sony Pictures’ Marvel movie Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the title role. He joins a cast that includes Ariana DeBose, Russell Crowe, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott and Fred Hechinger. It is unknown at this time who Miller will be playing.

EXCLUSIVE: Oscar nominee James Caan (The Godfather) and Morena Baccarin (Deadpool) will star alongside Pierce Brosnan in hitman thriller Fast Charlie, to be directed by Phillip Noyce (Salt).

EXCLUSIVE: Catch-22 star Christopher Abbott is set to join Sony Pictures’ Marvel movie Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the title role. While unconfirmed, sources say Abbott would play the film’s main villain, The Foreigner — one of Spider-Man’s bigger adversaries in the comics.

Angelique Jackson Alessandro Nivola is the latest actor to join Sony’s “Kraven the Hunter,” starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Russell Crowe, Ariana DeBose and Fred Hechinger.The latest in Sony Pictures’ universe of Marvel characters, which includes the “Spider-Man” and “Venom” films, “Kraven the Hunter” is set to be released theatrically Jan. 13, 2023.

Alessandro Nivola has joined “Kraven the Hunter” for Sony Pictures, according to an individual with knowledge of the project.Details about Nivola’s role are being kept under wraps, but according to Deadline who first reported the news, Nivola is playing the villain. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is set to star in the title role. The studio also locked in the actor for multiple pictures as the iconic “Spider-Man” villain.

EXCLUSIVE: The Many Saints Of Newark star Alessandro Nivola is set to join Sony Pictures’ Marvel movie Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor Johnson in the titular role. It’s unknown who Nivola will be playing other then it being the villain in the film. He joins a cast that already includes Ariana DeBose, Russell Crowe and Fred Hechinger

Ariana DeBose is taking Hollywood by storm and has her eye on a new challenge. The celebrated actress is joining the action-packed world of comic book cinema!ET can confirm that the Oscar-nominated star has signed on to star in Sony Pictures' upcoming Marvel project, DeBose will appear opposite Aaron Taylor Johnson, who is set to star as the titular Kraven, a Russian immigrant who's real name is Sergei Kravinoff, who comes to New York to prove himself as the world's greatest hunter.According to, who was the first to report the casting news, DeBose is likely set to play Calypso, who — at least in the comics — is a sinister voodoo priestess and magical villain who is also an occasional love interest and ally to Kraven.Both Kraven and Calypso have been longtime enemies of Spider-Man, and fit into the Sony Spider-Man Universe that the studio has established with movies including and the long-delayed, starring Jared Leto.is helmed by J.C.

EXCLUSIVE: Fresh off her historic win at the SAG awards Sunday night, Ariana DeBose has her sights set on her next major project as the Oscar-nominee is set to join Sony Pictures’ Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor Johnson in the titular role. Although it’s unconfirmed, sources say DeBose would play Calypso in the movie.

SAG Award winner and Academy Award nominee Ariana DeBose has joined “Kraven the Hunter” for Sony Pictures, according to an individual with knowledge of the project.Deadline which first reported the news, claims the actress will play the role of Calypso. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is set to star in the title role. The studio also locked in the actor for multiple pictures as the iconic “Spider-Man” villain.

Jordan Moreau Sony keeps expanding its universe of Marvel characters. The upcoming film “Kraven the Hunter,” starring Aaron Taylor Johnson as the classic Spider-Man villain, has added Fred Hechinger (“The White Lotus,” “Pam & Tommy”) to its cast, Variety has confirmed.It’s currently unknown who Hechinger will play, but Deadline reports that he will portray Chameleon, an evil master of disguise who also happens to be Kraven’s half-brother.J.C.

EXCLUSIVE: Fred Hechinger has joined Sony Pictures’ Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor Johnson in titular role. Although it’s unconfirmed, sources say Hechinger would play Chameleon, the brother of Kraven, in the movie.

Deadline, which first reported the news, said he’s meant to be portraying Kraven’s half-brother, who goes by the alter ego Chameleon.Sony has already dated “Kraven the Hunter” for January 13, 2023. Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach are producing the film, and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway and Richard Wenk wrote the screenplay.

EXCLUSIVE: Gersh recently made a number of promotions across the company which include upping Eric Garfinkel, who is co-head of Gersh’s Motion Picture Lit Department, to partner. 

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaOscar winner Russell Crowe has entered the Spiderverse.The “Gladiator” star has joined the cast of “Kraven the Hunter” in an unspecified role. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is starring in the title role as one of Spider-Man’s most deadly antagonists.J.C. Chandor, who previously oversaw “All Is Lost” and “Triple Frontier,” is directing.

Oscar winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator, The Loudest Voice) will star alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Sony Pictures’ Marvel film Kraven the Hunter, from director J.C. Chandor (A Most Violent Year, Margin Call), Deadline can confirm.

Mel Gibson is reportedly set to direct the fifth installment of Lethal Weapon, a new report says.

Jordan Moreau After starring in the first “Lethal Weapon” movie more than 30 years ago, Mel Gibson is in talks to direct the upcoming “Lethal Weapon 5,” Variety has confirmed.The fifth entry of the classic action franchise has been in development for several years, with Richard Wenk (“The Equalizer”) writing the most recent draft of the script.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is returning to Marvel.