Still Breaks My Heart’: Antoine Fuqua Recalls Losing Acclaimed Denzel Washington Film to Ridley Scott
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Denzel Washington smirks in American Gangster
Antoine Fuqua and Denzel Washington’s working relationship spans over two decades, with the two famously collaborating on Training Day and The Equalizer trilogy. However, Fuqua rues missing out on another film starring Washington as he reveals how he lost out on American Gangster directorial duties to Ridley Scott.
Speaking with Collider, Fuqua detailed how he was set to make American Gangster, the beloved 2007 crime drama featuring Washington in the lead role. According to Fuqua, he was “fully prepped” for American Gangster, and the brainchild behind the movie’s name, closing in on the start of principal photography before financial issues halted its progress.
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“I was actually fully prepped for American Gangster,” he said. “I was just a couple of weeks away from filming American Gangster. In fact, I’m the one who called it American Gangster. It used to be called ‘Blue-something,’ and I got Denzel [Washington] involved and changed it to American Gangster. That film fell apart because of financing. At the time, Universal couldn’t come to an understanding of the budget or cast. I cast police Benicio del Toro alongside Denzel, which is what I wanted it to be. Benicio and Denzel.”
“I was just a couple of weeks away from filming American Gangster.”
Budgetary concerns and creative differences caused Fuqua’s plan to direct American Gangster to fall through as Universal fired him from the film in 2004, just four weeks before production was set to start. After Universal canceled production, the studio revived the project when Scott, best known for directing the Gladiator films, agreed to make it. Fuqua called losing out on the film a heartbreaker, but credits Scott for how the final product came out. “At the time, Universal had other clients. When that fell apart, that broke my heart. That movie still breaks my heart. I prepped that whole movie and prepared to shoot in a couple of weeks. Then Ridley Scott made it, so you can’t complain. It is what it is. That’s Hollywood,” he said.
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Despite the chaotic build-up, which also included Will Smith nearly replacing Washington in the lead role, American Gangster flourished. Loosely based on the life of the infamous Harlem drug lord, Frank Lucas, American Gangster became a critical success (81% on Rotten Tomatoes) and grossed $266 million against a $100 million budget. The blockbuster earned two Academy Award nominations, including a Best Supporting Actress nod for Ruby Dee, and earned Washington and Scott Golden Globe nominations.
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Fuqua and Washington later began collaborating on The Equalizer trilogy, the only franchise Washington has starred in, which saw the Oscar-winning actor portray former Marine-turned-vigilante Robert McCall. The Equalizer 3 proved the most well-received of the trilogy critically (76% on Rotten Tomatoes) while becoming a box-of
fice and streaming hit.
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