Denzel Washington's talk of retirement may have just permanently ruled out The Equalizer 4. It's shocking to think that before the second entry of The Equalizer movie franchise, Washington had never appeared in a sequel. Of course, it helps that the concept loaned itself to other standalone stories, where Denzel's vigilante McCall rights the wrongs that the law can't (or won't). The Equalizer 3's ending saw McCall retire to a quiet little Italian town, seemingly leaving his equalizing days behind for good.

Regardless of the film wrapping up McCall's story and giving the character a shot to live in peace, there was still hope for a potential Equalizer 4. The character is still alive, and so long as a good concept is found, there's no reason to think the series couldn't run for another sequel or two. Ultimately, it feels there is a lack of desire on Washington's part for more,...